With five weeks left in the regular season, the NFL playoff race remains tight, featuring close division battles and several teams on the brink of elimination. No teams can clinch a playoff spot this weekend, but multiple squads face elimination scenarios in key Week 14 matchups. Already eliminated teams include the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints, and Arizona Cardinals.
The NFL enters Week 14 with a muddled playoff picture, as recent results like the Detroit Lions' victory over the Dallas Cowboys have intensified the competition. Key games this weekend pit contenders against each other, including the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars hosting the Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears versus Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans, and Philadelphia Eagles against Los Angeles Chargers. These matchups involve teams currently in or near playoff positions, but none can secure a berth yet.
On the elimination front, five more teams are at risk. The Cleveland Browns will be out with a loss to the Titans. The Washington Commanders face elimination with a loss or tie against the Minnesota Vikings, or if the Eagles win or tie versus the Chargers. The Vikings are eliminated with a loss to the Commanders or a tie combined with a Packers win or tie over the Bears. The Atlanta Falcons risk ouster with a loss to the Seattle Seahawks, or a tie alongside Buccaneers and Packers wins or ties. The New York Jets could be done with a loss or tie to the Miami Dolphins, or various combinations involving Texans, Bills, Jaguars, and Colts results.
Betting odds reflect the stakes, with lines such as Bengals -5.5 over Bills, Ravens -5.5 versus Steelers, Chiefs -3.5 at Texans, Eagles -2.5 against Chargers, and Seahawks -7 over Falcons. A computer model favors the Jets covering +3 at home against the Dolphins in cold weather, where Tua Tagovailoa is 0-7 in temperatures 40 degrees or below, and the Broncos covering -7.5 versus the Raiders amid Denver's nine-game win streak and Las Vegas' six-game skid.