Pittsburgh collapse signals the real start of the NFL playoffs

Pittsburgh's debacle successful Cleveland made it wide that the NFL playoffs, astatine slightest for immoderate teams, person already begun. Although determination is inactive 1 much circular near until the extremity of the league, the 18th round, definite teams person already been enactment successful a concern wherever the adjacent crippled means everything oregon nothing.

Pittsburgh and Baltimore, arsenic good arsenic Carolina and Tampa Bay, are practically already successful elimination mode. The Steelers created a immense occupation for themselves by losing to Cleveland, a squad that had a humble grounds of 3–12 until that gathering and was considered 1 of the weakest teams successful the AFC North. However, the Browns wholly threw the rival retired of bushed with a hearty and disciplined defence and prepared 1 of the biggest surprises of the 17th week.

A 13:6 nonaccomplishment successful Ohio enactment the Baltimore Ravens backmost successful the game, without them doing thing that day. Now the Ravens volition person the accidental to sound Pittsburgh retired of the playoff contention by winning the head-to-head matchup adjacent weekend. One duel, 1 victor and 1 loser - whoever wins moves on, whoever loses ends the season.

The wellness information of Lamar Jackson, who did not play successful the Ravens' erstwhile triumph implicit Green Bay owed to a backmost injury, adds to the uncertainty. His eventual instrumentality oregon lack could person a immense interaction connected the result of this story.

NFC

A akin concern awaits the NFC, wherever the duel betwixt Tampa Bay and Carolina volition determine who volition participate the playoffs arsenic the seventh team. In the 17th round, the Panthers were defeated astatine location by Seattle with a people of 27:10, but that decision was not experienced arsenic a sensation. The Seahawks had a wide extremity and routinely achieved it, keeping everything successful their hands heading into the last round.

With a triumph connected the roadworthy successful San Francisco, Seattle volition unafraid the archetypal spot successful the league and a nonstop placement successful the NFC semi-finals, which further increases the value of that meeting.

In the AFC Conference, the spot successful the playoffs has already been secured by Denver, New England, Jacksonville, LA Chargers, Buffalo and Houston, portion until the past seconds it volition not beryllium known who is the champion of the conference, considering that the Patriots and Broncos person an identical people of 13–3.

In the NFC, Seattle, LA Rams, Chicago, San Francisco, Green Bay and existent champions Philadelphia Eagles volition play successful the playoffs. It is known that the Packers are the seventh seed, portion Seattle has a accidental to beryllium escaped successful the archetypal round. The NFL play is entering a signifier wherever each mistake costs dearly, and Pittsburgh felt it successful the hardest mode possible.