Week 14 NFL playoff picture: Which teams can be eliminated -- and which matchups will reshape the race
A look at which teams can be eliminated this weekend
By
Jared Dubin
•
1 min read
With just five weeks remaining in the regular season, all eyes in and around the NFL are on the playoff picture, and with good reason.
The picture is as close and as muddied as it has ever been in recent memory, with some of the closest division races in years and plenty of teams we thought were inner-circle contenders potentially on the outside of the picture and looking in. And in Week 14, there are a whole bunch of games that could potentially affect what the playoff field looks like come January.
We've already seen the Detroit Lions defeat the Dallas Cowboys to improve their own standing and damage that of the Cowboys, but on Sunday and Monday there are a number of games featuring two teams fighting for playoff spots.
The Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens. The Jacksonville Jaguars host the Indianapolis Colts. The Chicago Bears take on the Green Bay Packers. The Kansas City Chiefs play the Houston Texans. And the Philadelphia Eagles do battle with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Each of those matchups features two teams that are either currently in the playoff picture or sitting just outside of it. Amazingly, none of those teams -- even the teams sitting in first or second place in their respective conferences -- can clinch a spot in the playoffs this weekend. There's still more football to be played before that can happen.
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But there is also the other end of the spectrum to consider. There have so far been five teams eliminated from playoff contention: the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals will all be sitting at home once the new year rolls around. And there could potentially be several more teams eliminated from the possibility of making the postseason this weekend.
Here's a look at the potential elimination scenarios in Week 14:
Cleveland Browns
- Eliminated with a loss vs. Titans
Washington Commanders
- Eliminated with a loss/tie vs. Vikings OR
- Eagles win/tie vs. Chargers
Minnesota Vikings
- Eliminated with a loss vs. Commanders OR
- Tie and Packers win/tie vs. Bears
Atlanta Falcons
- Eliminated with a loss vs. Seahawks OR
- Tie and Buccaneers win/tie and Packers win/tie
