Garceau: 5 In, 5 Out Of The NFL Playoff Picture
Since the Ravens won their first Super Bowl in the 2000 season the NFL has been a playoff parity party with an average of five new teams making the postseason annually. With 5 of the 12 playoff being newbies that means there's also about 5 playoff teams from the previous season that fail to go back to the playoffs.
December means NFL teams are in the stretch run eyeing division titles or wild-card sports that will earn them a spot in the playoffs. Here's a look at teams that right now qualify for the 5 in and 5 out spots.
5 in that weren't playoff teams in 2015:
- Dallas - From an NFC East worst 4-12 to 11-1 and the best record in the NFL. These 'Boys are good!
- Oakland – Has a team ever won a Super Bowl and then started packing the moving vans? The Raiders offense is championship good. Vegas is going to love Derek Carr.
- NY Giants – They won't catch the Cowboys but the G-Men have quietly won 6 straight to improve to 8-3. Eli to OBJ could be a nasty wild-card combo.
- Baltimore – They'll have to win the AFC North to get there but the Ravens have the defense to do it. Nothing special about a 6-5 record but it's a nice rebound from last year's 5-11 season.
- Atlanta - The Panthers owned the division a year ago but it's the 7-4 Falcons with a 1-game lead over the surging Buccaneers at the top of the NFC South.
Next Best: Detroit (7-4) Minnesota and Green Bay in pursuit. Miami (7-4) The Dolphins won 6 games a year ago; they go for their 7th straight win Sunday.
5 out that were playoff teams in '15:
- Carolina – From 15-1 and the Super Bowl to the toilet bowl (4-7). What happened Cam?
- Cincinnati – The 3-7-1 Bengals are going nowhere fast after making the playoffs the past 5 years.
- Arizona – They won 13 in '15 but the Cardinals have flopped in '16. They've lost 3 of their last 4 to drop to 4-6-1.
- Green Bay – Picked by many to be a Super Bowl team not much super about this 5-6 Pack. Aaron Rodgers is among the game's best but the Green Bay pass defense has been inept.
- Minnesota – The defending NFC North champs still have a shot at 6-6 but it doesn't look good for a team that has lost 6 of their last 7 games.
