When the season started in September, not too many pundits figured the Bears and the Patriots would be the two top seeds. Last year, the Bears won only five games and the Patriots just four and both hired new coaches – Ben Johnson of the Bears and Mike Vrabel of the Patriots – who were expected to start rebuilding programs. As turns out, the Patriots are the AFC top seed at 11-2 after beating the Giants 33-15 on Monday night and the Bears are the top seed in the NFC at 9-4 after upsetting the Eagles 25-14 on Thanksgiving Day.
–The Rams were being touted as the Super Bowl favorite until they were stunned by the Panthers, 31-28, as Matthew Stafford had his worst game of the season. After throwing 28 passes without an interception, he threw one pick in the end zone, another for a Pick Six and a fumble. The loss dropped the Rams to the second NFC seed at 9-3. They have the same record at the Bears but the Bears have the tie breaker. The Broncos beat the Commanders in overtime to boost their record to 10-2 and are the second AFC seed.
–The two third seeds are the Jaguars in the AFC and the Eagles in the NFC. Both are 8-4. But while the Eagles lost to the Bears, the Jaguars beat the one-win Titans, 25-3. The fourth seeds are the Ravens at 6-6 in the AFC and the Bucs at 7-5 in the NFC. While the Bucs beat the Cardinals 20-17, the Ravens lost to the Bengals, 32-14, as Joe Burrow returned after spending several weeks sidelined with an injury. The Ravens are tied in the AFC North at 6-6 with the Steelers, who lost to the Bills 26-7 as the fans chanted for coach Mike Tomlin to be fired and quarterback Aaron Rodgers called out receivers for running the wrong routes. The Ravens and Steelers play each other twice in the last five games and those games will likely decide the division winner. The Bucs will play 7-6 Carolina, currently the 10th seed twice in the last three games and those games will likely decide the NFC South.
–The Colts lost to the Texans. 20-16, who got the help of some controversial calls. The Colts, who started out 7-1, are now 8-4 as the sixth seed in the AFC and have two games left with the Jaguars that will likely decide the AFC South. The Bills are the seventh seed after beating the Steelers and the 8-4 Chargers are the fifth seed after beating. the Raiders, 31-14. Justin Herbert underwent surgery with a broken left hand suffered in the game but hopes to keep playing. The Texans are the eight seed after beating the Colts while the Steelers and Chiefs are ninth and 10th at 6-6. The Chiefs lost to the Cowboys 31-28.
–The 9-3 Seahawks are the fifth seed in the NFC after blanking the Vikings, 26-0, while the 8-3-1 Packers are the sixth seed after beating the Lions, 31-24.The 49ers are the seventh seed at 9-4 after beating the Panthers 20-9. The Lions are the eighth seed after losing to the Packers while the Cowboys are ninth at 6=5=1 after upsetting the Eagles and the Panthers are the tenth seed at 7-6 after losing to the 49ers.
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