With the NFL season nearing its halfway point, the playoff picture is becoming clearer. SportsLine projections show nine teams with less than a 10% chance of reaching the postseason, leaving 23 teams with realistic playoff hopes. Matchups between those contenders carry massive implications, especially divisional and conference games.
Falcons at Buccaneers
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET on Fox. Atlanta enters with a 39% playoff probability, Tampa Bay at 34%. A Falcons win raises their odds to 55%, while a loss drops them to 26%. For the Buccaneers, a win lifts their chances to 46%, a loss falls to 19%. The NFC South leader Carolina sits at 3-3, but SportsLine favors Atlanta and Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay, at 2-5, needs a win to gain an early head-to-head edge and move to 2-0 in the division.
Browns at Steelers
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET on CBS. Both teams are 5-2 and tied atop the AFC North, with Cleveland holding the head-to-head tiebreaker. Cleveland's playoff odds sit at 36%, Pittsburgh at 70%. A Browns win would push their odds to 57% and give them a 3-0 division record; a loss drops them to 27%. A Steelers win raises their odds to 77% and erases Cleveland's tiebreaker; a loss lowers them to 50%. Cleveland has not won a regular-season game in Pittsburgh since 2003.
Bears at Seahawks
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN. Seattle's playoff probability is 84%, Chicago's 56%. A Seahawks win increases their odds to 91%, a loss to 69%. A Bears win would boost them to 75%, a loss to 48%. Seattle, at 4-3, is not currently in a playoff spot but a win would solidify their position. Chicago faces a gauntlet in the NFC North where every team has a winning record.
Panthers at Packers
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video. Carolina's playoff odds are 26%, Green Bay's 55%. A Panthers win raises their chances to 38% and would move them to 4-3, sending the Packers to 4-4. A loss drops Carolina to 21%. For Green Bay, a loss would be more damaging than a win helpful, as they must take care of business as home favorites on a short week.
Ravens at Bills
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET on CBS. Baltimore's playoff probability is 44%, Buffalo's 96%. A Ravens win lifts them to 57%, a loss to 35%. The Bills would move to 98% with a win, 92% with a loss. Baltimore, at 4-3 with consecutive AFC North losses, sits ninth in the AFC. Lamar Jackson's absence has been a factor, and another loss would further shrink their margin for error with more than half the season remaining.
