NFL Playoff Standings: Washington Redskins, Oakland Raiders, Dallas Cowboys In The Spotlight

NFL playoff standings indicate the Washington Redskins and Green Bay Packers have Week 11 games that fall into the “must-win” category. The Packers slipped to 11th place in the NFC after losing again in Week 10, while the Redskins held on to the No. 6 slot after a really important victory. In the Week 11 schedule, the Washington Redskins host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night football (Nov. 20). As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Week 11 NFL expert picks have the Redskins projected to win this game at home.

The AFC playoff standings reflect how good the West has been during the 2016 NFL season. The Kansas City Chiefs (7-2) hold the tie-breakers and the No. 2 spot in the latest playoff outlook. The Oakland Raiders (7-2) have the first Wild Card slot, while the Denver Broncos (7-3) hold down that second Wild Card slot. The Broncos have a Week 11 bye, the Chiefs host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5) and the Raiders play on Monday night football (Nov. 21) against the Houston Texans (6-3). The Texans currently lead the AFC South, creating a very interesting matchup.

The NFL playoff standings also show how good the NFC East has been this season, as all four teams from the division are in the top seven slots for the conference. In the updated divisional standings, the Dallas Cowboys (8-1) have a two-game lead over the New York Giants (6-3) for first place. The Washington Redskins (5-3-1) and Philadelphia Eagles (5-4) aren’t that far behind. To this point, the Giants and Redskins control the two NFC Wild Card slots, with the Eagles half a game back in seventh place.

All four NFC East teams play on Sunday, with the Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears vs. New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Seattle Seahawks, and Green Bay Packers vs. Washington Redskins. The Eagles have the toughest opponent, as the Seahawks (6-2-1) lead the NFC West and currently hold the No. 2 playoff spot in the conference. Playing at home will also give the Seahawks an additional advantage during this Week 11 game. With a victory, the Seahawks could move another full game ahead of the Arizona Cardinals (4-4-1) in the standings.

Regarding the NFL playoff standings, a big game between the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints took place on Thursday night (Nov. 17). The Panthers and Saints are still in the race for a divisional title in the NFC South, but this was an important game to decide which team might get knocked out of the running. The Panthers beat the Saints 23-20, and both teams are now 4-6 on the season. There is still a gap to be made up in the standings to catch the Atlanta Falcons (6-4), but this Panthers victory could give the team a bit of momentum.

The Dallas Cowboys can move even further ahead in the NFC playoff standings by picking up an important win against the Baltimore Ravens. Getting to 9-1 at this point of the season would put the Cowboys one game closer to clinching the top seed and home-field advantage in the playoffs. Owner Jerry Jones would certainly like to see his star rookies hosting playoff games, especially with how competitive the NFC East has become this year.

Full 2016 NFL Playoff Standings

AFC Playoff Standings

1 – New England Patriots (7-2)
2 – Kansas City Chiefs (7-2)
3 – Houston Texans (6-3)
4 – Baltimore Ravens (5-4)
5 – Oakland Raiders (7-2)
6 – Denver Broncos (7-3)

7 – Miami Dolphins (5-4)
8 – Tennessee Titans (5-5)
9 – Pittsburgh Steelers (4-5)
10 – Indianapolis Colts (4-5)
11 – Buffalo Bills (4-5)
12 – San Diego Chargers (4-6)
13 – Cincinnati Bengals (3-5-1)
14 – New York Jets (3-7)
15 – Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7)
16 – Cleveland Browns (0-10)

NFC Playoff Standings

1 – Dallas Cowboys (8-1)
2 – Seattle Seahawks (6-2-1)
3 – Atlanta Falcons (6-4)
4 – Detroit Lions (5-4)
5 – New York Giants (6-3)
6 – Washington Redskins (5-3-1)

7 – Philadelphia Eagles (5-4)
8 – Minnesota Vikings (5-4)
9 – Arizona Cardinals (4-4-1)
10 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5)
11 – Green Bay Packers (4-5)
12 – Los Angeles Rams (4-5)
13 – New Orleans Saints (4-6)
14 – Carolina Panthers (4-6)
15 – Chicago Bears (2-7)
16 – San Francisco 49ers (1-8)

[Featured Image by Mike Comer/Getty Images]