6 replies to this topic

[all denver]

1. Houston Texans (13-3)
The Texans got a scare against Jacksonville, but Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson put on a show. Only the Patriots have been more efficient through the air and no one has been better on the defensive side of the ball than the Texans in the AFC, although that unit certainly struggled on Sunday.

2. Denver Broncos (12-4)
The Denver Mannings have won five straight and won't be looking back any time soon. With the AFC's No. 3 opponent-adjusted passing attack and No. 2 opponent-adjusted defense, they are nipping at the heels of the mighty Texans.

3. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
Despite narrowly escaping a victory over Byron Leftwich, the Ravens are still in prime position for postseason play. They hold the seeding tiebreaker over the Patriots, but have been surprisingly average on both sides of the ball in terms of efficiency.

4. New England Patriots (11-5)
The Patriots will be without Rob Gronkowski for the foreseeable future, but that should not slow down the NFL's best offense. Tom Brady adds over two touchdowns per game above what a league-average offense would score and their rushing attack is best in the AFC after adjusting for strength of opponents.

5. Indianapolis Colts (9-7)
The Colts got the full brunt of that dominant Patriots attack on Sunday, but they are still in a good spot to see postseason action. Thanks in part to Andrew Luck's underrated mobility, the Colts have the No. 3 rushing attack in the AFC. They still own the worst pass defense in the NFL, which has allowed over 100 points that a league-average defense would prevent.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)
The Steelers should be alright, but they are praying for Big Ben to come back soon. With a huge matchup against Baltimore in Week 13, the Steel City can't fold. Even without Troy Polamalu, the Steelers pass defense ranks in the top third of the league in terms of efficiency.



1. Atlanta Falcons (12-4)
The Falcons defeated the Cardinals despite Matt Ryan throwing five interceptions and zero touchdowns. As a result, their opponent-adjusted passing offense fell to No. 7 in the league. They are a virtual lock to make the postseason at 9-1.

2. San Francisco 49ers (11-4-1)
Kaepernick! Putting up 32 points on the Bears defense is not an easy feat. With the help of his mobility, the Niners have the best opponent-adjusted rushing attack in the NFL and the No. 4 offense overall. They also own the league's best rushing defense, which has prevented over 50 points from being scored this year.

3. Green Bay Packers (11-5)
Aaron Rodgers leads the league's No. 2 passing attack, adding a point above expectation for every three passing attempts. After Chicago's loss, the Packers sit atop the NFC North due to their head-to-head victory over the Bears.

4. New York Giants (9-7)
The Giants got some much needed rest in Week 11, but they will need to step their game up moving forward -- the Cowboys are coming for them. Eli Manning needs to return to 2011 form; the Giants passing offense ranks No. 15 after adjusting for strength of opponents.

5. Chicago Bears (10-6)
Another tough primetime loss for the Bears and they can't get Jay Cutler back soon enough. Remember last year when they were almost a lock (80-plus percent) for the postseason before Cutler and Matt Forte went down? Luckily they have the NFL's top defense, which prevents over eight points per game that a league-average defense would allow.

6. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
The Seahawks are quietly putting together a nice season, mostly thanks to the league's No. 7 opponent-adjusted defense. Their secondary ranks No. 4 in the NFC, and Russell Wilson has been surprisingly efficient, adding a point above expectation for every five passing attempts.

AFC: LAST TWO OUT

Cincinnati Bengals (8-8, 27.0 percent playoff odds)
The Bengals are 5-5 and look to be on the outside looking in come January. They still have to play the Steelers and Ravens in the last two weeks of the season and those wins would go a long way toward extra football.

New York Jets (7-9, 12.9 percent playoff odds)
The Jets are in second in the AFC East, but a long way from a wild-card spot. At 4-6, they have their work cut out for them and just over a 1-in-10 chance to make the playoffs. Still, that's a lot higher than the Broncos' chances when Tebow took over last year!

AFC REMAINING TEAMS
Sorted by playoff odds

San Diego Chargers (7-9, 12.2 percent)
Buffalo Bills (7-9, 9.9)
Tennessee Titans (7-9, 7.1)
Miami Dolphins (6-10, 2.6)
Oakland Raiders (5-11, 1.3)
Cleveland Browns (4-12, 0.0)
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-13, 0.0)
Kansas City Chiefs (3-13, 0.0)

NFC: LAST TWO OUT

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7, 40.1 percent playoff odds)
The Bucs snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Carolina. While their defensive passing efficiency has been subpar, they rank No. 7 in the NFL in opponent-adjusted offensive efficiency. They must catch up to Seattle in conference wins to gain a postseason spot.

Dallas Cowboys (8-8, 35.2 percent playoff odds)
The Cowboys won a shaky matchup against the Browns in Week 11 and are now just one game behind the Giants in the NFC East. Tony Romo leads the No. 5 passing attack in the NFC and Dallas has an easy schedule the rest of the way.

NFC REMAINING TEAMS
Sorted by playoff odds

Minnesota Vikings (8-8, 25.4 percent)
Washington Redskins (8-8, 19.0)
New Orleans Saints (8-8, 13.6)
Arizona Cardinals (7-9, 1.1)
St. Louis Rams (5-10-1, 0.6)
Detroit Lions (7-9, 0.4)
Philadelphia Eagles (5-11, 0.1)
Carolina Panthers (6-10, 0.0)

[all denver]

[CMPunk]

You actually paid for ESPN Insider?

[all denver]

Yes, pretty surprise to see the giants at 9-7. I think they will fare better.

[CMPunk]

all denver, on 20 November 2012 - 07:33 PM, said:

Yes, pretty surprise to see the giants at 9-7. I think they will fare better.

So.....you gonna hook a brotha up with username and password?



Just kidding. Good stuff though. I'll be pulling for Russell Wilson and the Seahawks the rest of the way. He's a great kid and I prefer him over Foles.

[PickFoles]

In before someone posts this:

[BillTheButcher]

ur not supposed to post that stuff here i think...