Okay, deep breaths everyone. After losing two consecutive games, Washington (6-5-1) drops out of the top six in the playoff picture for the first time in over a month and now truly has their work cut out for them if they want to earn a bid in the postseason. No one said it was going to be easy, and the Redskins will have to learn that the hard way with four games remaining in the regular season, with two contests against NFC East division opponents.
Washington now sits a half game back of the hard-charging Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winners of four straight, for the sixth seed in the conference. Despite falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Giants still sit one game up in the win column for the fifth seed.
NFC Standings:
Seed
|
Team
|
Record
|
Remaining Schedule
|
||
1
|
Dallas (x)
|
11-1-0
|
@NYG, TB, DET, @PHI
|
||
2
|
Seattle
|
8-3-1
|
@GB, LA, AZ, @SF
|
||
3
|
Detroit
|
8-4-0
|
CHI, @NYG, @DAL, GB
|
||
4
|
Atlanta
|
7-5-0
|
@LA, SF, @CAR, NO
|
||
5
|
N.Y. Giants
|
8-4-0
|
DAL, DET, @PHI, @WAS
|
||
6
|
Tampa Bay
|
7-5-0
|
NO, @DAL, @NO, CAR
|
||
Seed
|
Team
|
Record
|
Remaining Schedule
|
||
7
|
Washington
|
6-5-1
|
@PHI, CAR, @CHI, NYG
|
||
8
|
Minnesota
|
6-6-0
|
@JAC, IND, @GB, CHI
|
||
9
|
Green Bay
|
6-6-0
|
SEA, @CHI, MIN, @DET
|
||
10
|
Arizona
|
5-6-1
|
@MIA, NO, @SEA, @LA
|
||
11
|
New Orleans
|
5-7-0
|
@TB, @AZ, TB, @ATL
|
||
12
|
Philadelphia
|
5-7-0
|
WAS, @BAL, NYG, DAL
|
||
13
|
Carolina
|
4-8-0
|
SD, @WAS, ATL, @TB
|
||
14
|
Los Angeles
|
4-8-0
|
ATL, @SEA, SF, AZ
|
||
15
|
Chicago
|
3-9-0
|
@DET, GB, WAS, @MIN
|
||
Eliminated
|
|
||||
Seed
|
Team
|
Record
|
Remaining Schedule
|
||
16
|
San Francisco
|
1-11-0
|
NYJ, @ATL, @LA, SEA
|
Legend: ( X ) -clinched playoff berth | ( Y ) -denotes division winner | ( Z ) -denotes first-round bye | ( * ) -clinched home-field advantage
Perhaps the toughest pill to swallow is the knowledge that at 11-1, the Dallas Cowboys have clinched a playoff spot, and it is now in the best interest of Redskins fans to root for them to win out in their match ups against the Giants (8-4), Buccaneers (7-5), Lions (8-4), and Eagles (5-7), all of whom are in competition with Washington for a playoff spot in one way or another.
The though the Bucs and the Falcons both have matching 7-5 records, for the time being Atlanta is ahead of Tampa Bay in the NFC South based on division record (3-1 to the Buccaneers' 2-1). Both Minnesota (6-6) and Green Bay (6-6) are a half game back of Washington in the standings, but the Vikings lead the Packers the NFC North based on head to head record, though they still face off one more time in Green Bay on December 24th.
Neither the Redskins nor Eagles can win the NFC East crown, and the Cowboys can clinch the division with a victory of the Giants next weekend.
Also worth noting, if the playoffs started today, five out of six of the teams that made the post-season last year in the NFC would not return, with Seattle being the lone exception.
Atlanta is ahead of Tampa Bay in the NFC South based on division record (3-1 to the Buccaneers' 2-1), while Minnesota is ahead of Green Bay in the NFC North based on head to head match-ups with one contest still to be played between the squads.
Washington’s playoff odds fell again following their loss, dropping from 46% to 39% according to Five Thirty Eight.
AFC Standings:
Seed
|
Team
|
Record
|
Remaining Schedule
|
||
1
|
Oakland
|
10-2-0
|
@KC, @SD, IND, @DEN
|
||
2
|
New England
|
10-2-0
|
BAL, @DEN, NYJ, @MIA
|
||
3
|
Baltimore
|
7-5-0
|
@NE, PHI, @PIT, @CIN
|
||
4
|
Houston
|
6-6-0
|
@IND, JAC, CIN, @TEN
|
||
5
|
Kansas City
|
9-3-0
|
OAK, TEN, DEN, @SD
|
||
6
|
Denver
|
8-4-0
|
@TEN, NE, @KC, OAK
|
||
In the hunt |
|||||
Seed
|
Team
|
Record
|
Remaining Schedule
|
||
7
|
Miami
|
7-5-0
|
AZ, @NYJ, @BUF, NE
|
||
8
|
Pittsburgh
|
7-5-0
|
@BUF, @CIN, BAL, CLE
|
||
9
|
Indianapolis
|
6-6-0
|
HOU, @MIN, @OAK, JAC
|
||
10
|
Buffalo
|
6-6-0
|
PIT, CLE, MIA, @NYJ
|
||
11
|
Tennessee
|
6-6-0
|
DEN, @KC, @JAC, HOU
|
||
12
|
San Diego
|
5-7-0
|
@CAR, OAK, @CLE, KC
|
||
13
|
Cincinnati
|
4-7-1
|
@CLE, PIT, @HOU, BAL
|
||
Eliminated |
|
||||
Seed
|
Team
|
Record
|
Remaining Schedule
|
||
14
|
N.Y. Jets
|
3-9-0
|
@SF, MIA, @NE, BUF
|
||
15
|
Jacksonville
|
2-10-0
|
MIN, @HOU, TEN, @IND
|
||
16
|
Cleveland
|
0-12-0
|
CIN, @BUF, SD, @PIT
|
For the Jets and Jags...
Oakland (10-2) moves back ahead of New England (10-2) to the first overall seed based on strength of victory (.470 to the Patriots' .351). With the Dolphins’ (7-5) loss to the Ravens (7-5), the Broncos (8-4) move back into the sixth seed this week. Baltimore remains ahead of Pittsburgh (7-5) in the AFC North based on head to head (1-0), and Miami is in front of the Steelers based on head to head (1-0) as well. Houston leads the pack of three 6-6 AFC South teams ahead of Indianapolis and Tennessee based on head to head record (Texans' 2-0 to the Colts' 2-1 and the Titans' 1-2). Two games back of the sixth seed, Buffalo (6-6) is ahead of Tennessee (6-6) based on strength of victory (.352 to the Titans' .343).