NFL update
As we are entering week 12 of the NFL season, there are still many teams that have a shot at winning the Superbowl in early February. According to CBS Sports, the defending champions, the New England Patriots are the favorite to win the AFC East and have a 28.51 percent chance to win the Super Bowl with their 9-1 record. The Patriots have an almost 100 percent chance to make the playoffs, with a 99 percent chance. The Ravens are projected to be the second seed in the AFC behind the Patriots, with a 87.1 percent chance to win the AFC North, and a 97 percent chance to make the playoffs. The AFC projected wild card teams are the Bills and the Steelers.
In the NFC, if the regular season ended today, the #1 seed would be the San Francisco 49ers. With a 9-1 record, the 49ers have a 63.7 percent chance to win the NFC West. Before the 27-24 home loss to the Seahawks in week 10, the 49ers had a 83 percent chance to win the division. After the loss, the 49ers have a 63.7 percent chance, with a 96.2 percent chance to make the playoffs. The Seahawks chances jumped up from 12.6 percent to 34.5 percent to win the tough NFC West. The projected #2 seed in the NFC is the New Orleans Saints, who are projected to win the NFC South despite losing in the ugliest loss to Atlanta in week 10, 26-9. The Saints have a 8-2 record, which gives them a projected 97.5 percent chance to make the playoffs. The Saints have the best chance to win the Superbowl in the NFC, with a 16.63 percent chance to bring home the Vince Lombardi trophy in early February despite not even being the #1 seed in the NFC. In the NFC, the Seahawks and the Vikings are the projected NFC wild card teams. Although the NFL season is 11 weeks in, only one team is eliminated from the playoffs, despite the 1 win and winless teams. The Redskins, who are 1-9, are not yet eliminated from the playoffs, despite their record. However, the Cincinnati Bengals, the lone remaining winless team, with a 0-10 record are eliminated from the playoffs and should just be trying to obtain a good draft pick in the upcoming draft.