* The Patriots can miss the playoffs even if they win their final two and go 11-5.

* The Colts could miss out on the playoffs if they lose to Jax and Tennessee.

* Dallas, despite its two best performances of the season in the last two weeks against Pittsburgh and the Giants, could still miss the playoffs with two losses.

* San Diego can still win the AFC West, but it needs Buffalo to win in Denver this weekend.

The NFC smells like: Giants, Carolina, Minnesota, Arizona, Dallas, Atlanta.
Dallas has to play Baltimore and Philly.
Atlanta has to play Minnesota and St. Louis.
The Eagles have to play Washington and Dallas.
Tampa Bay has to play San Diego and Oakland.

We’re going to assume Dallas wins, Atlanta loses, the Eagles lose, and the Bucs lose. Dallas and Atlanta lock things up the following week with victories. This would set up two quality wild card games: Atlanta at Minnesota and Dallas at Arizona. The inverse would be horrendous, because with the Giants suddenly struggling, Dallas and Minnesota are both Super Bowl contenders out of the NFC.

The AFC remains murky, but looks like: Pittsburgh, Tennessee, NY Jets, Denver, Indy, Miami.
Jets have to play Seattle and Miami.
Dolphins have to play KC and the Jets.
Patriots have to play Arizona and Buffalo.
Baltimore has to play Dallas and Jacksonville.

As much as we’d love for Denver to crap the bed – PJ Pope and Tatum Bell are splitting carries, so why not? – against the Bills, that ain’t happening.
Yes, we thinking more with heart than head about the Jets. Problem is, we really think they’ll lose to Seattle and it’ll all be over.
The Patriots will probably get it, but we refuse to wrap out mind around the idea that Tom Brady went down for the season in week one, and the Jets still couldn’t get in the playoffs over the smug Belichick. This angers us so much that we refuse to talk about it. We actually prefer the Patriots with Brady, because they’re fun to watch. But this Cassel guy and Sammy Morris? Gimmie a break. That just hurts.