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Week 17 is officially over and into the record books. That means we have entered the New Year 2024, and the NFL playoff picture is almost complete. As of last year, the NFL has a new playoff format. Each conference now has seven total teams to enter the playoffs (previously 6), and only 1 team earns the coveted bye week.
It’s now clear that we have 4 AFC and 5 NFC teams clinched into the playoffs as division winners (except for the Rams and Browns, who clinched the playoffs but are second place in their respective divisions), and Baltimore and San Francisco may very well rest their starters week 18 having already clinched a bye. But the wild card still includes very exciting teams hanging on to the final spots or fighting to take them. It’s up for grabs. Here is the breakdown:
1st Round Bye: BAL – SF
Clinched: MIA, KC, CLE – DAL, DET, PHI, LAR
In The Hunt: JAX, BUF, IND – TB, GB
Outside Looking In: HOU, PIT – SEA, NO, MIN, ATL
If you don’t see your favorite team’s name here it means they have been eliminated. As for the teams remaining there is a lot to dive into.
Let us begin with the most notable odds Vegas gives teams to win the Super Bowl as of January 1st. The 49ers come in as the odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl at +210. Ravens are right behind them at +350, even though Baltimore just beat them convincingly and forced five interceptions with their magical zone coverage defense. Cowboys and Bills share +800 odds, and the defending champions are +900. The Eagles dropped to +1100 after losing 4 out of their last five games.
The Dolphins have only one win this year against teams with a winning record, which justifies their +1300 odds. We haven’t seen the Lions in the playoffs since 2016 and haven’t seen them win their division since 1993, and their odds round out at +2000. It jumps to +3500 after that. Whether you have a hunch about Patrick Mahomes reclaiming his throne or Dallas taking it all the way this year, this is your final week to bet these Super Bowl odds before the playoffs begin.
Team Previews
A look into the best units in football and you can quickly see that the 49ers are statistically the best team in the NFL. They are far in the lead as the most efficient passing offense in the league posting a clip of 9.4 yds/att., while also being top five in rushing and passing defense. Christian McCaffrey is having an MVP caliber season which really makes the 49ers a team for the ages. Although, when you look at what their AFC counterpart is doing then you might want to hesitate at calling the 49ers a favorite.
The best defensive unit in football by far belongs to the Ravens. Their defensive coordinator Mike McDonald is getting the best out of players Kyle Hamilton, Roquan Smith, Patrick Queen, and Marlon Humphrey to name a few. The Ravens are allowing 16.4 points per game, while the 49ers are allowing 17.3 PPG, respectively one and two in the entire NFL. Another unit that must be considered an x-factor is the Chiefs defense. Allowing 6.1 pass yds/att. they rank number three in the NFL. They have proved they can win without Tyreek Hill, and should prevent any doubts for the Chiefs.
The best storyline going into the postseason is none other than Joe Flacco and what he’s doing for the 11-5 Browns. The former Super Bowl champion is giving a performance worthy of AP Comeback Player of the Year honors. Prior to this season, Flacco went 3-14 since leaving Baltimore. During those four seasons, Flacco has thrown for 20 TDs, 11 INTs, and 4,074 yards in 15 games started. Deshaun Watson went on IR after going down in week ten, and backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson followed him right after, leaving Cleveland no option but to call old Joe.
The 38-year-old spent most of his career with rival Baltimore, so to see him in a Browns uniform was strange right off the boat. But we got used to it quickly. In 5 games with the Browns, Flacco has thrown for 13 TDs, 8 INTs, and 1,616 yards while leading this team down the stretch to a 4-1 record. Week 17 is his 4th straight week being nominated as AP Player of the Week. Flacco’s on-the-field performance has been great, but what he has meant to the team as a leader has been invaluable. The way he has come in and uplifted this team to a playoff berth with his inspirational speeches, gutty performances, and dad-moments has been nothing short of inspirational and must-watch TV.
You can easily see the respect he gets from not only NFL fans but players across the league. No one could have expected him to collectively support great outputs from key playmakers like David Njoku, Jerome Ford, and Amari Cooper. The world will root for Flacco in the playoffs to continue his success and viral soundbites.
Oh, and the Lions will be a fun storyline, playing the best football we have seen them play in decades as they’re one of the most electric offenses. You can’t forget about the Rams. They sneakily are a strong candidate for a deep playoff run, with former Super Bowl champion Matthew Stafford inventing new ways to throw a football and mastermind Sean McVay calling some great wins.
There is just a lot to be excited about this year! Week 18 will separate the contenders from pretenders, and we’ll see how much the hype grows.
