Parity has taken over the NFL in 2021.
Every single team in the AFC has at least four losses, while every team in the NFC could have at least three losses if the Arizona Cardinals fall Monday night.
Then we head to the final spot in each conference.
That is where the chaos begins.
One stat in particular proves just how much can change between now and the end of Week 18.
The NFL playoff picture is very crowded as 26 teams are currently either in the playoffs, or within a game of a playoff spot.
There are also 24 teams with at least 6 wins, the most through Week 14 all-time.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 13, 2021
Each conference has seven playoff spots for a total of 14.
Yet it is the end of Week 14 and 26 teams are either in the playoff picture or within one game of a spot.
24 teams having at least six wins also proves how fun it has been for fans of nearly every NFL team this year.
Only the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, and Detroit Lions are officially eliminated from playoff contention.
A Wild Race To The Finish
The two five-win teams still in the race are the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks.
Both teams are 5-8, and thus just one spot back of Washington for the final spot in the NFC.
The good news? #Seahawks are one game out of the last wild card spot.
The bad news? Three teams that have beaten Seattle head-to-head are a game up in standings. pic.twitter.com/ZESYg2p575
— Corbin K. Smith (@CorbinSmithNFL) December 13, 2021
The Football Team join four other teams at 6-7, winning a five-team tiebreaker to claim that final spot.
Over in the AFC, five teams sit at 7-6 in the battle for the final two Wild Card spots.
The 6-6-1 Pittsburgh Steelers are right there as well, while the 6-7 Las Vegas Raiders and Miami Dolphins still have postseason dreams as well.
The extra game on the schedule this season only adds to the drama of what should be a wild finish.
Every AFC division is still up for grabs as well, while the focus in the NFC is on the Wild Card madness.
Teams around the NFL are going to have their hearts broken in the next few weeks, but that means the level of competition is great enough to where the battle for the playoffs is nearly a league-wide one in December and January.
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