The playoffs for the National Football League are quickly approaching and start on January 7, 2017. There are several teams who are currently fighting for crucial playoff spots.

NFC

The Dallas Cowboys, 11-1-0, just clinched a playoff spot last week and after a Giants loss to the Steelers, have a clear path to winning the NFC East.  As long as rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot continue to dominate in their rookie seasons, the Cowboys should remain front-runners to win the NFC.

The Seattle Seahawks, 8-3-1, are currently in first place in the NFC West.  Their defense continues to be one of the best in the league and they are unstoppable on their home field.  If they can manage to gain home-field advantage in the playoffs, they have a shot at getting to the Super Bowl.

The Detroit Lions, 8-4-0 have unexpectedly come to the top of the NFC North. Their offense continues to impress as they have come back to win after trailing in almost every game they’ve played in.  If the Packers and Vikings continue to slip, the Lions can look to take advantage and win the North.

The Atlanta Falcons, 7-5-0, have the tiebreaker over Tampa Bay and currently have the lead in the NFC South.  The Falcons have proved once again to have a talented offense led by Julio Jones. With their struggles of late, this lead is not to take for granted as Tampa Bay is surging.

The New York Giants, 8-4-0, are in a solid position to win one of the wild-card spots in the NFC. Although their six-game winning streak was snapped by Pittsburgh and they have a tough schedule ahead, New York has a one-game lead for the first of two wild-card spots.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7-5-0, who are in a virtual tie for first place in the South, have been surging as of late. After such a disappointing season last year, the Bucs have bounced back lead by former number one pick, Jameis Winston, and are looking to make a shocking playoff run.

“I think it is a toss up between the Cowboys and Seahawks [who is the top seeded team of the NFC],” said Christian McCall a sophomore, but sophomore JP Lemchak believes “the Cowboys should definitely win the NFC.”

AFC

The New England Patriots, 10-2-0, are once again at the top of the AFC East.  It is not a surprise to see them in this position, as they have won the East 12 of the last 13 years.  Although they are front-runners to win the AFC and maybe the Super Bowl, Rob Gronkowski’s season-ending injury could hurt their chances.

The Oakland Raiders, 10-2-0, are in a tight divisional race in the AFC West. Wow, if you were to tell anyone that the Raiders would have a chance to win their division, they would have thought you were crazy!  It seems as if the young talent provided by Derek Carr and Amari Cooper is finally starting to pay off, as they are serious contenders to win their conference.

The Baltimore Ravens, 7-5-0, are in the lead in the AFC North because of a tie breaker.  The Ravens are not an overly impressive team as they have an average offense and a solid defense.  Their consistency is what gives them a chance to make a strong playoff run.

The Tennessee Titans, 6-6-0, have the division lead in a weaker AFC South division.  Young quarterback Marcus Mariota and key off-season addition Demarco Murray are what is allowing the Titans to have a bounce back season, but it is hardly expected of them to have a successful playoff run.

The Kansas City Chiefs, 9-3-0, currently hold the first wild-card spot in the AFC.  Week after week their defense seems to stand tall and impress.  They seem to always come in the clutch with last minute victories and this is a quality that could allow them to make a deep run into the playoffs. They seem to score at least one touchdown not on offense due to their superb defense led by Eric Berry and their dynamite special team unit lead by Tyreek Hill.

The Denver Broncos 8-4-0, are in the second wild-card spot but have shown signs of struggle lately.  They have young and inexperienced quarterbacks leading to a below average offense, but their defense is what gives them a fighting chance if they can manage to make it into the playoffs. The whole world watched how this defense, which is returning most of its members from its Super Bowl team last year, put a stop to one of the most efficient offenses of all time in the Carolina Panthers.

“I think the Raiders will in the AFC because of the talent and leadership provided by Derek Carr,” said McCall.