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Top 5 NFL Playoff Pretenders Heading Into Week 11

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By @calling_allfans

Top 5 NFL Playoff Pretenders Heading Into Week 11

NFL pretenders
Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

If the NFL playoffs began today, the AFC would look like this:

1. New England
2. Denver
3. Indianapolis
4. Cleveland
5. Kansas City
6. Cincinnati

The NFC would look like this:

1. Arizona
2. Detroit
3. Philadelphia
4. New Orleans
5. Dallas
6. Seattle

Which teams with a shot at making the playoffs are really just pretenders? Which teams will either be an easy out in the playoffs, or miss the playoffs completely?

5. Buffalo Bills (5-4)

NFL pretenders
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

5. Buffalo Bills (5-4)

NFL pretenders
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

The Bills lost to the Chiefs in Week 10, and they now trail the Patriots by two games. The chances of them catching New England are slim to none. The Bills are dealing with injuries at RB (C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson), and even though Kyle Orton has played well after taking over for E.J. Manuel, he doesn’t exactly scream Super Bowl winner. Teams like the Steelers, Ravens and Chiefs are all better than the Bills right now.

4. Miami Dolphins (5-4)

NFL pretenders
Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

4. Miami Dolphins (5-4)

NFL pretenders
Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

They are now 5-4 after losing to the Lions, but they are also trailing the Patriots by two games, and it’s very unlikely that the Dolphins can catch them. QB Ryan Tannehill has played well for most of this season, but can he really be trusted to take the Dolphins to the playoffs and make a deep run? No. The Dolphins would have to leapfrog at least the Steelers, Ravens and Chiefs, and all of those teams are better than Miami.

3. Dallas Cowboys (7-3)

NFL pretenders
Steven Flynn-USA TODAY Sports

3. Dallas Cowboys (7-3)

NFL pretenders
Steven Flynn-USA TODAY Sports

DeMarco Murray is still a strong MVP candidate, but the Cowboys trail the Eagles in the NFC East and they play four of their last six games on the road. They still have to play the Eagles twice and the Colts once. Tony Romo puts up regular season stats, but he’ll make some boneheaded throws and may cost the Cowboys a game or two down the stretch. The defense is not as improved as some think, and they constantly trip over themselves in December.

2. New Orleans Saints (4-5)

NFL pretenders
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

2. New Orleans Saints (4-5)

NFL pretenders
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The NFC South is putrid, and the Saints have QB Drew Brees and TE Jimmy Graham, so they should win the division without much of a problem. But do the Saints look like a team that can make a deep run in the playoffs? No. For starters, they struggle immensely on the road (one road win this season) and since they won’t catch the other NFC teams, they will get only one home playoff game as the No. 4 seed.

1. San Diego Chargers (5-4)

NFL pretenders
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

1. San Diego Chargers (5-4)

NFL pretenders
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Bolts needed approximately 1,024,253 things to go their way in 2013 to make the playoffs, and they all happened. However, they didn’t look like a formidable playoff team. They started the 2014 season 5-1, looked legit, and Philip Rivers was playing like an MVP ... but they have now lost three straight and haven’t looked the same. The Bolts’ schedule down the stretch looks tough too. San Diego will miss the playoffs.

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