We're officially in the second half of the 2018 NFL season. For all teams, playing well in the first half of the season does not guarantee anything in the path to Super Bowl 53, so expect everything to be more challenging in the two-month final stretch.
Here is what the seeding would look like if the playoffs started today, including analysis of where every team stands in the race for the eight division titles and four wild-card berths.
NFL playoff picture
AFC
Who would be in:
1. Chiefs (8-1), first in AFC West
Kansas City took care of Cleveland to stay ahead of New England, which beat the Chiefs in Week 6. The Chiefs' bye is in Week 12, and before then, they have a gimme game (Cardinals at home) and a tough toss-up against the Rams in Mexico City.
2. Patriots (7-2), first in AFC East
New England pulled away from Green Bay on Sunday night to keep pace with Kansas City and keep Pittsburgh from moving into this spot. The Patriots face the Steelers on the road in Week 15 in their hardest game left. The Vikings are also looming to round out the NFC North rotation, but they will have to visit Foxborough.
3. Steelers (5-2-1), first in AFC North
Pittsburgh avenged its early-season loss to Baltimore and then some on Sunday, putting the Steelers back in position to run away with the division. After losing to the Chiefs in Week 2, they must beat the Patriots to get a first-round bye along with the North title.
4. Texans (6-3), first in AFC South
Houston survived in Denver for its sixth consecutive victory after an inauspicious 0-3 start. The Texans picked up a game on the idle Jaguars and Colts and can make it three-for-three should the Titans lose to the Cowboys on Monday night. Houston finishing in the top two in the AFC still is a longshot, though.
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5. Chargers (6-2), wild card
Los Angeles made it five straight victories with an impressive win in Seattle. The Week 1 loss to the Chiefs still looms, but the Chargers get their division rivals again in week 15. The Raiders, Broncos and Cardinals being next on the schedule should help the Chargers keep the momentum going ahead of their Week 13 battle with the Steelers.
6. Bengals (5-3), wild card
Cincinnati was off in Week 9 but learned wide receiver A.J. Green will need to miss some time with a foot injury. That adds to the defensive injuries and the high degree of difficulty ahead for the Bengals to maintain this spot. What helps is that the rest of the AFC behind them is pretty weak, and they already beat the Dolphins.
Who's knocking on the door:
7. Dolphins (5-4)
Miami is the only other AFC team above .500 at the moment, and even though the Dolphins are up and down, they can't be counted out. Their three hardest games left are roadies in Green Bay and Minnesota, plus a home date with the Patriots.
Who's hanging around:
8. Titans (4-4)
9. Ravens (4-5)
10. Jaguars (3-5)
11. Colts (3-5)
12. Jets (3-6)
13. Broncos (3-6)
The Titans got a big win in Dallas on Monday night to become the only exactly .500 team in the AFC. The Ravens have gone into a major funk, especially offensively, in large part to injuries on their line and teams catching up to their pass-happy ways. The shakiness of the Bengals and Dolphins opens the door for one or two of that AFC South trio to sneak in behind the Texans.
Who's just about out:
14. Browns (2-6-1)
15. Bills (2-9)
16. Raiders (1-7)
The Raiders did a great job getting closer to the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2019 with their no-show in San Francisco. The Browns are doing their best to show fight with Baker Mayfield and a coaching shake-up, so they are the best "spoiler" of this group.
NFL playoff picture
NFC
Who would be in:
1. Rams (8-1), first in NFC West
Los Angeles stays in this spot despite its loss in New Orleans because it has an extra win with its bye coming in Week 12, after the monumental Mexico City game against Kansas City. But the Rams have three other tough games, too: vs. Seahawks, at Bears, vs. Eagles. They could end up in the No. 4 seed when it's all done.
2. Saints (7-1), first in NFC South
New Orleans now controls home-field advantage and the top seed. The Saints have seemed unbeatable since their Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers, and they need to stay in that mode. Almost every game left is tricky, including the Bengals, Cowboys and Panthers on the road and the Eagles, Steelers and Panthers at home.
3. Bears (5-3), first in NFC North
Chicago holds the slimmest of leads over Minnesota after taking advantage of the bingo free space in Buffalo. The Giants and 49ers present the Bears with two more such games, but they also have the Rams and five division games, including the pair with the Vikings. They still look more like a wild-card team than the division winner.
4. Redskins (5-3), first in NFC East
Washington came crashing down at home against Atlanta, which was a big help to idle Philadelphia and Monday night-playing Dallas. Had the Redskins won that game, they would have been a lot easier to trust. Now they seem shaky all-around.
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5. Panthers (6-2), wild card
Carolina made it a little too interesting against Tampa Bay, but the win kept it right on the heels of New Orleans with the teams' two-game series coming in December. Well before then, the Panthers have three tough non-division games against the Steelers, Lions and Seahawks.
6. Vikings (5-3-1), wild card
Minnesota enters its bye after an important win over Detroit. Things are coming together for the preseason NFC North favorites to repeat, but the Vikings need this week to prepare for the brutal next month: at Bears, vs. Packers, at Patriots, at Seahawks.
Who's knocking on the door:
7. Falcons (4-4)
8. Seahawks (4-4)
9. Eagles (4-4)
Atlanta used the Washington game to become very much alive in the NFC wild-card race. (That early win over Carolina is a big help.) The Falcons still need to play at the Saints and at the Panthers, but they also have it rather soft outside the division: Browns, Cowboys, Ravens, Packers and Cardinals.
Who's hanging around:
10. Packers (3-4-1)
11. Cowboys (3-5)
12. Buccaneers (3-5)
13. Lions (3-5)
Green Bay doesn't look like a playoff team around Aaron Rodgers. Dallas failed to hit .500 by losing to Tennessee on Monday night. Tampa Bay and Detroit are talented teams in many areas, but they're relegated to offensive-minded spoilers the rest of the way.
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Who's just about out:
14. Cardinals (2-6)
15. 49ers (2-7)
16. Giants (1-7)
Credit Arizona and San Francisco for playing above their heads despite their respective misfortunes. That makes New York blowing a lot of good opportunities look even worse.
