It’s a three-game race until the end of the NFL regular season and several teams are knocking on the post-season door.
Six teams have already stamped their tickets for the playoffs: The Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys.
And there are many more who could become matchup nightmares for their opponents once the playoffs begin. Of course, they have to move there first.
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Here are five teams that could bring some fear to a Super Bowl contender if/when they clinch a playoff spot by season’s end:
los angeles chargers
Justin Herbert and the Chargers bounced back from their two losses to the Chiefs earlier this season, and with wins over the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans over the last two weeks, put them in the playoff mix (No. 6 in the AFC) and improve their record. Has been brought up to 8-. 6.
Receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are back from injury and safety Darwin James (quad) and potential edge rusher Joey Bosa (groin) could return for stretch runs. Plus, Herbert is still one of the best young quarterbacks.
Just look at how Herbert led the Chargers on a six-play, 52-yard drive with 44 seconds left to set up kicker Cameron Dicker for the game-winning field goal last week.
With receivers coming back, the offense is hard-pressed to defend and won’t be reliant on QBs and Austin Ekeler, and that’s not good news for the rest of the playoff field.
miami dolphins
Yes, Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins are riding a three-game losing streak into their Christmas Day matchup against the Packers in Miami. They are now 8-6.
Despite their loss in Buffalo, the Dolphins were tied with the Bills until Buffalo kicked the game-winning field goal in the final seconds, a result that dropped Miami to No. 7 in the AFC playoff picture, but An effort that closed the gap on the AFC East rival that had been troubling them for the previous three years.
The Dolphins found their run game last week, which allowed Tagovailoa to find star duo Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle for long touchdowns. When Miami’s offense is playing straight, accurate with Tagovailoa getting the ball to his best weapons, the Dolphins are a scary matchup.
jacksonville jaguars
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars could be in for real, thanks to the leadership of coach Doug Pederson — even if they’re 10th in the AFC right now at 6-8. Lawrence has thrown 14 touchdowns with one interception in the last six games.
The Jaguars have won just two straight games against teams in playoff position, and could drop a spot if the Dolphins or Titans, who lead the Jaguars by one game in the AFC South, falter down the stretch. They would also need to beat the New England Patriots (7–7) and New York Jets (7–7) for the wild-card spot.
Thursday’s game against the Jets would put them in a better position with a win, and a win over the Titans in the season finale could clinch them the AFC South title.
However, it will be difficult to do so without star left tackle Cam Robinson, who injured his knee last week and is out for the rest of the season.
detroit lions
Dan Campbell’s coaching seems to be paying off for a Lions franchise that has made the playoffs three times since 2000, the latest in 2016.
The Lions (7-7) have won six of their last seven games, including wins over the New York Giants and Jets in New York and the playoff-bound Vikings. They nearly upset Buffalo the previous month, losing 28–25. He is No. 9 in the NFC.
Wins over the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears over the next two weeks could put Detroit in position, but could face a test in Green Bay against the Packers in the season finale.
Standout Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said of the team’s confidence and momentum, according to ESPN: “When you play with that, I think anything is possible, and we know that as a team. “
tampa bay buccaneers
Well, quarterback Tom Brady looks like he’s one month closer to retirement. Or you can say that Brady is one month away from playing the football he loves most.
Brady and the Bucs have struggled mightily this season, but because they play in the NFL’s weakest division, the NFC South, they still hold the division lead at 6-8, the No. 4 playoff seed and the post-season. Can host playoff games. launch.
In the two years following their Super Bowl victory, the Bucs have lost three of four. They had four turnovers – all from Brady (two interceptions, two fumbles) – to fall at home to the Cincinnati Bengals last week after taking a 17-3 lead at halftime.
But the Bucs have one of the easiest remaining schedules (Arizona Cardinals, vs. Carolina Panthers, at Atlanta Falcons) to tune into ahead of the playoffs. And when the post-season heat turns on, Brady and his dependable crew of playmakers like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Leonard Fournette will still be a matchup nightmare in the wildcard round.
