Graphics: Mali
Analysis 1-16: Fallen
Analysis 17-32: Arod
Giants (15-1): The Giants are PML’s hottest team and have been for the thirteen weeks, that’s right, they are on a thirteen game winning streak and that’s likely to continue next week against a porous Eagles team.
Bengals (14-2): The King in the North, Cammy struggled this week, only defeating the Eagles by 7, but he’ll have a bye week to figure out a better approach to protect the ball after Joe Burrow threw 3 interceptions this week against the Eagles.
Seahawks (13-3): Riding a 7 game winning streak and likely picking up an 8th win next week against the Lions, the Seahawks are the only team to defeat the Giants this season. Z has some knowledge about what it takes to make a deep run in the playoffs.
Ravens (12-4): The fate of the AFC East rests in the hands of Kingke next week and despite Lamar’s injury, his Ravens are showing zero signs of slowing down on offense after putting up 84 points against two NFC teams that are still in the playoff race.
Rams (13-3): The Rams control their fate, if they win next week, they get a home game in the playoffs, but a loss will bump them down to a wildcard spot. The Rams versus Commanders game in week 18 should surely be one for the making and a possible playoff matchup preview.
Colts (10-6): The Colt’s are the hottest team in the AFC South and honestly should be the division leaders, in the past two weeks, they’ve defeated the Jaguars and the Texans. Quinn Ewers is in the top three QB discussion this season (as a rookie) that alone should tell you the kind of damage that the Colts could do in the playoffs, as long as they don’t drop the ball next week versus the Titans.
Raiders (10-6): The Raiders are poised to win the AFC West with only the Browns being able to shut that dream down for them, which is very unlikely. Rookie QB Jayden Daniels struggled against the Falcons this week aftering throwing 4 interceptions, so he will have to play better if the Raiders expect to make it out of the first round in the playoffs.
Bears (10-6): The Bears defeated the Jets in a OT thriller this week and control their destiny. In week 18, they’ll travel to San Francisco to take on a 49ers team that still has signs of life and shouldn’t make it too easy to clinch the division.
Texans (11-5): 1-3. The Texans have dropped three of their last four games and are easily one of the least hottest teams heading into the playoffs. They are fortunate to have clinched a playoff spot already, but Drama has to instill some confidence into his players to get back to their ways of winning or risk being one and done in the playoffs.
Bucs (10-6): The NFC South timeshare holder, Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 1-3 in their last four games, though, defeating the Eagles 58-0 is still impressive. They can eliminate the Cowboys from making the playoffs in week 18, or will they rest some starters and not show their hand before the first round of the playoffs?
Commanders (10-6): Despite riding a 7 game winning streak, the Commanders have lost their last two games and their playoff hopes are on life support heading into week 18.They have lost to two playoff teams and facing off against the Rams in week 18 will be another hurdle for them, but here’s their opportunity to prove that they can hang with the best in the NFC.
Jaguars (12-4): Are the Jaguars forreal? They can show us in week 18 when they face the Texans for the division title. What more can you want, right? Both of these teams are locked into the playoffs, but in Madden home field advantage seems like something you’d want, especially in the playoffs.
Panthers (7-9): The Panthers haven’t had a six game winning streak all cycle long and they can add onto that streak next week against the Saints. Having this kind of streak heading into next season can really help push this team over the top and help them contend for the division early on in the season.
Packers (9-7): You have to consider what this Packers team would look like if Aaron Rodgers didn’t retire, would they be 9-7 and possibly miss the playoffs? Despite losing to the Vikings in week 16, they can make up for it next week and ride the momentum of this week’s dominant 32-17 win over the Buccaneers.
Chargers (9-7): Justin Herbert is on pace to throw for 6,000 yards and likely will, considering he is facing a Kansas City team that has benched their X-factor quarterback. The Chargers will need a week 18 win and some help to make the playoffs, but there’s no denying that this team should have won the division with the schedule that they were given this season.
Jets (8-8): The enigma that is the New York Jets. Talk about dropping the ball, after losing this week in OT to the Chicago Bears, the Jets find themselves on the outside looking in. They need to defeat the Patriots in week 18 and hope that the Baltimore Ravens will defeat the Miami Dolphins. Will the Jets make the playoffs for the first time this cycle?
Dolphins (8-8): Que holds on for another week, but sitting tied with the Jets for the division, and even holding the tiebreaker, I think their backs are against the wall based on their respective week 18 matchups. Jets vs Patriots & Dolphins vs Ravens. Que holds his own fate as he wins and he’s in.
Falcons (7-9): Squandered a very slight chance at a playoff berth, but there has to be a lot of optimism in Atlanta as they played extremely well throughout the second half of the season. Their defense is top 10, the obvious concern this offseason will be addressing the offense.
Broncos (8-8): The Broncos ended their season and they will go back to the drawing board and set their sights on season 4. Does Russell Wilson have another season of high-level football left in him? He will turn 36 next season and father time will soon kick in.
Cowboys (9-7): The Cowboys no longer hold their own fate as they enter week 18 on the losing end of a tiebreaker with the Packers. They must beat the Buccaneers and hope the Packers lose to the Vikings. One of the biggest collapses PML has ever seen is happening right before our eyes.
Vikings (6-10): The Vikings are quietly making some noise as they hope to bring the new found confidence into season 4. The Vikings have now won 4 straight and are playing the ultimate playoff spoiler down the stretch of the season.
Titans (6-10): Coming off a 63-32 victory against Hypemike and the Jaguars, Bubba has to feel great right now. One of the scarier things in PML is a confident Bubba, something we haven’t seen yet this cycle.
Bills (6-10): Not quite sure what holes really need to be filled to make them compete next season. The roster is there, yet the Bills produced a 6 win season. Hopefully this was just a little rut and Tbandit is back competing for the division next season.
Patriots (5-11): If the Patriots came out on the other side of half their 1-score losses, they would be the winners of the AFC east. So close, yet so far. I see it though Nef.
49ers (6-10): The defense ranks among the bottom 2 or 3 in the league. Their offense fizzled out down the stretch and the 49ers find themselves in PML purgatory behind the Rams and Seahawks for all of the season so far. I wish I could say better days ahead, but this is a tough one in San Fran.
Saints (5-11): The Saints don’t want to be left out of the NFC South revival. I truly hope to see a 4-team race next season as all 4 teams have the ability to compete with each other for the divisional crown.
Eagles (4-12): The offense is bottom 2 in the league and we are hearing buzz about the possibility of this being Derrick Henry’s last game in PML this cycle. That will be a major hole to fill for Philly if this holds true.
Lions (4-12): The Lions and LQ are now losers of 6 in a row. Perhaps the PML beat writers were a bit premature putting the Lions in contention with the rest of the division.
Chiefs (4-12): Spencer Sanders gets another start under center as the Chiefs dropped another one on the year. A lot of questions will need to be answered in Kansas City as perhaps the best quarterback in the PML has been riding the pine for the final 3 weeks of the season.
Cardinals (3-13): Perhaps overshadowed by the Steelers, the Cardinals have now dropped 8 in a row and are at their lowest point of the cycle. Surely we’d hope they turn it around next season, but they face the same dilemma as the 49ers as the climb is a daunting one.
Steelers (1-15): The Steelers have auditioned 3 quarterbacks this season, and cannot seem to find one that works. Mac, Brady, and Milton may all very well be off the roster next season as they will clear a ton of cap space in the process. The Steelers are having one of the worst cycles we have seen as they have just 8 wins through 3 seasons. The Steelers will not reach their season goal of ‘win 4 games’ and therefore will not earn staff points.
Browns (1-15): Vet, Miles, Englewood combined in the past 22 games have 1 win (vs Arod). They have hired a new coach, a fella named Doc, and he seems optimistic he can bring this team out of the dumps. We’ve heard this story before…
