Ready or not, the 2021 NFL regular season is about to hit into high gear. The NFL's first 14 weeks have set the table for what should be a thrilling final five weeks before the postseason begins.
While last year's Super Bowl participants -- the Buccaneers and Chiefs -- have put themselves in position to defend their conference titles, not much else is set in stone as the regular season reaches its final quarter. Only four teams -- the Lions, Texans, Jaguars and Jets -- have been eliminated from postseason contention. Five teams are neck-and-neck in the race to secure the NFC's final playoff berth, while the 49ers are just one ahead ahead of the pack as the current sixth seed. Things are even more wide open on the AFC side, as 13 teams have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs.
The NFL's remaining regular season schedule includes a slew of games that will have an impact on the playoffs. But there are several games that will significantly shape how the playoff field will shake out five weeks from now. Let's take a look at the six games that will have the greatest playoff impact.
What's at stake: New England currently holds the top seed in the AFC playoffs after winning seven straight games. A win on Saturday night would increase the Patriots' odds at capturing the AFC's lone playoff bye with three weeks to go in the regular season. Along with the steady play of rookie quarterback Mac Jones, the Patriots' success has been led by a defense that has allowed the fewest points in the NFL.
While New England is focused on a division title and possible playoff bye, the Colts are trying to stay on the inside of the AFC playoff picture. The Colts, who are are currently the sixth-seeded team in the AFC, possesses the NFL's third-ranked scoring offense and ninth-ranked scoring defense. Indianapolis has received an MVP-caliber season from second-year running back Jonathan Taylor, who has tallied 1,684 total yards and 18 touchdowns so far.
Key matchup: The Colts will have to take advantage of their scoring opportunities, which won't come easy against a Patriots defense that is currently second in the NFL in red zone efficiency. The Colts' offense, which is 22nd in the NFL in red zone efficiency, will have to find ways capitalize on their scoring opportunities in order to keep pace with a Patriots offense that has scored at least 24 points in eight of their previous nine games.
What's at stake: After consecutive losses heading into their bye week, the Titans had a 20-0 win over the Jaguars last Sunday. Tennessee would clinch its second consecutive AFC South division title with a win over the Steelers and a Colts loss to the Patriots. A Titans win and a Colts win would leapfrog Tennessee into the top spot in the conference.
Sunday's game is essentially a must-win for the Steelers, who would likely have to run the table during the season's final three weeks if they fall short against the Titans. Given that the Steelers' next game is a road matchup with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, Pittsburgh's playoff hopes would take an enormous hit if the Steelers fall short in Week 15.
Key matchup: The Steelers' rushing attack agent the Titans' stout run defense will be huge. If Pittsburgh's offensive line is unable to create enough holes for Najee Harris and company, the Steelers will once again have to lean on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who is likely playing the final games of his Hall of Fame career.
Bills at Patriots: Week 16
What's at stake: Buffalo's hopes for a second consecutive AFC East title could come down to this game. If the Bills (who host the 5-8 Panthers this Sunday) can beat the Patriots in New England, they'll split their season series, after the Patriots threw just three passes in their Week 13 win in Buffalo.
The Bills, who play Carolina this week, will finish the season with home games against Atlanta (6-7) and the Jets (3-10), so a win over the Pats certainly would likely put a 4-0 finish in play. But a second loss to New England would eliminated any chance at the Bills hosting a playoff game. Conversely, a Buffalo win could shift the balance of power in the AFC East.
Key matchup: It's safe to say that Mac Jones will have to throw more than he did the first time these two teams played. How well Jones plays against Buffalo's talented secondary -- led by safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde -- will likely determine the outcome.
What's at stake: This list wouldn't be complete without a game between two teams from the NFL's tightest division race. Despite consecutive losses, the Ravens remain in the driver's seat to win their third AFC North division title since 2018. But Baltimore has two tough games coming up against two of the NFC's top teams: the Packers and Rams. Baltimore also closes out the regular season against the Steelers in a game that almost always comes down to the wire. A win against the Bengals would go a long way in the Ravens clinching the division and securing one of the top four seeds in the playoffs.
This game will be imperative for the Bengals, whose last four games are all against teams with winning records. A win against Baltimore would give Cincinnati a 4-1 record in the division, which would be key in the event that the division title comes down to a tiebreaker. Cincinnati will have a chance to go 5-1 against division foes if they can beat the Browns in Week 18, another game that may also carry playoff implications.
Key matchup: Lamar Jackson has been more Clark Kent than Superman in his games against divisional foes this season. That includes his first game against the Bengals, as the former league MVP was sacked five times while completing less than 50% of his passes. A positive for the Ravens' offense is the recent emergence of rookie receiver Rashod Bateman, who recorded his first 100-yard game in last week's two-point loss to the Browns.
What's at stake: Frontrunners to win their respective divisions, the Cowboys and Cardinals are also vying to earn the top seed in the NFC playoffs. As it currently stands, Arizona (10-3) and Dallas (9-4) are the third and fourth seeds in the standings. The Cardinals' next two games are at Detroit (1-11-1) and at home against Indianapolis (7-6). The Cowboys have two inner-division matchups on the slate, against the Giants (4-9) in New Jersey this Sunday before hosting Washington (6-7) in Week 16.
Key matchup: Fans will be treated to what should be a highly-competitive matchup between Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs and the rest of the Cowboys' defense against Kyler Murray, DeAndre Hopkins and the rest of the Cardinals' high-scoring offense. Along with Murray and Hopkins, the Cowboys will have to keep an eye on running back James Conner, who has 16 touchdowns in the season's first 13 games.
What's at stake: The Rams and 49ers are currently the fifth and sixth-seeded teams in the NFC, respectively. Los Angeles, which split its season series with Arizona by virtue of Monday night's 30-23 win, is just a game back of the Cardinals in the NFC West division standings. The Rams also remain in the running to capture the NFC's top seed. The 49ers, who climbed above .500 this past Sunday with an overtime win in Cincinnati, are looking to make the playoffs as a wild-card team.
Key matchup: Can the Rams' defense slow the 49ers' offense -- specifically Elijah Mitchell and Deebo Samuel -- this time around? The 49ers' offense experienced little resistance against the Rams' talented defense in Week 10, as San Francisco ran for 156 yards while controlling the ball for over 39 minutes.
Which NFL picks can you make with confidence this week, and which Super Bowl contender goes down hard? Visit SportsLine now to see which teams win and cover the spread, all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $7,000 since its inception.
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December 15, 2021 at 10:44PM
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NFL 2021 playoff race: Six remaining games that will have the biggest postseason impact - CBS Sports
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