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NFL Playoff Picture 2014: NFC, AFC Races After Week 12 Late Games

By Josh Hill

Jan 20, 2013; Foxboro, MA, USA; A general view of the NFL championship logo on the field before the AFC championship game between the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2013; Foxboro, MA, USA; A general view of the NFL championship logo on the field before the AFC championship game between the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /
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The NFL playoff picture is starting to take shape as Week 12 saw some movement as things begin to get down to the wire for teams on the bubble. 

Sunday’s early games in the NFL brought a lot of drama and a lot of answers about the NFL Playoff picture, but the late games in the afternoon helped give us a better idea of where things will be as teams prepare for Week 13.

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We’re getting down to the wire in bother the AFC and NFC as teams on the bubble need to keep winning while teams at the top are still jockeying for first-round byes and home field advantage for as long as they can possible secure. Heading into the afternoon games the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals were the top two seeds in either conference while the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers were looking at first round byes as No. 2 seeds.

Nothing has changed in that regard, as the Cardinals losing to the Seattle Seahawks only drops them to 9-2 on the season while the Green Bay Packers are 8-3 and a game behind. New England playing the Packers next weekend is going to be huge for more than a few reasons as it effects not only those two teams but the Cardinals and Broncos as well.

Denver won on Sunday, meaning they staved off the Chiefs for another week but that race is far from over.

Here’s a look at the current playoff picture:

week12
week12 /

As for teams on the bubble, the Cleveland Browns and San Diego Chargers both won on Sunday but neither are in the playoffs at the moment thanks to the Pittsburgh Steelers blocking both of them out. With Pittsburgh on a bye this week, the Browns and Chargers will have to wait until next week to make their move.

Over in the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks are both out of the playoffs at the moment, but Seattle is gaining ground. They need a loss by the Dallas Cowboys tonight — a team that owns a tiebreaker over them — to start seriously considering a playoff bid.

We’re only in Week 12, but already the playoff picture is starting to fill out and that means these final weeks will be filled with intense football.

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