At this rate, we’ll likely go either 9-8 or 10-7 and then make the playoffs. It may actually be a possibility that we take the 7 seed, and end up playing the 2 seed (which at this rate could be the Lions).
This is pretty interesting because we play Detroit twice in Week 16 and 18. So it actually be good practice when we play them in round one. There is also a small chance we over take the Lions and win the division but let’s stay safe and not assume that for now.
The other teams we could face include the winner of the NFC South (if we make 5 and assuming the very likely chance the NFC South Winner will be number 4). Honestly I think we can take any of those teams. We’ve already beaten 3 of them and I think at this point we’re better than Tampa Bay.
Finally, if we make 6, we play either the 49ers or Seahawks (most likely the Niners). Obviously it would be easier to win against Seattle, but I don’t think it would be impossible to beat San Francisco either considering we already bested them. Overall I think we’re in a pretty good spot for the playoffs.
Obviously losing to Denver stings, but the season is not over. Considering we started 0-3, we’re actually doing very well.
We don’t control our destiny in the division anymore so I don’t like the odds of overtaking the Lions. We’d need to win out including beating them both times, and they’d need to slip up. That puts us both at 12-5 with us taking the tiebreaker on head to head matchups.
No reason we can’t get in the playoffs with two more losses to whoever. Cincy game is a lot more winnable now without Burrow and that’s the toughest non-Lions game remaining.