NFC Playoff Picture

Taking a glance at the NFC playoff picture you notice one thing...it is UGLY. Injuries have ravaged many teams within the conference leaving them fighting for playoff spots when just a few weeks ago they were all but guaranteed January football. 

When taking a look you can only safely eliminate the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings from playoff contention. This leaves 13 teams battling for 6 spots.  Let's take a closer look at how this will potentially shake out over the coming weeks.

NFC East

It is hard to imagine a scenario in today's NFL where a team that starts 0-6 can not only make the playoffs but have a legitimate chance of winning the division.  That is exactly the scenario the New York Giants find themselves in.  Currently riding a three game win streak, the Giants will have a chance to bolster their playoff hopes this weekend as they host the injury ridden Green Bay Packers.

When you think of inconsistency in the NFL over the past decade one team springs to mind...the Dallas Cowboys.  This season seems to be no different as they find themselves sitting at 5-5.  Tony Romo has shown glimpses of being the franchise quarterback his contract suggests he is including a five touchdown performance against the Denver Broncos earlier in the year.  This past weekend, former Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan got the best of Romo as he was held to a measly 128 yards passing in a loss to the New Orleans Saints.  Which Cowboys team will we see in December? That is an impossible question to answer, but they will have a chance to once again prove their doubters wrong.  Each division opponent shows up one more time on the Cowboys schedule. 

One of the major questions entering the NFL season was how the knee of Robert Griffin III would hold up after off-season surgery.  Through nine games it still seems as though RGIII is still not at 100% and his numbers reflect that.  Griffin was explosive during his rookie campaign, running for 815 yards and seven touchdowns while only throwing five interceptions as the Washington Redskins reached the playoffs. In 2013 it has been a different story as he has already eclipsed his interception mark of last year throwing nine while also not finding the end zone once on the ground thus far.  The Redskins currently sit at 3-6 and with the toughest remaining schedule in the division, they should begin to look towards next year where RGIII will hopefully be back to his normal self.

After losing the starting quarterback position to Michael Vick in the preseason, who would have thought Nick Foles would be leading the Philadelphia Eagles towards the postseason.  In a division with Romo, Griffin III and Eli Manning, Foles has stood tallest, throwing 16 touchdowns and no interceptions under first year coach Chip Kelly.  With weapons on the outside like DeSean Jackson and Riley Cooper and with LeSean McCoy in the backfield there is no reason why Foles can't continue his hot play down the stretch and have the Eagles competing for the division title. 

So what do we make of the NFC East?  Four teams seperated by only two games, most likely competing for one playoff spot.  The Eagles are my favorite as they are hitting their stride at the right time, while the Cowboys can't seem to put any sort of momentum together.  The Giants are playing good football and have once again rallied around their coach Tom Coughlin.  A team that has started the season 0-6 has never made the playoffs and I don't expect the Giants to have enough time to dig out of the early hole they made themselves.  It will be a race that will come down to the final week of the season with a big play or mistake being the difference between who gets in and who is left on the outside looking in.

NFC North

Much like the NFC East, nothing has been decided in the NFC North.  The North is a prime example of how in the NFL, one play can flip an entire division on it's head.  Just two weeks ago, it seemed the Green Bay Packers were headed for another division title.  All of that changed during a Monday night game against the Chicago Bears when All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers was sacked, fracturing his collarbone.  Rodgers will be out at least another few weeks, leaving the quarterbacking duties to journeyman Scott Tolzien and newly signed Matt Flynn.  Tolzien looks more like a high school chemistry teacher than the prototypical NFL quarterback, but he did show flashes of potential when he was called upon last week after an injury to Seneca Wallace.

The Packers have been disseminated by injuries on both sides of the ball this season.  Rodgers, along with impact players Clay Matthews, Randall Cobb, JerMichael Finley, Bryan Bulaga and Nick Perry have all been sidelined for significant time.  Can the Packers hold up over the next couple of weeks to give themselves a shot when Rodgers returns? They will need to at least split their next two games against the New York Giants this Sunday and division rival Minnesota Vikings the following week.  

Another team that has been bitten by the injury bug this season have been the Chicago Bears.  Quarterback Jay Cutler is once again sidelined this week and will be replaced by Josh McCown who has looked good this season when called upon.  On the defensive side of the ball is where the Bears have been impacted most by injuries with Pro-Bowlers Charles Tillman, Lance Briggs and Henry Melton all currently out.  The Bears got a massive win over the Packers two weeks ago after Rodgers was forced to leave.  They host the Packers again Week 17 in what could be a deciding game for the two teams.

The team that has taken advantage of the injury problems to the Bears and Packers are the Detroit Lions who currently sit at the top of the division.  They control their own destiny at this point and with winnable games at Pittsburgh and home to Tampa Bay and the aforementioned Packers on Thanksgiving, the Lions could find themselves sitting pretty at 9-3 at the end of November.

While the division is far from decided at this point, you have to expect the injury problems to eventually take there toll on the Bears and Packers.  I expect the Lions to take advantage and claim their first outright division championship since 1993, leaving the Bears and Packers battling for a Wild Card spot. 

NFC South

Sean Payton has proved this season that a great head coach in the NFL may be a more valuable commodity than we thought.  Returning to the sidelines after a year-long suspension, Payton along with All-Pro quarterback Drew Brews have guided the New Orleans Saints to a 7-2 start.  With the scandal that surrounded the 2012 season behind them, the Saints appear to have regained the form that led them to three straight playoff appearances prior to last season.

With all of the attention focused on the rejuvenated Saints, the Carolina Panthers have quietly crept into the playoff picture.  Trailing the Saint by just one game, the Panthers have won five straight including a win over the San Francisco 49ers this past weekend.  With the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers struggling at the back end of the division this season, it is a two horse race for the division title.  The teams meet twice in the month of December so it will all be decided on the field between two of the leagues hottest teams.  Whoever doesn't come out on top will be one of the favorites to claim a Wild Card spot.

NFC West

In the NFC West, the Seattle Seahawks have been in cruise control from the start and look to be a good bet to have home field advantage for the NFC playoffs.  The Seahawks have been unbeatable at home recently, sporting a 12-0 record at CenturyLink Field since the beginning of the 2012 season.

The San Francisco 49ers are still in the drivers seat for a Wild Card berth despite their loss to the Panthers on Sunday.  Colin Kaepernick has been a far cry from the quarterback that ran his team all the way to the Super Bowl last year.  With a defense that forces turnovers and a balanced running attack led by Frank Gore, the 49ers have had to rely less on the playmaking of Kaepernick.  The 49ers, barring a collapse should find there way into the playoffs.

The Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams have both played better of late, which makes the division an entertaining one to follow down the stretch.  The Cardinals have played the Seahawks and 49ers tough, while the Rams nearly knocked off the Seahawks as well before blowing out the AFC South leading Colts last week.  Neither of these teams will likely make the playoffs this season, but the future is bright.  With plenty of young talent on both squads it will make the NFC West one of the better divisions in football over the coming years.

Like the AFC, parity is reigning supreme in the NFC as there is much that is left to be decided.  I believe the Eagles will emerge from the the mess that is the NFC East and join the Lions, Saints and Seahawks as division champions.  The 49ers will return to the playoffs as one of the Wild Card teams, while the Packers will sneak in as long as they can hold on until Aaron Rodgers is able to return.  If Rodgers doesn't return at or near 100%, look for the Panthers to round out the NFC playoff field.

Pigskin Picks Week 10

Week 10 of the NFL season is here, and it's time to take a look at this weekends matchups.

Oakland @ NY Giants

Neither of these teams has impressed much to this point in the year. The Raiders have yet to win a road game this season, and the Giants have managed 2 wins in a row and come off a bye week. In each of the last 5 years, the Giants have won their first game following a bye. They will follow suit in this contest.

Prediction: Giants 24 Raiders 16

Jacksonville @ Tennessee

There isn't much analysis to be done here. It's pretty well documented that the Jaguars are god awful. The Titans have showed signs of putting things together, and a win here keeps them above .500

Prediction: Titans 21 Jaguars 10

Seattle @ Atlanta

I'm sure when most of us looked at the schedule before the season, we pointed to this game as a key matchup. Unfortunately for those in Atlanta, the Falcons have been a real disappointment. 

Prediction: Seahawks 27 Falcons 17

Buffalo @ Pittsburgh

Who knows what to expect with these two struggling teams facing off. Both are currently riding 2 game losing streaks that they look to end. With both mainly doing the bulk of the work with their running game, the victor here may be who forces more mistakes. I give a slight edge to the Steelers at home. 

Prediction: Steelers 23 Bills 20

Cincinnati @ Baltimore

The Bengals travel to face the defending Suoer Bowl champs as they sit atop the division. Though they currently sit at 6-3, it doesn't feel like the Bengals are firing on all cylinders. A win on the road in Baltimore may serve as a knockout punch to the Ravens. On the flip side, a win for the Ravens could be just what they need to right the ship if they're going to make a playoff push.

Prediction: Ravens 24 Bengals 23

Detroit @ Chicago

This should be a great game between two teams that appear pretty evenly matched, as they battle for first place. The Bears defense hasn't been meeting their typical standards, and if they can't contain the Lions offense, A hobbled jay Cutler and company may not be able to keep pace. 

Prediction: Lions 28 Bears 24

St. Louis @ Indianapolis 

The Rams come to Indy on a 3 game skid, and as long as Kellen Clemens is behind center that trend won't end anytime soon. The Colts are a legitimate force that will tear right through the Rams this week.

Prediction: Colts 31 Rams 13

Philadelphia @ Green Bay

The Eagles haven't looked better all year as they come off a Nick Foles 7 TD performance where he shredded the Raiders defense apart. The Packers have to go without Aaron Rodgers, giving the Eagles a real chance to pull this one off. The Packers still have enough talent, and the Eagles more to prove, so I think the Packers manage to pull this one off. Barely.

Packers 28 Eagles 27

Carolina @ San Francisco

Both of these teams come into this matchup hot. The Panthers are winners of 4 in a row, while the 49ers have rattled off 5 straight. Such success was expected in San Francisco, but probably not so much in Carolina. Cam Newton is a playmaker who can make things happen. Colin Kaepernick and the niners are the real deal though, and it may be proven Sunday that the Panthers just can't hang with the big boys.

Prediction: 49ers 23 Panthers 17

Denver @ San Diego

This game has shoot out written all over it. Any time the high octane offense of Peyton Manning and the broncos takes the field, you know the ball will be flying into the end zone. Quite frankly they've had to be, because the defense has been pretty lousy itself. Combine this with the fact that there is a Philip Rivers renaissance talking place in San Diego, and you've got the perfect recipe for a high scoring affair. 

Prediction: Broncos 35 Chargers 27

Houston @ Arizona

If you'd had told someone a few months ago that the Cardinals would be favored to beat the Texans, you'd have probably got some strange looks. It isn't that the Catdinals have exceeded expectations, but that the Texans have played far below the level at which they were expected to. Case Keenum has looked pretty good in his two games as QB, and will lead the efforts to try and squall a 6 game losing streak. On the other side of the ball Carson Palmer has been struggling. If he can't control his mistakes in this contest, the Texans may finally come out on top.

Prediction: Texans 21 Cardinals 17 

Dallas @ New Orleans

The Cowboys travel to New Orleans and represent a team struggling to find themselves. It seems no matter who they play, they find themselves in a close matchup. That won't be the case this week, and they won't be on the right side of it. As if the Saints offense wasn't enough to reign supreme in this duel, Rob Ryan is bound to throw everything at his former team in order to shut them down. 

Prediction: Saints 31 Cowboys 21

Miami @ Tampa Bay 

What a thrilling Monday Night Football matchup. The Buccaneers are still in search of that elusive first win; The Dolphins are coming off a drama filled week and are a very dysfunctional team at the moment. Mike Glennon has been more than efficient recently, limiting mistakes and looking like a solid game manager. In his previous 3 games he has thrown for 5 TD's with no picks, and has been completing a fair percentage of passes. All things considered, this could be the week for the Bucs.

Prediction: Buccaneers 21 Dolphins 20