The Week 9 early games are wrapping up, and the playoff picture is starting to take shape. A handful of teams got big wins to stay in the hunt, while some saw their playoff hopes all but die. Here’s a look at how the 1 p.m. ET games impact things going forward.
2013 NFL playoff picture: Panthers, Jets wins keep both teams in the hunt
The Jets and Panthers scored important wins in Week 9 to keep their Wild Card hopes alive.
Stock up: Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys
The Panthers have come roaring back from a 1-3 start and now sit at 5-3 after thrashing the Atlanta Falcons. With the New Orleans Saints losing, the Panthers are just one game back in the NFC South. Carolina has big showdowns with the Saints in Weeks 14 and 16.
The Jets improved to 5-4 with a win over the Saints. They have a good chance of securing a Wild Card now, and with the Patriots looking more vulnerable by the week, New York could even make a surprise run at the AFC East after scoring a tiebreaker win in Week 7.
The Titans beat the Rams and move back to .500, keeping their Wild Card hopes alive. The Cowboys solidified their hold on first place with a comeback win over the Vikings, but the NFC East remains wide open.
Stock down: San Diego Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, St. Louis Rams, Buffalo Bills
The Chargers lost a heart-breaking overtime contest to the Washington Redskins, moving to 4-4. With the Chiefs and Broncos in the same division, San Diego is looking for a Wild Card spot, but lost some ground with this loss and the Jets going to 5-4.
The Falcons dropped to 2-6 and their playoff hopes are all but dead. St. Louis lost a nail-biter to the Titans and are now 3-6, an increasingly bleak position in the NFC West. Buffalo also fell to 3-6 and may have run out of chances to make a run in the AFC East.
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