by Lucas Garrison

The NFL’s 13th week kicked off with a bang last Thursday with a matchup between the New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys, two divisional leaders in the NFC.

This game had huge playoff implications, as New Orleans looked to stay atop the NFC, and the Cowboys looked to stay atop the NFC East. The Cowboys shut down the Saints great offense and held Drew Brees to just ten points, asserting their dominance as contenders in the NFC.

NFC

The entire NFC is looking like a total crap shoot with which six teams will make the final cut. Currently, the only locks in my opinion are the Los Angeles Rams, Saints, and Chicago Bears. The big question is: who will take the remaining three spots? So far, the NFC East is just too close to call. Depending on how the Eagles, Cowboys, and Redskins play, any of those teams have potential to make the playoffs. However, the Eagles will have to struggle to make it and more than likely will miss the playoffs. My prediction for the final spots for the NFC playoffs are…

1. Saints
2. Rams
3. Bears
4. Cowboys
5. Seahawks
6. Vikings

The New Orleans Saints will ultimately come out on top and represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

AFC

The AFC race is very, very interesting. The wild card is jumbled with average to slightly above average teams. The biggest problem facing teams is themselves.

Analyst Colin Cowherd called the Pittsburgh Steelers the “LOUDEST team in the NFL.” For the past three seasons, all you’ve heard out of the Steelers locker room is problem after problem after problem. Their most current problem is that Big Ben seems to be losing faith in his rookie wide receiver, James Washington. As Ben threw a game ending interception in a Week 12 loss to the Denver Broncos, he proceeded to shift the blame to the rookie Washington who had dropped a pass in the third quarter that would’ve been a go-ahead touchdown. The Steelers have begun to fall apart, and lost in horrific fashion to the surging Chargers on Sunday Night Football.

The big question surrounding the Houston Texans is: can they stay healthy and will Bill O’Brien be able to lead this team throughout the playoffs? The Chargers answered many questions about their credibility with a comeback win over the Steelers last week. The AFC playoff picture will finish as…

1. Chiefs
2. Texans
3. Patriots
4. Steelers
5. Chargers
6. Colts

The Colts, weathering a bad loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars last week, will recover and beat out the Baltimore Ravens for the final wild card spot. The Chiefs will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.