The NFL is heading into Week 15 of the season and there is still plenty on the line for teams in the AFC and NFC with three games left on the schedule.
The Carolina Panthers are coming in at 13-0 and undefeated as they get set to take on the Giants, a team that knows a little bit about playing (and beating) an undefeated team. The Giants have a ton to play for, as they remain alive in the NFC East after winning over the Dolphins Monday night. The AFC South is up for grabs with the Colts and Texans playing each other, while the MVP race has Cam Newton leading and looking to stay on top.
Up to five teams can clinch playoff spots this weekend and teams that are eliminated from the playoffs will be elbowing for draft position in 2016. Here is a look at some things to know for the NFC in Week 15.
Can the Panthers stay undefeated against the Giants?
The Panthers are 13-0 this season and that is something almost no one saw coming for 2015, but here we are in Week 15 and Carolina has yet to lose a game. Cam Newton has put up MVP numbers and now the team will play against the Giants. The Giants have faced undefeated teams with a lot on the line, as they played the 15-0 Patriots in the regular season and lost before playing the 18-0 Patriots in the Super Bowl and winning. Eli Manning will not feel the pressure and the Giants could be the team that ends the run for the Panthers (which if you ask some fans of Carolina, would be a good thing heading into the playoffs to get some of the pressure off).
The NFC East has three teams at 6-7, who will win the division?
The NFC East currently has the Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants all sitting at 6-7 on the season. The Redskins are in first place right now due to tiebreakers and they also have a favorable schedule with the Bills and two divisional games against the Eagles and Cowboys. The Giants won on Monday to stay alive and they will finish the season against the Eagles, but for any chance to win the division, they likely will have to beat Carolina and Minnesota the next two weeks, which will be no easy feat. The Redskins have the best chance to win the division, as they can knock off the Eagles with a head to head win and take it if they win out at 3-0 over the final three weeks.
The AFC South has the Houston Texans and Colts battling this weekend
The NFC East is not the only division that is a mess, as the AFC South has the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts at 6-7, while the Jaguars are lurking at 5-8. The winner of the matchup between the Texans and Colts will likely win the division and the game could feature backup quarterbacks. The Texans have Brian Hoyer dealing with a concussion and that could put TJ Yates under center, while Andrew Luck has been out and could miss another game for the Colts, leaving Matt Hasselbeck or Charlie Whitehurst to start.
Cam Newton leads the MVP race
Cam Newton has his team undefeated and is the favorite for the MVP award ahead of Tom Brady, Carson Palmer and Aaron Rodgers. Andy Dalton was getting some consideration, but with his hand injury, he may not be able to stay in the mix for the award. Newton has put up strong numbers this season and has been able to overcome injuries to some important players, including Kelvin Benjamin. Newton has 28 passing TDs and seven rushing scores this season and he has his team undefeated at 13-0. Even though Tom Brady has some impressive numbers and will receive strong consideration, it looks like it's Newton's award to lose.
More teams can clinch playoff spots this week
The Carolina Panthers have clinched the NFC South, the Patriots have clinched the AFC East and the Arizona Cardinals have clinched a playoff spot in the NFC. More teams can join the fun and those teams mentioned above can continue to clinch positions, including first round byes and top seeds. The Bengals can clinch a playoff spot or the AFC North depending on how things go, while the Broncos, Packers, Seahawks and Vikings are also in position to clinch depending on how the scores go for teams in contention.
