Just three weeks are remaining in the 2021 NFL season, and there are still 13 playoff spots available. The addition of an extra Wild Card spot has added some intrigue, but there has also been a ton of competition within each division this season.
Injuries and COVID-19 will affect some of the action over the final three weeks, but the league is doing all it can to get the games in as scheduled. A majority of the games in Weeks 16, 17, 18 will impact the playoff race, and about 20 teams will remain in the race until the end of the year. So much parity in the NFL gives fans plenty of sports betting opportunities.
If the regular season is any indication of how competitive the playoffs are going to be, then it is going to be a great month of January.
Packers In, Three Teams Are Close
Through Week 15, the Green Bay Packers are the only team that has clinched a division title as they have won the NFC North yet again. It makes sense that the Packers were the first to win the division because they have dominated the North over the past two decades.
Three other teams are close to wrapping up a division title, including one that blew a great chance at winning that title in Week 15. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are just one win away from capturing the NFC South crown, but they suffered a 9-0 loss at home to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night.
The other two teams that should wrap up a division title soon are the Dallas Cowboys and the Kansas City Chiefs. Dallas has a big lead in the NFC East Division, and the Chiefs have pulled away from the pack in the AFC West.
These four teams should all factor into the Super Bowl race once the playoffs begin, as all four have been the betting favorites since the season started.
AFC North Race is Complicated
The other four divisions that don’t have a clear winner will all be fun races to follow, but none are as crazy as the AFC North. A new team seems to emerge as the betting favorite to win the AFC North after each week is completed, and it’s hard to predict who wins this title.
The Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens are now in the lead at 8-6 on the year, and it feels like the Bengals have more momentum than the Ravens. Cincinnati also holds the tiebreaker as they are 3-1 in divisional play while the Ravens are just 1-3.
The Pittsburgh Steelers enter Week 16 with a 7-6-1 record, while the Cleveland Browns are still in the mix at 7-7. All four teams can still win the AFC North Division title, and each team can still miss out on the playoffs entirely. There will be plenty of drama over the final three weeks in that division.
Wild Card Battles Heating Up
The goal for every team is obviously to win the division, but there is also a path to the playoffs by being a Wild Card team. The Wild Card race in the NFL is always crazy every year, but there is some extra drama this season.
In the AFC, there are currently nine teams battling for the three Wild Card spots, and tie-breaking scenarios will come into effect this season. The AFC has 13 of the 16 teams with a record of at least .500 entering Week 16.
The NFC isn’t quite as jumbled as there are only nine teams with a serious shot at reaching the postseason. Some teams at 6-8 can still make a run, but the bottom of the NFC is not nearly as strong as the bottom of the AFC.