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Week 8 of the NFL season doesn’t feature a ton of big-time matchups with just one game between teams with records above .500. The New York Giants will bring their 6-1 record on the road for a game against the 4-3 Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon. Still, plenty of matchups have playoff implications as we get closer to the halfway point of the regular season.
One of the most intriguing storylines of the NFL season has been the struggles of the Green Bay Packers, which are in danger of losing their fourth straight game as double-digit underdogs to the Buffalo Bills. Green Bay is a half-game out of the Wild Card spot, but dropping to 3-5 could be tough to come back from.
Another significant matchup is the San Francisco 49ers taking on the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams are 3-3, and the 49ers are 3-4, but this should be a tight race down the stretch as every team in the NFC West is within a game of each other at this point of the season.
Over in the AFC, the New England Patriots vs. New York Jets could be an interesting contest to watch as the surprising Jets are currently holding the top Wild Card spot a half-game behind the Buffalo Bills for in the East. Meanwhile, the Patriots are a game out of the final Wild Card spot with plenty of teams in the mix for that position, so this is huge for New England.
Below is a look at the full playoff picture heading into the Sunday of Week 8.
AFC playoff picture
1. Buffalo Bills, 5-1
2. Kansas City Chiefs, 5-2
3. Tennessee Titans, 4-2
4. Baltimore Ravens, 5-3
5. New York Jets, 5-2
6. Miami Dolphins, 4-3
7. Los Angeles Chargers, 4-3
8. Cincinnati Bengals, 4-3
9. Indianapolis Colts, 3-3-1
10. New England Patriots, 3-4
11. Las Vegas Raiders, 2-4
12. Jacksonville Jaguars, 2-5
13. Denver Broncos, 2-5
14. Cleveland Browns, 2-5
15. Pittsburgh Steelers, 2-5
16. Houston Texans, 1-4-1
NFC playoff picture
1. Philadelphia Eagles, 6-0
2. Minnesota Vikings, 5-1
3. Seattle Seahawks, 4-3
4. Atlanta Falcons 3-4
5. New York Giants 6-1
6. Dallas Cowboys, 5-2
7. Los Angeles Rams, 3-3
8. San Francisco 49ers, 3-4
9. Green Bay Packers, 3-4
10. Washington Commanders, 3-4
11. Arizona Cardinals, 3-4
12. Chicago Bears, 3-4
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 3-5
14. Carolina Panthers, 2-5
15. New Orleans Saints, 2-5
16. Detroit Lions, 1-5