SNAPSHOT: NFL - 9 November 2011

A new segment where I offer a brief glimpse of the standings in the major sports leagues worldwide from time to time. This week: who is in the running to make the Super Bowl in February as it stands?

The Bengals & rookie WR AJ Green. On top. Two surprises! 

AFC (ranked by seeding)
1.Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) - AFC North leader
2.Houston Texans (6-3) - AFC South leader
3.New England Patriots (5-3) - AFC East leader
4.San Diego Chargers (4-4) - AFC West leader
5.Baltimore Ravens (6-2) - First ranked Wildcard, AFC North
6.Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) - 2nd ranked Wildcard, AFC North

Others in contention -
NY Jets, Buffalo Bills (5-3)
Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders (4-4)

It's another tight season in the AFC especially west of the Mississippi river with San Diego, Kansas City and Oakland all locked in a battle to see who can avoid taking the lead of division. Oakland and San Diego take on each other this Thursday (Friday afternoon NZ time) in what is shaping up to be a must-win game for both now.


Out of all them, only the Houston Texans look the most certain to make the playoffs as they have the biggest gap to the next best team, the Tennessee Titans. The Colts are now playing for Andrew Luck and the Jaguars have a lot of work to get into the playoffs.

The 49ers - one of the surprise packages of 2011

NFC
1.Green Bay Packers (8-0) - NFC North leader
2.San Francisco 49ers (7-1) - NFC West leader
3.New York Giants (6-2) - NFC East leader
4.New Orleans Saints (6-3) - NFC South leader
5.Detroit Lions (6-2) - First ranked Wildcard, NFC North
6.Atlanta Falcons (5-3) - 2nd ranked Wildcard, NFC South

Others in contention -
Chicago Bears (5-3)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys (4-4)

More clear-cut this. Barring a late collapse, Green Bay look odds on to take the no.1 seed in the NFC, home advantage throughout the playoffs - and yes it's substantial given it's Lambeau Field in the middle of winter - and a bye in the first weekend of the play-offs.


Surprisingly, the San Francisco 49ers look set to take the no. 2 seed - given the dearth of quality in their division, they will be in the play-offs with their current record and form. Still, quite a turnaround from a team that couldn't get anything to work last season under Mike Singletary.


You could even say the Giants have one foot in the playoffs after the Eagles slipped up again. The Giants do have a 1-0 edge over the Eagles this season already having won in Philly despite the efforts of Casey, the extremely hot Eagles cheerleader, putting off Eli Manning. And they'll be on cloud nine after yet another ego-boosting win over the Patriots.