NFL Playoff Picture: Week 6

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to another edition of the Weekly NFL Playoff Picture, otherwise known as the “why is my team not in it?” section for half the fans in the league.

Week 6 is around the perfect time for everyone to start paying attention. Far enough away from the end of the year to be hopeful, close enough to the beginning to be realistic.

What am I saying? Realistic? Ha! We are talking about the National Football League here, where realism is a vague concept caught between a Golden Tate touchdown and a botched fake punt.

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Right now we are seeing two conferences that are pretty similar to each other: Two undefeated teams set themselves apart from the rest while an unexpected first Wild Card pleasantly surprises everyone to then make way for a big puddle of mediocrity in the struggle for the sixth and final playoff berth.

There are a total of five undefeated teams left and no winless ones after six weeks, but it is safe to say that the following 1-5 teams have one foot out the door: Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions.

As for the rest, hope springs eternal, starting with a team that hangs around with a losing record and another one that stunk up the joint in front of a national audience on Monday Night.

Next: NFC Bubble Teams