NFL Standings for Each Division After Week 12

Taking a look at the updated NFL standings for each division after a wild holiday Week 12 in the 2016 season.

Right off the bat on Thanksgiving Day, things went absolutely wild in Week 12 of the 2016 NFL season. We saw the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings go down to the wire, with the former pulling ahead in the last minute and then getting a pick of Sam Bradford to seal the win.

That was then followed by the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins trading haymakers and Dallas ultimately continuing to win. Then the Indianapolis Colts started Scott Tolzien against the Pittsburgh Steelers and it ended poorly.

Sunday was full of drama as well, highlighted by the Oakland Raiders blowing a lead and then retaking it for the win and then a crazy, messy Sunday Night Football game. The Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos went into overtime thanks to a last-second KC drive and score with a two-point conversion. In the extra frame, WINNER ultimately won to earn sole possession of second place in the AFC West.

At this point in the season, there are a few teams already eliminated from the postseason and several other teams that virtually have no shot. However, the real drama is in the divisions where the races are tight at the top. Trying to keep up with the jostling is going to be fun ride down the stretch.

With Week 12 all but in the books as only the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles left to play on Monday Night Football, here’s a look at the NFL standings in each division after Sunday:

AFC East

1. New England Patriots (9-2)
2. Miami Dolphins (7-4)
3. Buffalo Bills (6-5)
4. New York Jets (3-8)

Things almost got quite interesting in the AFC East on Sunday in Week 12 thanks to a lackluster Patriots performance. Had they fallen to the Jets with the Dolphins winning, only a game would’ve separated New England and Miami. Alas, Tom Brady came through and they hold their two-game lead at the top.

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys (10-1)
2. New York Giants (8-3)
3. Washington Redskins (6-4-1)
4. Philadelphia Eagles (5-5) – Play Monday Night

Six-straight wins for the Giants and they still are merely keeping the pace with the Cowboys, winners of 10-straight. Dallas looks like a viable juggernaut right now and a team you could legitimately call a Super Bowl contender. However, the NFC East has an argument as the best overall division in the league right now with every team at .500 or better and playing well.

AFC North

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1. Baltimore Ravens (6-5)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (3-7-1)
4. Cleveland Browns (0-12)

This division has been every bit as ugly as the standings look. The once fierce AFC North has been nothing but a stray cat feebly trying to catch a mouse in a back alley. Off of their Thanksgiving win, maybe the Steelers can start making a run to overtake the Ravens. However, Baltimore keeps finding ways to win right now. And then there’s the Browns. Four Ls away from the defeated season.

NFC North

1. Detroit Lions (7-4)
2. Minnesota Vikings (6-5)
3. Green Bay Packers (4-6) – Play Monday Night
4. Chicago Bears (2-9)

Detroit picked up yet another last-minute victory over the Vikings to take sole possession of first in the division and owning the tiebreaker over Minnesota. However, the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants strategy only lasts for so long. If the Vikes (or, dare I say, Packers) can immediately fix their woes, they could potentially see the Lions falter down the stretch and catch them.

AFC South

1. Houston Texans (6-5)
2. Tennessee Titans (6-6)
3. Indianapolis Colts (5-6)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9)

Yes, this division remains horrible with no one able to really emerge. However, the upstart Titans have shown the most promise at their best. After a win—albeit a scary one—in Week 12, they’re now just a half-game back of the Texans as they head into their bye. If Houston keeps stinking it up, Tennessee could be sitting pretty.

NFC South

1. Atlanta Falcons (7-4)
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5)
3. New Orleans Saints (5-6)
4. Carolina Panthers (4-7)

After an impressive win over the Seahawks, the Buccaneers look dangerous in the NFC South as they trail Atlanta by a mere game. Though the Panthers fought against Oakland, their loss essentially ousts them from the division race. That’s a shame as they’ve looked like they may be turning a corner in recent weeks, despite tough losses.

AFC West

1. Oakland Raiders (9-2)
2. Kansas City Chiefs (8-3)
3. Denver Broncos (7-4)
4. San Diego Chargers (5-6)

Derek Carr is apparently Superman, leaping all defenses in a single-bound even if his finger is at a 90-degree angle to his hand. There’s just something special (and very fun) about this Raiders team as they keep winning. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are now secure in the Wild Card while the Broncos are holding on after falling to KC on Sunday night.

NFC West

1. Seattle Seahawks (7-3-1)
2. Arizona Cardinals (4-6-1)
3. Los Angeles Rams (4-7)
4. San Francisco 49ers (1-10)

Despite the Seahawks losing in Week 12, so did everyone else in the NFC West. They still hold a commanding three-game lead in the division and are going to be the only playoff team to emerge. That’s a shame given the high hopes for the Cardinals, but they’ve played much closer to the teams at the bottom of the division than Seattle.

Next: 2017 NFL Mock Draft - Full First Round

That’s where we stand in each division at this point with 12 weeks, save one game, in the books for the season. Next week will be the last with teams on a bye and then things really start ramping up in each of these divisions. Will teams like the Raiders and Cowboys falter? Are the Texans and Falcons about to blow leads that are dwindling? It’s going to be high-drama down to the wire—and we couldn’t ask for more from 2016.

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