In 1999, the Tennessee Titans went 13-3, but finished second in their division to the 14-2 Jacksonville Jaguars, giving Tennessee the distinction of having the most wins by a wild-card team in NFL history. The 1986 Chicago Bears, 1998 Atlanta Falcons and 2004 New England Patriots are the only teams ever to win 14 games and not get the No. 1 seed.
This season could end up being a historical anomaly in the NFC. Usually, when a team like the Detroit Lions is 11-1 and seemingly headed for 15 or 16 wins, they don’t have much to worry about winning their division or getting the No. 1 seed. But the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings, both 10-2, can keep the pressure on all season.
The Lions have the NFL’s third-toughest remaining schedule, according to Tankathon, which doesn’t help. The Vikings are fourth, and part of any team’s problem is that they play each other in Week 18 in Detroit. This game could have an incredible impact on the NFC playoffs. The Lions also have tough games against Green Bay (Thursday night), Buffalo and San Francisco, giving the Eagles plenty of hope to steal the top spot.
Philadelphia has the 23rd toughest remaining schedule. The Eagles have just two games against winning teams (Pittsburgh and Washington). It’s possible that a 15-2 team won’t get the top seed in the NFC and a 14-3 team won’t win their division.
Detroit should be comfortable at 11-1, but may feel like they need to go 16-1 to claim the all-important top seed in the NFC. It should be a great race all the way to the finish.
Here are the power rankings after Week 13 of the NFL season: