Now The Real Fun Begins (Week 13)

It's here! The NFL's home stretch of the regular season is finally here! The season will enter the month of December, which is the pivotal month of the season, as that's when the playoff spots can be punched in, while teams can be thinned out. 2022 marks the third year of the NFL's current playoff format, which allows seven playoff teams per conference, totalling 14 in all. It is also the second year of the NFL's current 17-game, 18-week season, and with 12 weeks in the books, that leaves the final one-third left to play out. For those who are still trying to get used to this current playoff format, here's how it goes.

The four division winners (East, North, South, West) in each conference qualify for the playoffs, along with three Wild Card teams (the three best non-division winning teams in each conference). As a result of this format, which started in the 2020 season, only the conference's top seed will receive a bye straight to the Divisional Playoff, while the other six teams will face off in the Wild Card Playoff, which has been promoted as Super Wild Card Weekend due to the fact that it's six games total. Because of the permanent extended season, the playoffs start on the second or third Saturday in January, while the Super Bowl now takes place on the second Sunday in February.

That's the format, and now, a look at the playoff picture in each conference.

In the American Football Conference, the Kansas City Chiefs hold the #1 spot at 9-2; I said a number of years ago that the Chiefs would be the measuring stick every year, and this proves it--rising above the threat of the AFC West being a monstrous division to maintain their place at the top. The Miami Dolphins are second in the conference at 8-3, while the Tennessee Titans and the Baltimore Ravens are tied at 7-4, with Tennessee's 5-3 conference record placing them ahead of Baltimore.

In addition, Baltimore is in a tie of their own for the division with the Cincinnati Bengals, but their Week 5 victory puts them in first place. The defending AFC Champions are in the Wild Card standings, which shows the Buffalo Bills at 8-3 (due to Miami's Week 3 win over Buffalo). The Bengals and the surging New York Jets are tied at 7-4, with Cincy having the head-to-head edge over the Jets. The New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Chargers are atop the teams below the playoff line at 6-5, but it's followed by the Indianapolis Colts at 4-7-1, and four teams (Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers) at 4-7. Not exactly the same logjam from last season, but it's something.

In the National Football Conference, the Philadelphia Eagles (who were the last Wild Card in 2021) are atop the conference at 10-1, but right behind them? The Minnesota Vikings at 9-2. The red hot San Francisco 49ers are third at 7-4, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lead the tepid NFC South at 5-6. As for the Wild Cards, it's all NFC East; the Dallas Cowboys at 8-3, the New York Giants at 7-4, and the Washington Commanders at 7-5. Amazing. Two years ago, Washington won the NFC East with 7 wins, and while the Giants have the same amount of wins, they nearly won the division two years ago with one less victory. What a difference two years make!

The Seattle Seahawks are right behind the NFC's playoff line at 6-5, which is still a improvement, as they were expected to be in tank mode in their first full season after trading Russell Wilson. It's followed by the Atlanta Falcons at 5-7, the Detroit Lions at 4-7, and four teams at 4-8. However, unlike the Green Bay Packers and the Arizona Cardinals, the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints (along with the Falcons) are alive and will be for the rest of the season because of the state of the NFC South.

So that's the playoff picture at the moment, and while last year's Week 13 saw no clinching scenarios, this year's Week 13 could see the first two playoff spots locked in.

No AFC teams can clinch a spot in the playoffs this week, but two NFC teams can. What the Eagles are doing is just absolutely amazing; 10-1, leading the entire conference, and on the road to big things. But first, they have to return to the playoffs for the second straight time with Jalen Hurts as their quarterback, and they can do it this week. A win, a Commanders loss, a Seahawks loss, and a Niners loss or tie will get it done. Also, a win, a Commanders loss, a Seahawks tie, and a Niners loss will get it done. And there's a third option: a win, a Commanders tie, and losses from the Niners and Seahawks. The Eagles host the Tennessee Titans this week, and as for the other teams connected to this scenario, the Commanders face the Giants, the Seahawks head to LA to face the dying Rams, and the Niners host the Dolphins.

The Minnesota Vikings are running away with the NFC North, and it's reached the point where they can actually clinch the division on Week 13, the first week of the final one-third of the season. Their Thanksgiving win eliminated the Chicago Bears in the division race, and they can take the whole thing on Sunday. All they need is a win and a Lions loss or tie; if they tie, Detroit has to lose. That's it. The Vikings have only won the current NFC North four times, with their last division title taking place in 2017, They host the New York Jets on Sunday, while the Lions host the Jacksonville Jaguars. Overall, the Vikings stand one game behind the Eagles for the NFC's #1 seed, though it's actually two games due to Minnesota's Week 2 loss to the Eagles.

The home stretch has arrived, football fans! We are set for what should be an entertaining and thrilling month of December. All we are left to do is simply drink it all in!

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