If the NFL season ended after week 8, here’s how the playoffs would stack up:
| AFC | ||||
| Seed | Team | Rec. | Div. Rec. | Conf. Rec. |
| 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 6-2 | 0-1 | 4-2 |
| 2 | Buffalo Bills | 5-2 | 1-0 | 3-1 |
| 3 | Houston Texans | 5-3 | 3-0 | 5-2 |
| 4 | Kansas City Chiefs | 4-3 | 2-1 | 3-2 |
| 5 | Cincinnati Bengals | 5-2 | 1-0 | 4-1 |
| 6 | New England Patriots | 5-2 | 2-1 | 4-2 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 5-2 | 1-0 | 3-2 | |
| Tennessee Titans | 4-3 | 1-2 | 4-3 | |
| New York Jets | 4-3 | 1-1 | 3-3 | |
| San Diego Chargers | 4-3 | 2-1 | 3-3 | |
| Oakland Raiders | 4-3 | 1-1 | 4-3 | |
| NFC | ||||
| Seed | Team | Rec. | Div. Rec. | Conf. Rec. |
| 1 | Green Bay Packers | 7-0 | 2-0 | 6-0 |
| 2 | San Francisco 49ers | 6-1 | 1-0 | 4-1 |
| 3 | New York Giants | 5-2 | 1-1 | 3-2 |
| 4 | New Orleans Saints | 5-3 | 1-1 | 2-3 |
| 5 | Detroit Lions | 6-2 | 2-0 | 4-2 |
| 6 | Chicago Bears | 4-3 | 1-2 | 4-3 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4-3 | 2-0 | 3-3 | |
| Atlanta Falcons | 4-3 | 1-1 | 4-3 | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 3-4 | 2-1 | 3-3 | |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3-4 | 1-1 | 3-2 | |
| Washington Redskins | 3-4 | 1-2 | 3-3 | |
The most interesting team, right now, is the Buffalo Bills. They not only lead their division, but they’re currently in position for a wild-card bye week. They’re not the only somewhat surprising team in the AFC. The Chiefs, with some help from Phillip Rivers, have taken the lead in their division, and they’re currently seeded 4th in the AFC.
The Chargers are the most noteworthy team left out of the AFC. They had a golden opportunity to take charge of their division last night, but they weren’t able to seal the deal. The Jets are the other big notable team currently left out. Rex Ryan has been predicting Super Bowls since he took the reigns in New York, but he’s failed to deliver. He better fix his team soon, or they won’t have to worry about any playoff games this season.
The NFC is less surprising than the AFC. The Packers are the number one seed. The other team that would be getting a bye if the season ended today is a surprise. Few thought that Jim Harbaugh would be able to turn around the 49ers in such short order, but that’s exactly what he’s done. The 49ers are playing very good football, and they play in a weak division. Don’t be surprised if they’re able to hold on to the 2nd seed in the NFC.
The Falcons have been largely disappointing to watch this season, but they’re working on getting their act together. They play the Colts this weekend, and they follow that game with a big match-up against their divisional rivals, the Saints. If they can find a way to beat the suddenly struggling Saints, their path to the playoffs would clear up dramatically.
