{"id":324882,"date":"2025-12-04T13:29:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T13:29:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/324882\/"},"modified":"2025-12-04T13:29:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T13:29:11","slug":"2025-nfl-playoff-picture-one-reason-for-hope-for-seven-playoff-bubble-teams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/324882\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 NFL playoff picture: One reason for hope for seven playoff bubble teams"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2025 NFL<\/a> playoff picture is finally taking shape. Or is it? As CBS Sports Research notes<\/a>, we might be in the midst of the most unpredictable Super Bowl<\/a> race ever, with five different first-place teams holding less than a one-game division lead going into Week 14, plus 10 different teams with championship odds of 20-1 or shorter. In other words, “any given Sunday” truly applies this year. <\/p>\n

Which means there’s plenty of hope even for those on the outside of the current playoff picture. No stunning defeat is too damaging, it seems, in such a wide-open competition for postseason berths. Just ask the Baltimore Ravens<\/a> and Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a>, who can’t stop trading the top spot in the AFC North, where even the Cincinnati Bengals<\/a> are clinging to improbable playoff chances. <\/p>\n

Why, exactly, can fans of uneven clubs believe in their respective teams? Here’s one reason for hope for seven notable teams currently lurking outside the projected playoff field: <\/p>\n

Note: Projected playoff chances courtesy of SportsLine simulations. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

2025 NFL playoff picture: Here are the 14 teams projected to make the postseason with Packers taking NFC North<\/p>\n

\n John Breech <\/p>\n

\"2025<\/p>\n

<\/a>
\n AFC teams on the bubble
\n <\/p>\n

\"team
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

\tHouston Texans<\/a> (7-5) <\/p>\n

Playoff chances: 58.7% <\/p>\n

DeMeco Ryans<\/a>‘ defense is championship-caliber. The Texans may not have a chart-topping offense as C.J. Stroud<\/a> settles back in under center, but one year after the Philadelphia Eagles<\/a> dominated the Super Bowl with a stingy defense, it’s not a stretch to suggest Houston’s unit can rival such production. Danielle Hunter<\/a> and Will Anderson Jr<\/a>. are a freakish edge rushing duo, and there isn’t a single defense surrendering fewer points or yards per game entering the home stretch. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"team
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

\tKansas City Chiefs<\/a> (6-6) <\/p>\n

Playoff chances: 37.6% <\/p>\n

The remaining schedule is relatively light. It’s odd to have a dynasty listed as a long shot to make it to the dance, but the Chiefs have relied far too much on last-minute heroics. Still, with Patrick Mahomes<\/a> doing more through the air as of late, a strong finish is conceivable. The Chiefs’ next two opponents (Texans, Chargers<\/a>) have proven vulnerable with injury-riddled offenses, and two of their last three are against lowly squads in the Las Vegas Raiders<\/a> and Tennessee Titans<\/a>. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"team
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

\tMiami Dolphins<\/a> (5-7) <\/p>\n

Playoff chances: <1% <\/p>\n

The defense is turning a corner. Mike McDaniel might not be able to squeeze Pro Bowl production out of Tua Tagovailoa<\/a> anymore, but Miami has avoided the catastrophic collapse for which it seemed destined by tightening the screws on “D.” Seasoned veterans like Bradley Chubb<\/a>, Jordyn Brooks<\/a> and Minkah Fitzpatrick<\/a> have all stepped up to limit opponents, including heavyweights like the Bills<\/a>, to an average of just 14.3 points per game over the last three weeks. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"team
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6) <\/p>\n

Playoff chances: 45.1% <\/p>\n

The Ravens refuse to secure the North. In truth, there’s not a lot to like about Pittsburgh right now. Aaron Rodgers<\/a> fully looks his age (41) as he battles a wrist injury and, apparently, unreliable support from his middling pass catchers. Mike Tomlin’s big-name defense has way more bark than bite. And yet Baltimore, the current frontrunner in the division, is maybe just as volatile at 6-6 with a negative point differential. Tomlin also has a solid track record against the Ravens. <\/p>\n

NFC teams on the bubble
\n <\/p>\n

\"team
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

\tCarolina Panthers<\/a> (7-6) <\/p>\n

Playoff chances: 15.6% <\/p>\n

Bryce Young<\/a> won’t quit. All year, the former No. 1 overall pick has offered plenty of evidence to suggest he’s simply not built to weather the pace and size of the NFL. He’s also sandwiched four different fourth-quarter comebacks and five game-winning drives between the ineptitude. Typically that boom-or-bust operation wouldn’t be enough to forecast a playoff push, but Carolina also boasts a top-10 rushing attack thanks to the emergence of a new bruiser in Rico Dowdle<\/a>. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"team
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

\tDallas Cowboys<\/a> (6-5-1) <\/p>\n

Playoff chances:\u00a024.5% <\/p>\n

Dak Prescott<\/a> is on an MVP-level tear. There have been a few duds from the Cowboys’ longtime quarterback this year, but it’s saying something that he’s mostly overshadowed the drama of Jerry Jones’ defensive makeover. Even with CeeDee Lamb<\/a> producing untimely drops, Prescott has zipped it all over the yard, displaying all-star downfield chemistry with George Pickens<\/a>. He’s easily been the most prolific passer of the NFC East, which could haunt the slumping Eagles. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"team
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

\tDetroit Lions<\/a> (7-5) <\/p>\n

Playoff chances: 37.8% <\/p>\n

They can still move the ball with the best of them. It’s not that Detroit isn’t racking up the yards and points; the Lions rank third in both categories, ahead of title favorites and potential No. 1 seeds like the Green Bay Packers<\/a>, Los Angeles Rams<\/a> and New England Patriots<\/a>. The fundamentals and trenches just haven’t been nearly as solid, leading to iffier results on coach Dan Campbell’s notorious fourth-down efforts. We’re not counting out home run hitters like Jahmyr Gibbs<\/a>, and we’ve seen Campbell turn adversity into improved focus before. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 2025 NFL playoff picture is finally taking shape. Or is it? As CBS Sports Research notes, we…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":324883,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[436],"tags":[1754,1742,28561,19252,1748,2216,49,48,1744,1772,1740,1762,1721,14625,19258,3163,1750,1730,1737,41528,143629,1727,1736,2210,1749,1720,19255,1718,514,132456,132458,28455,122069,132457,132454,132455,68628,2218,1747,949,86091,82,1741,2220,49487],"class_list":["post-324882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-aaron-rodgers","tag-baltimore-ravens","tag-bradley-chubb","tag-bryce-young","tag-buffalo-bills","tag-c-j-stroud","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-carolina-panthers","tag-ceedee-lamb","tag-cincinnati-bengals","tag-dak-prescott","tag-dallas-cowboys","tag-danielle-hunter","tag-demeco-ryans","tag-detroit-lions","tag-george-pickens","tag-green-bay-packers","tag-houston-texans","tag-jahmyr-gibbs","tag-jordyn-brooks","tag-kansas-city-chiefs","tag-las-vegas-raiders","tag-los-angeles-chargers","tag-los-angeles-rams","tag-miami-dolphins","tag-minkah-fitzpatrick","tag-new-england-patriots","tag-nfl","tag-nfl-playoff-bracket","tag-nfl-playoff-chances","tag-nfl-playoff-odds","tag-nfl-playoff-picture","tag-nfl-playoff-picture-2025","tag-nfl-playoff-predictor","tag-nfl-playoff-standings","tag-nfl-playoffs","tag-patrick-mahomes","tag-philadelphia-eagles","tag-pittsburgh-steelers","tag-rico-dowdle","tag-sports","tag-tennessee-titans","tag-tua-tagovailoa","tag-will-anderson-jr"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/324882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=324882"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/324882\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/324883"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=324882"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=324882"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=324882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}