The NFL playoff race is heating up as Week 12 delivered dramatic twists that have teams scrambling for postseason positions. With two-thirds of the regular season complete, the contenders are separating from the pretenders in both conferences.
Playoff Picture Comes Into Focus
The New York Giants have become the first team officially eliminated from playoff contention after falling to 2-10 with their Week 12 loss to the Detroit Lions. While the Giants' dismal season is effectively over, the Lions (7-4) remain on the outside looking in despite their victory.
Detroit faces a challenging path to the playoffs, needing to either overtake the Chicago Bears (8-3) or Green Bay Packers (7-3-1) to win the NFC North, or leapfrog the San Francisco 49ers (7-4) or Seattle Seahawks (8-3) for a wildcard spot.
Over in the AFC, the landscape remains equally fluid. The Baltimore Ravens (6-5) climbed to the top of the AFC North by defeating the New York Jets 23-10, while the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) appear to be heading in the opposite direction after losing to the Bears.
Chiefs Keep Playoff Hopes Alive
In one of the most surprising developments, the Kansas City Chiefs (6-5) kept their playoff hopes alive with an overtime victory over the Indianapolis Colts (8-3). This represents a remarkable turnaround for a team many had written off earlier in the season.
However, the reprieve might be temporary if Kansas City cannot stack additional victories. They currently rank tenth in the conference, with only seven teams making the playoffs from each conference.
Who's Hot: Texans Defence Dominates
The Houston Texans (6-5) have emerged as the team nobody wants to face, despite sitting third in their division and starting a backup quarterback in Week 12. Their defence delivered a spectacular performance against AFC powerhouse Buffalo, sacking Bills superstar Josh Allen eight times and intercepting him twice.
The Texans now lead the league in fewest points and yards allowed, establishing themselves as a defensive force to be reckoned with.
The second-stingiest defence belongs to the Los Angeles Rams (9-2), who look dominant on both sides of the ball after cruising to a 34-7 victory over Tampa Bay (6-5). The Rams are mounting a serious case as the hottest team in football, though the 10-2 New England Patriots might dispute that claim.
Sanders Makes History in Maiden Start
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders made history in his first official NFL start, leading his team to a 24-10 victory over the struggling Las Vegas Raiders (2-9). The polarising fifth-round rookie became the first Cleveland quarterback to win his maiden start since 1995.
Sanders now owns the three longest completions of the Browns' season and helmed an offence that produced its second-highest score of the year. The performance creates an interesting dilemma for Cleveland (3-8) about whether to stick with Sanders or return to fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel once he clears concussion protocol.
Panic Index: Who Should Be Worried?
High Panic: The Minnesota Vikings (4-7) and sophomore quarterback JJ McCarthy reached new lows, managing only six points in a loss to the Packers. Their offence could only muster four yards with three turnovers in the second half.
Medium Panic: The Philadelphia Eagles (8-3) maintain a commanding lead in the NFC East, but their collapse after building a 21-0 lead against the Dallas Cowboys (5-5-1) raises concerns about their championship credentials.
Low Panic: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have lost three straight but are at the end of a brutal stretch. Their remaining schedule looks more favourable, facing opponents with a combined 16-28 record.
As the NFL season enters its final stretch, every game becomes critical for teams with playoff aspirations, while others are already looking toward next year's draft.
