FISO

Well Seattle are after securing at least a wild card spot by demolishing New Orleans last monday. Here's the picture elsewhere.

NFC

Current seeds if the season ended today

1. Seattle Seahawks 11-1
2. New Orleans Saints 9-3
---------------------------
3. Detroit Lions 7-5
4. Dallas Cowboys 7-5
---------------------------
5. Carolina Panthers 9-3
6. San Francisco 49ers 8-4
---------------------------
7. Philadelphia Eagles 7-5
8. Arizona Cardinals 7-5
9. Chicago Bears 6-6
10. Green Bay Packers 5-6-1

Saints play the Panthers twice in the next 3 weeks which should decide the NFC South. The 49ers could be in trouble if they lose to Seattle at home this week, with the Eagles pounced to swoop on them or the Cowboys. Detroit will be nervously watching over their shoulder with Chicago and even Green Bay in striking distance.

My prediction
1. Seattle
2. Carolina
3. Dallas
4. Detroit
5. San Francisco
6. New Orleans

AFC

1. Denver Broncos 10-2
2. New England Patriots 9-3
-----------------------------
3. Indianapolis Colts 8-4
4. Cincinnati Bengals 8-4
-----------------------------
5. Kansas City Chiefs 9-3
6. Baltimore Ravens 6-6
-----------------------------
7. Miami Dolphins 6-6
8. Tennessee Titans 5-7
9. Pittsburgh Steelers 5-7
10. San Diego Chargers 5-7
11. New York Jets 5-7

Here the top 5 look to be locked in following Denvers defeat of the Chiefs at the weekend. The final spot may well flip flop on a weekly basis over the final 4 weeks

1. Denver
2. New England
3. Indianapolis
4. Cincinnati
5. Kansas City
6. Pittsburgh

Earlier in the season the NFC East looked like it would be won with 9-7 or worse, still hard to see more than one team coming out of that division. I expect the Niners to just have to hold off their division rivals for a place. The North's clearly only providing one play-off team and the unpredictable Lions will never get a better chance with Rodgers out of action in GB. The Panthers are the form side but nobody will want to go to Seattle or New Orleans in the post season.

The AFC looks clearly the weaker conference this year, with a comparatively ordinary Patriots team on course for a first round bye. The Colts and Bungles look like one-and-dones waiting to happen. And there could be an 8-8 or even 7-9 team in as a wildcard, this is as good a case as any against expanding the play-offs. A Manning-Brady Championship game looks good odds although wouldn't rule out the Ravens or Steelers with their experience if they can sneak in.