Week 15 is in the books. Will the playoff picture explode in the final three weeks? Hold onto your helmets, folks. In the AFC, the Baltimore Ravens are flying. In the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers look like they won’t be stopped.
Underdogs are on the rise. Which teams are playing for draft picks? Who is tanking and who likes to play spoiler? Take this all with a grain of salt. It’s only week 15. With the recent expansion to 17 games and seven playoff spots, anything can happen in the 2023 NFL season.
AFC – Week 15
East
🏈🏈 Miami Dolphins (10-4): #2 seed. Next three games against contenders. Can they get their first real win?
Buffalo Bills (8-6): Is the stage being set for week 18 showdown between the 10-6 Bills and the 10-6 Fish?
New York Jets (5-9): Rodgers’ definitely coming back this season …..… on second thought, let’s make that next season.
New England Patriots (3-11): Sick defense all year. Belichick has three more post-game pressers to go. He seems so much happier lately.
North
🏈🏈 Baltimore Ravens (11-3): #1 seed. Super Bowl preview Christmas night.
🏈 Cleveland Browns (9-5): #5 seed. Team is so well-rounded, need more than Flacco.
🏈 Cincinnati Bengals (8-6): #6 seed. If only they had given their superstar QB the injury rest he needed when the season began.
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7): Finally giving benchwarmer Rudolph the nod over the $8+ million back-up bust.
South
🏈🏈 Jacksonville Jaguars (8-6): #4 seed. Overplaying their QB and paying the price.
🏈 Indianapolis Colts (8-6): #7 seed. Up-and-down Colts remain playoff contenders, but consistency needed.
Houston Texans (8-6): Who would have thought week 18 vs. Colts may be for the division?
Tennessee Titans (5-9): Dangerous spoilers.
West
🏈🏈 Kansas City Chiefs (9-5): #3 seed. The team, including the coach, is more worried about their next commercial or camera time than playing football.
Denver Broncos (7-7): Win out and playoff spot should be theirs.
Los Angeles Chargers (5-9): Do we really need two teams in L.A. anymore?
Las Vegas Raiders (6-8): Terrible team. Back down to Earth this week.
UPDATED PLAYOFF PICTURE 🚨 pic.twitter.com/xW7OyuLL76
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 19, 2023
NFC – Week 15
East
🏈🏈 Dallas Cowboys (10-4): #2 seed. Let’s call that loss a bounce. Battle of the pretenders @ Miami in Sunday marquee matchup.
🏈 Philadelphia Eagles (10-4): #5 seed. At what point is it time to worry?
New York Giants (5-9): Can’t win while giving your best player 10 touches. Pipe-dream derailed.
Washington Commanders (4-10): Unwatchable.
North
🏈🏈 Detroit Lions (10-4): #3 seed. Win this week and they clinch division for first time in 30 years.
🏈 Minnesota Vikings (7-7): #6 seed. Media anointed defense as great after beating the Bears and Raiders… and then they played a real team.
Green Bay Packers (6-8): Injuries to skill players have halted their Cinderella run to a playoff spot.
Chicago Bears (5-9): QB’s stock took a hit while auditioning.
South
🏈🏈 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7): #4 seed. Back on track after rough Oct/Nov. Solid team. Three straight. Division theirs to lose.
New Orleans Saints (7-7): Huge Thursday night matchup against surging Rams may be make or break with Bucs and Falcons on-deck
Atlanta Falcons (6-8): Pathetic loss made their undeserved division title chance grow more out of reach.
Carolina Panthers (2-12): Great experience for rookie QB driving 90 yards in brutal conditions to steal victory for the die-hard home fans.
NFC West
🏈🏈 San Francisco 49ers (11-3): #1 seed. Super Bowl preview Christmas prime-time.
🏈 Los Angeles Rams (7-7): #7 seed. Putting it all together. Playoff spot is theirs to lose.
Seattle Seahawks (7-7): They certainly have the NFC East’s number. Final spot looks promising.
Arizona Cardinals (3-11): Keep Kyler healthy during this last stretch.
Thank you for reading my NFL Week 15 article. Our NFL page is your premier destination for all things this NFL season. Head to my Belly Up Sports Page and follow me on Twitter/X. For NFL and all other sports articles go to Belly Up Sports. Featured image credit Mike Carlson/Getty Images.
