Hunt for playoff berths heats up

WASHINGTON (AFP) — New England and Seattle chase top seeds and first-round playoff byes in this weekend’s penultimate games of the National Football League (NFL) season while six clubs fight for the last three post-season berths.

The Seattle Seahawks, who missed the playoffs three of the past four years and haven’t won a playoff game since 2019, lead the NFC at 12-3 with San Francisco, Chicago and the Los Angeles Rams one game adrift.

“It feels great, the position our team has put itself in,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said.

“Exciting time to go to work.”

They visit Carolina on Sunday with the host Panthers (8-7) needing a victory and Tampa Bay loss at Miami to clinch the NFC South division and take the final NFC playoff berth up for grabs.

The Seahawks can clinch top seed with a win, a Rams loss Monday at Atlanta (6-9) and in the unlikely event of a tie Sunday between Chicago and San Francisco.

“Haven’t talked to (players) about it once. The only thing I’ve told them is we’ve made the playoffs,” Macdonald said.

“We’ve got to go make it come to life right now. We can’t be sitting around telling how sweet we are to everybody.”

Denver leads the AFC at 13-3 after a Christmas win at Kansas City with New England needing a win at the New York Jets (3-12) to pull level in the fight for a conference crown and first-round playoff bye.

“The focus is on winning,” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said.

“If you make winning plays, those should be enough.”

A victory Sunday would complete a perfect 8-0 road record this year.

“It would mean a lot,” Vrabel said. “We know how difficult that is.”

Two AFC playoff berths remain unclaimed, but the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6) can capture one with a Sunday victory at Cleveland (3-12) or Saturday loss by Baltimore (7-8) at Green Bay (9-5-1).

Houston (10-5) can take the other vacant AFC playoff spot with a Saturday victory at the Los Angeles Chargers (11-4) or if the Indianapolis Colts (8-7) lose on Sunday at home to Jacksonville (11-4).

Seedings for the seven playoff spots in each conference will also begin to firm up this weekend among the clubs who have secured post-season positions.

Jacksonville secures the AFC South division crown with a victory and Houston loss.

The Patriots clinch the AFC East title with a victory and Sunday home loss by Buffalo (11-4) to reigning champion Philadelphia (10-5).

In the NFC North, the Chicago Bears would clinch the division title with a victory over San Francisco or a Green Bay loss Saturday to Baltimore.

Packers quarterback Jordan Love will miss the matchup against the Ravens due to a concussion and left shoulder injury, but Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson is listed as doubtful for his team’s must-win contest due to a back injury.

The Ravens are on the brink of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021.