NFL Top 12

The playoff picture gets muddier as the weather gets colder. There are some truths though Indy is in, funk what you saw in the loss to the Chargers the Colts are still the team to beat, period. Cincy is in to the delight of their long suffering fans. They are finishing strong and will be a tough out in the playoffs New England is in, they are far from finished and will have to be dealt with Denver is in, but looking over their shoulder trying to hold off a hard charging Bengals squad that covets the #2 seed they hold. Seattle is in and a win from clinching home field advantage

Every playoff team will have at least 10 wins, the division winners will have at the very least 10 or 11 there will be no punks in this Super Bowl chase.

Dallas damaged its playoff chances by getting blasted in Washington, Tuna looks like he might give it up soon

Minnesota is on life support, they will need help to get to the postseason

Chicago despite being in the drivers seat in the NFC North is sitting on a QB controversy and it might cripple their playoff chances.

The NFC South is still a mess, but the Panthers might be taking control

The Jags and Steelers are in control of their own destiny to get to the playoffs

No one wants to deal with the Chargers now.

With those truths esposed, lets look at the Hot 12 in the NFL


1) Indy 13-1 last week 1 AFC South Champs, #1 seed in AFC playoffs(Lost to San Diego 26-17, next at Seattle) No such thing as a good loss, but Peyton and Co need not the added weight of perfection in going for 1st Super Bowl in Indy

2) Seattle 12-2 2 NFC West Champs (Beat Tennessee, 34-23 next vs Indy) This won't be a Super Bowl XL preview, both teams will be extremely vanilla

3) Cincinnati 11-3, 4 AFC North Champs (Beat Detroit 41-17, next vs Buffalo) Don't wanna hear 1990 again, 15 years of frustration vanishes. And still can get that prized 1st week playoff bye

4) Denver 11-3, 3 clinched playoff spot (Beat Buffalo 28-17 next vs Oakland) Looked sloppy before putting away dispirited Bills, a slipup could put them in #3 AFC spot

5) Carolina 10-4 5(Beat New Orleans 27-10 next vs Dallas) Locking down the NFC South

6) New York Giants 10-4, 7 (Beat Kansas City 27-17 next at Washington) Need to stay in NFC East top slot, they won't survive wild card malestrom

7) Chicago 10-4, 6 (Beat Atlanta 16-3 next at Green Bay) Ugly wins beat pretty losses, but its the wrong time for a QB controversy

8) New England 9-5, 9 (Beat Tampa Bay 28-0 next vs New York Jets) Quietly rounding into postseason form

9) San Diego 9-5, NR (Beat Indy 26-17 next at Kansas City)
The team no one wants to face in the postseason

10) Pittsburgh 9-5, 12 (Beat Minnesota 18-3 next at Cleveland) Easy road to the playoffs (at Cle, vs Det)

11) Tampa Bay 9-5 11(Lost to New England 28-0, next vs Atlanta) Bucs Freeze in the cold but still controls its playoff destiny

12) Minnesota 8-6, 10 (Lost to Pittsburgh 18-3, next at Baltimore) Bad time to take a tough loss, time is running out.

Dropped Out Dallas, 9 8-6 lost to Washington next at Carolina Tuna spoiled: Pokes get blasted by Skins and are on playoff life support