NFL Playoff Picture: These Three Teams Need A Win To Keep Their Postseason Hopes Alive

The NFL playoffs begin in less than one month. Each team plays three more games that could make or break their respective seasons. 

Four teams know for a fact that they will play postseason football. The Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, and Philadelphia Eagles have all punched playoff tickets, and they figure to be some of the frontrunners in their respective conferences.

But for the rest of the field, the potential playoff seeding remains undecided, and some desperately need a win (or several) more than others.

With that being said, I’ll rank the three NFL teams that have to win this week to remain relevant in the playoff chase. I’m going to count teams with a feasible chance, not teams that are technically alive based on slim mathematical probabilities but that likely won’t make it (Chargers, Bears, Giants, etc). Email me your thoughts on my list at john.simmons@outkick.com

Without further ado, let’s get started.

1. Buffalo Bills - 8-6, 2nd in AFC East

Josh Allen (17) and the Bills have lots of work to do before they reach the playoffs. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)

Buffalo (8-6) quite possibly sits as the hottest team in the NFL. They’ve defeated the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys in back-to-back weeks, while putting the league on notice in the process.

The problem for Josh Allen and Co. is that they have to keep winning. They sit at ninth in the playoff picture (out of seven spots) and the four teams ahead of them boast equal or better records than them. Should they lose to the Los Angeles Chargers this weekend, their playoff odds shrink to just 28 percent.

However, they have a high chance of winning their remaining three games. The Chargers lost quarterback Justin Herbert for the year to injury. Next week, they play the lowly Patriots at home. To close out the season, they head to Miami to play the Dolphins, a team they crushed earlier this year. Plus, Miami always crumbles against the NFL’s elite.

That’s a favorable stretch, which puts the Bills in the driver’s seat. Should they win out, they’ll likely get into the playoffs as a wild card, or even division winners if Miami loses an extra game along the way. But this all has to start with a win. Anything else significantly worsens their season outlook.

2. Seattle Seahawks - 7-7, 3rd in NFC West

Seattle has had an up-and-down season, but can reach the playoffs with three wins and some help. (Photo by Jane Gershovich/Getty Images)

Despite sharing the same record as the current seventh-seed Minnesota Vikings, the Seahawks remain on the outside looking in. Minnesota boasts a better record in conference matchups, leaving the Seahawks in eighth place. As such, they’ll need the Vikings to lose at least one game before the season’s end.

But Seattle has to do its part too. The best Seattle can reasonably hope for is the No. 7 seed, since it lost both divisional matchups to the Rams (the current No. 6 seed). While the Seahawks could get the 6-seed if Philadelphia loses the next three games (thanks to a stunning Monday Night Football win), I don’t see that happening. With the Saints (7-8) nipping at its heels, Seattle has no breathing room during the home stretch.

However, the wins won’t come easily. Seattle faces two tough defenses in Tennessee (this week) and Pittsburgh (next week). While neither of those teams boast explosive offenses, they could give Seattle’s offense enough headaches for one of them to steal an ugly win. The Seahawks better take care of business to make a Week 18 showdown with the Cardinals in a meaningful game.

3. Houston Texans - 8-6, 3rd in AFC South

Quarterback Case Keenum (18) will have play at least one more week under center while C.J. Stroud recovers from a concussion. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Case Keenum kept the Texans’ season alive by rallying them to a 19-16 overtime win over the Titans last week. But of the three teams I’ve focused on, they have the most difficult remaining schedule.

To start, the Texans face the surprisingly dangerous Cleveland Browns, followed by the Titans and Indianapolis Colts. Fortunately for Houston, they play host to the Browns and Titans.

But those still aren’t gimme games. Joe Flacco has made the Browns a team no one wants to play. Furthermore, starting quarterback C.J. Stroud will sit this one out with a concussion, making this all the more challenging.

The Titans remain a tough out regardless of whether or not they have anything to play for. And the Colts already beat the Texans by 11 earlier this year - in Houston. Plus, the Colts have a ton of Minshew Magic going on in Indy.

Make no mistake, this is a rocky road to the finish. Plus, they only sit one place above the Bills (who have an easier schedule), and one place behind the Colts (who also have a breeze of a schedule). So at the very least they have to win to keep pace with these teams. A loss this week lowers the Texans’ chances to just 32 percent, but any loss at this point would be catastrophic.

The final three weeks of NFL action will boast plenty of drama and high-stakes games. Is your team still vying for a playoff spot? Or will you be like me, a disappointed Patriots fan, and just watch the last few games for the fun of it? Email me your thoughts on your favorite NFL team or this list at john.simmons@outkick.com.