2022 NFL Week 15 Political Rankings

If there is anyone left who believes the NFL is not scripted/rigged/manipulated after this weekend, I don't know what to tell you.

So let's take a look at the current situation, as I see the NFL's current "booking".

I, honestly, believe we can distill the NFL, as far as serious either Super Bowl contenders, or, at the very least, teams who are going to figure in the mix to get there, down to seven teams:  Three in the AFC, four in the NFC.

AFC:

1) Buffalo

2) Kansas City

3) Cincinnati

NFC:

1) Philadelphia

2) Minnesota

3) Dallas

4) San Francisco

That, to me, is the present extent of where this season is going.

Every team on that list, sans Cincinnati, is already in the playoffs.

Cincinnati-San Francisco would be a great "backup plan" Super Bowl, and their inclusions on the list are because Cincy has a six-game winning streak and San Francisco has won seven in a row.

I think the only real question some might have is why, even with Dallas' loss, do I now have Minnesota #2 in the NFC?

It's not by much, but it's two realities of the NFL's booking:

First, since San Francisco and Minnesota are doing so well, it's almost impossible for the league to get Philly-Dallas to the NFC title game.  (If both San Francisco and Minnesota win on wild-card weekend, then Dallas (provided it beats whatever comes out of that NFC Suck swamp) must face Philly on divisional weekend, because Dallas is the lowest remaining seed.

The other reason is to take a look at Minnesota.

ESPN has said (in perpetrating kayfabe) that the fact that Minnesota has only a point-differential of +2 makes them pretenders.

But look how the league is booking this year:  Nine of the 15 games this week have been Cliffhangers, Last Chance Misses, or both.

The 11-3 Vikings have won TEN GAMES by one possession this season so far.  

Five of them have been Minnesota Cliffhangers.  Nine have involved one or more Last Chance Misses.

I have said all year that the Vikings bring nothing to the table -- and they, otherwise, really don't.  But if the NFL wants to script every Fantastic Finish (reg tm) they can provide (and remember last year's playoffs if you don't believe me on that regard!!!), the Vikings can fit the bill quite nicely!

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Something I don't normally do is to take a look at the low-Wild Card end here.

AFC:  

The Chargers and Miami are in at 8-6.  The Jets and Patriots are out at 7-7.  There's a lot to say here, as all four teams are completely fatally flawed (no Charger fans, Miami's Tua fetish of the NFL has cooled, the Jets are simply the Jets, and the Patriots have nothing to offer).

I get the gut feeling that one of the 6-8 teams (the Jaguars, Browns, Steelers, and Raiders) will get in at 9-8.  I would want it to be the Jaguars, but I get the gut impression it's going to be DeRapist Rapist and the Browns.

NFC:

Washington is the 7 seed at 7-6-1, Seattle and Detroit are 7-7.

That's a very difficult decision, IMODO, between Seattle (12th man cult) and Detroit (worst to first, play for your coach, etc.).  Seattle has that tiebreaker due to a 48-45 win in Week 4, for the record.

I don't see Washington being a factor at all, with Dan Snyder and the headaches he's about to cause.

Could the NFL sneak Green Bay in the back door if they beat LA tonight and go 6-8?