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The 5 o’clock club aims to provide a forum for reader-driven discussion at a time of day when there isn’t much NFL news being published. Feel free to introduce topics that interest you in the comments below.
Some teams are still in the playoff hunt, some are not.
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Like a dead man walking, some teams and some fans keep hope alive long after it’s reasonable to do so.
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Of course, we can all remember 2012 when the Redskins reached the bye week with a record of 3-6, with Mike Shanahan saying that it was time to find out who wanted to be on the team next season. The ‘Skins ran the table to finish 10-6 and win the NFC East.
Sometimes it really does pay to keep hope alive.
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Who thought, last year, after the Redskins blew out the Packers in prime time on 20 November, handing the Pack their 4th consecutive loss to drop them to 4-6, that Green Bay would win their final 6 games and win the NFC North?
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Today, I’m wondering which teams in the NFL are already finished for 2017.
There are 4 winless teams in the NFL right now, and another 4 who have just a single victory... that’s 4 wins for 8 teams going into Week 5!
Even some teams that have managed to put together a couple of wins may be facing new issues that could derail their seasons. Minnesota’s rooking running back, Dalvin Cook injured his knee ending his season, and Raiders quarterback Derek Carr fractured his back in the Broncos game and will miss a few games.
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Even though Carr won’t miss the entire season, can the Raiders hope to get to the playoffs in a division where they have to play both the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos (who beat them once already, on Sunday)? Having lost to the Redskins, and with the Cowboys & Eagles still on the horizon, is Oakland simply looking at a task that is insurmountable?
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And how about the Jets? They’ve won two games to prove that they’re not the butt-end of the league, but are they good enough to reach the playoffs from the AFC East?
Some teams aren’t done yet; their fans have reason to hope, and the playoffs, though only dimly visible, are not a lost cause. But there are some teams that are done already.
Which fans can start preparing mock drafts now?
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Poll
Can we stick a fork in the Oakland Raiders playoff hopes?
This poll is closed
-
39%
Yes, they’re done!
(116 votes) -
60%
No, they’re not done yet.
(175 votes)
Poll
Can we stick a fork in the Minnesota Vikings playoff hopes?
This poll is closed
-
48%
Yes, they’re done!
(139 votes) -
51%
No, they’re not done yet.
(145 votes)
Poll
NY Jets?
This poll is closed
-
79%
Yes, they’re done!
(223 votes) -
20%
No, they’re not done yet.
(58 votes)
Poll
New Orleans Saints?
This poll is closed
-
50%
Yes, they’re done!
(140 votes) -
50%
No, they’re not done yet.
(140 votes)
Poll
Indianapolis Colts?
This poll is closed
-
88%
Yes, they’re done!
(247 votes) -
11%
No, they’re not done yet.
(33 votes)
Poll
Cincinnati Bengals?
This poll is closed
-
67%
Yes, they’re done!
(189 votes) -
32%
No, they’re not done yet.
(89 votes)
Poll
Chicago Bears?
This poll is closed
-
79%
Yes, they’re done!
(218 votes) -
20%
No, they’re not done yet.
(56 votes)
Poll
Miami Dolphins?
This poll is closed
-
74%
Yes, they’re done!
(200 votes) -
25%
No, they’re not done yet.
(68 votes)
Poll
Cleveland Browns?
This poll is closed
-
97%
Yes, they’re done!
(268 votes) -
2%
No, they’re not done yet.
(7 votes)
Poll
LA Chargers?
This poll is closed
-
84%
Yes, they’re done!
(228 votes) -
15%
No, they’re not done yet.
(42 votes)
Poll
NY Giants?
This poll is closed
-
80%
Yes, they’re done!
(232 votes) -
20%
No, they’re not done yet.
(58 votes)
Poll
SF 49ers?
This poll is closed
-
91%
Yes, they’re done!
(247 votes) -
8%
No, they’re not done yet.
(23 votes)
Poll
Who is the worst team in the NFL right now?
This poll is closed
-
3%
Jets
(12 votes) -
0%
Seahawks
(0 votes) -
1%
Bears
(6 votes) -
0%
Bengals
(3 votes) -
55%
Browns
(182 votes) -
2%
Chargers
(8 votes) -
15%
Giants
(50 votes) -
7%
49ers
(23 votes) -
5%
Dolphins
(18 votes) -
0%
Titans
(0 votes) -
7%
Colts
(25 votes)