Feel like barring an amazing undefeated run, they need to finish with 10 wins to give them the best and most realistic shot at making the playoffs.
Cowboys 7-4 (@ ARI, vs. NYG, @ TB, vs. PHI, @ NYG)
-They should be able to take the non division games pretty simply. Figure they are 9-4 pending the division match-ups.
Eagles 4-6 (vs. NE, @ SEA, @ MIA, vs. NYJ, @ DAL, vs. WAS)
-The only given loss has to be NE and they should be able to beat SEA and MIA although who the fuck knows. The Jets will be tough and they finish with a pair of division games. At best, I have them going 8-8 but 9 wins is not out of the question if they can beat Dallas.
Bears 7-3 (without Cutler) (@ OAK, vs. KC, @ DEN, vs. SEA, @ GB, @ MIN)
-Wildcard now that they're starting Caleb Hanie, even though Matt Forte is their offense. They should be able to win the games with KC and SEA, the other four being toss-ups (except the GB game). Unfortunately for the Giants, that means they are 9-4 with 3 games pending which means they have a leg up on one of the wild card spots.
Lions 7-4 (@ NO, vs. MIN, @ OAK, vs. SD, @ GB)
-They have struggled of late against top NFC teams and will Suh's absence really fuck up their defense? Figure they lose to NO and GB for arguments sake. They are 7-6 with the MIN, OAK and SD games in play. Realistically, the best option for them is sweeping those and winning 10, more realistic is finishing with 9 wins.
Saints 7-3 (vs. NYG, vs. DET, @ TEN, @ MIN, vs. ATL, vs. CAR)
-Playing for a division, may come down to week 16. They should easily carve up some opponents and figure they beat NYG, DET, TEN, MIN and CAR, maybe losing one. The toss-up is the ATL game. So lets give them 2 losses the rest of the way on the safe side, they will finish 11-5, give or take a win.
Falcons 6-4 (vs. MIN, @ HOU, @ CAR, vs. JAX, @ NO, vs. TB)
-Since October, they have only lost to GB and NO, beating up on subpar teams plus Detroit. They rematch Carolina, NO and will look to avenge an earlier loss to Tampa. Houston is the wildcard pending Leinart's play. Figure they beat MIN, CAR, JAX and Tampa with the Saints game as a toss-up. They should be able to finish 11-5 or 10-6 at worst.
I have the wild card picture looking like:
Dallas at worst are 9-7 and at best 10-6
Philly 8-8
Bears 10-6 at worst, 11-5 is realistic
Lions 9-7 possibly as high as 10-6
Saints as good as 12-4, as low as 10-6-----in play for south division
Falcons 10-6 or 11-5 ------in play for south division
The Giants are 6-4 with games @ NO, vs. GB, @ DAL, vs. WAS, @ NYJ, vs. DAL.
Unless they can upset either the Saints or Packers, they MUST sweep Dallas. Doing so would likely create a 10-6 tie and the division winner may be the only one that makes it based on tiebreakers.
If they split with Dallas and cannot upset NO or GB, the best they can finish is 9-7 and it won't be good enough.
