NFL playoff picture 2013: Colts, Bengals still in good position, despite losses
The Colts and Bengals both lost in Week 10, but still have significant leads over the rest of their respective divisions.
It was an odd week around the NFL in Week 10 as both the winless teams, the Jaguars and Buccaneers, each earned their first win of the season and the Vikings picked up their second. Several of the upset wins of the week came at the expense of teams in the hunt for the postseason, shaking things up some with seven weeks of regular season football left to play.
Here’s a look at the updated playoff picture:
AFC Playoff picture
No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs 9-0 (AFC West leader)
No. 2 New England Patriots 7-2 (AFC East leader)
No. 3 Indianapolis Colts 6-3 (AFC South leader)
No. 4 Cincinnati Bengals 6-4 (AFC North leader)
No. 5 Denver Broncos 8-1 (wild card)
No. 6 New York Jets 5-4 (wild card)
Contenders: Miami 4-5, Tennessee 4-5, San Diego 4-5, Cleveland 4-5, Baltimore 4-5
At the top, the undefeated Chiefs still have control of the AFC West, but a 28-20 win for the Broncos over the Chargers sets up a potential change at the top of the AFC playoff picture, as the Broncos will have a chance to usurp the Chiefs for the top spot in Sunday Night Football.
For the Colts, an embarrassing, 38-8, loss to the Rams didn't actually hurt the team's postseason hopes much at all, as the rest of the AFC South, with the exception of the 1-8 Jaguars, all lost. Still two games ahead of Tennessee, the Colts can expand that lead to three games with a win over the Titans on Thursday Night Football.
The Jets were big winners of the week despite sitting out with a Week 10 bye, as each of the three teams (Dolphins, Titans, Chargers) that could have challenged for the sixth spot lost. At 5-4, the Jets are the sole owners of the second wild card spot with five teams now one game behind them.
No. 1 Seattle Seahawks 9-1 (NFC West leader)
No. 2 New Orleans Saints 7-2 (NFC South leader)
No. 3 Detroit Lions 6-3 (NFC North leader)
No. 4 Dallas Cowboys 5-5 (NFC East leader)
No. 5 Carolina Panthers 6-3 (wild card)
No. 6 San Francisco 49ers 6-3 (wild card)
Contenders: Green Bay 5-4, Chicago 5-4, Arizona 5-4, Philadelphia 5-5
It's good to be the Seahawks right now, as a big 33-10 victory over the Falcons helped the team keep their hold on the top spot in the NFC. Helping even more was a 10-9 loss for the 49ers that helped balloon the NFC West lead for Seattle to 2.5 games. With a Week 11 home matchup against the Vikings before a Week 12 bye, the Seahawks are primed to keep their stranglehold on the top seed.
Just behind them are the Saints who bounced back from a Week 9 loss to deal the Cowboys a tough loss. With the Panthers hot on their tails, the Saints have a tough Week 11 game against the 49ers and still have two games against Carolina left on the schedule.
One team that has quietly climbed into contention as well is the Eagles, who improved to 5-5 with a win over the Packers. Lauded to begin the year, then written off shortly thereafter, back-to-back wins have the Eagles in a tie at the top of the NFC East. While a Week 7 loss to Dallas has the team on the outside looking in, they finish their season with a rematch. Before that though, they have a Week 11 home game against the Redskins before a Week 12 bye.
