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Updated NFL standings, playoff picture: Week 9

By John Buhler

Nov 6, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Jalen Richard (30) runs for a first down before being tackled by Denver Broncos outside linebacker Shane Roy (56) in the second quarter at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 6, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Jalen Richard (30) runs for a first down before being tackled by Denver Broncos outside linebacker Shane Roy (56) in the second quarter at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /
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With only Monday Night Football remaining between the Buffalo Bills and the Seattle Seahawks, let’s look at the updated NFL playoff picture in Week 9.

Twelve of the 13 games on the Week 9 NFL schedule have been played with only Monday Night Football between the Buffalo Bills and the Seattle Seahawks remaining. At the halfway point of the 2016 NFL season, the playoff position is getting only murkier.

Let’s take a look at what the updated playoff standings would be in both the AFC and NFC. These are the 12 teams that would qualify for the 2016 NFL Playoffs if the season ended today.

Here is the updated AFC Playoff picture:

  1. New England Patriots (7-1)
  2. Oakland Raiders (7-2)
  3. Houston Texans (5-3)
  4. Baltimore Ravens (4-4)
  5. Kansas City Chiefs (6-2)
  6. Denver Broncos (6-3)

New England has the best record in the AFC at 7-1. The Patriots have won four straight games since falling to Buffalo in Week 4 to have the best record in the AFC East. New England has three-game lead over both the Bills (4-4) and the Miami Dolphins and a 4.5-game lead over the New York Jets (3-6) in the AFC East race.

Oakland would have the No. 2 seed in the AFC at 7-2 by leading the AFC West. The Raiders have a half-game lead over the Chiefs, a one-game lead over the Broncos, and a three-game lead over the San Diego Chargers (4-5) in the AFC West race.

Houston has the best record in the AFC South at 5-3 and would get the No. 3 seed. The Texans lead both the Indianapolis Colts (4-5) and the Tennessee Titans (4-5) by 1.5 games and have a three-game lead over the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) in the AFC South race.

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Baltimore has the best record in the AFC North at 4-4 and would get the No. 4 seed. The Ravens have the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-4). Baltimore has a half-game lead over the Cincinnati Bengals (3-4-1) and a 4.5-game lead over the winless Cleveland Browns (0-9).

Through Week 9, the two AFC Wild Card berths again belong in the AFC West. The Chiefs would get the No. 5 seed with the best record of a non-division leader in the AFC at 6-2. The Broncos would have the No. 6 seed with the second best record of a non-division leader in the AFC at 6-3.

Here is the updated NFC Playoff picture:

  1. Dallas Cowboys (7-1)
  2. Atlanta Falcons (6-3)
  3. Seattle Seahawks (4-2-1)*
  4. Minnesota Vikings (5-3)
  5. New York Giants (5-3)
  6. Washington Redskins (4-3-1)

Dallas has the best record in the NFC at 7-1. The Cowboys have won seven straight games and lead the NFC East by several games. Dallas has a two-game lead on New York, a 2.5-game lead over Washington, and a three-game lead over the Philadelphia Eagles (4-4).

Atlanta has the best record in the NFC South at 6-3. The Falcons have the No. 2 seed in the NFC. They would stay there with a Seahawks’ loss or tie on Monday Night Football. Seattle would usurp them with a win, leading Atlanta by percentage points at 5-2-1. Atlanta would be no worse than the No. 3 seed in the NFC through Week 9’s action.

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The Falcons have a 1.5-game lead over the New Orleans Saints (4-4), and a 2.5-game lead over both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5) and the Carolina Panthers (3-5) in the NFC South race.

Seattle has the No. 3 seed in the NFC entering Monday Night Football with the best record in the NFC West at 4-2-1. A win would get the Seahawks the No. 2 seed in the NFC at 5-2-1. A loss would knock Seattle down to the No. 4 seed at 4-3-1.

The Seahawks have a 1.5-game lead over the Arizona Cardinals (3-4-1), a two-game lead over the Los Angeles Rams (3-5), and a four-game lead over the San Francisco 49ers (1-7) in the NFC West race.

Minnesota has the No. 4 seed in the NFC by leading the NFC North with a 5-3 record. The Vikings can be as high as the No. 3 seed entering Week 10 if the Seahawks should fall to the Bills on Monday Night Football at home.

The Vikings have a half-game lead over the Detroit Lions (5-4), a one-game lead over the Green Bay Packers (4-4), and a three-game lead over the Chicago Bears (2-6) in the NFC North race.

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Through Week 9, the two NFC Wild Card berths belong to NFC East teams. The Giants would get the No. 5 seed for the best record of a non-division leader in the NFC at 5-3. The Redskins would get the No. 6 seed for the second best record of a non-division leader in the NFC at 4-3-1.

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