The NFL schedule is finishing up Week 14 with the Giants and Dolphins on Monday night and coming out of the weekend more teams have clinched playoff spots, as the Patriots have booked a trip to the postseason with a win over the Texans.
The Arizona Cardinals clinched a spot on Thursday, while the Carolina Panthers have locked up a number one seed after improving to 13-0 with a win over the Falcons. Cam Newton had another strong game and the Panthers were dominant and now they have the chance to keep things going against the Giants next week. The Broncos and Bengals both lost, giving the Pats a chance to take control in the AFC, while Cincinnati lost Andy Dalton to an injury.
Here are 5 things to know from the NFL in Week 14.
Patriots clinch playoff spot, AFC East next
The Patriots clinched a playoff spot with a win against the Houston Texans on Sunday night and the team now is in control of the AFC if they win out. The team has a hold on the AFC and clinching that will be next and now that the Patriots have won while the Broncos and Bengals lost, they have the chance to retake the top seed in the conference.
Panthers remain undefeated, Cam Newton MVP favorite?
The Panthers won with a dominating performance against the Falcons on Sunday and now the team is 13-0 on the season. The team has three more games left and they will next face off against the Giants. Cam Newton has put himself as the favorite in the MVP race this season and the longer the Panthers stay undefeated the more likely it will be that he wins. Newton now has 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions along with seven rushing touchdowns and he also has combined for over 3400 total yards this season.
Bengals and Broncos lose, giving Patriots a chance for the AFC top seed
The Patriots came into the weekend as the third seed in the AFC with the Bengals and Broncos ahead, but right now it looks like the Patriots are in control once again. The Bengals lost to the Steelers and saw starter Andy Dalton fracture a finger, while the Broncos lost to the Raiders. Both of those teams are using their backup quarterbacks and with the teams playing each other on the schedule before the season is over, the Patriots have the chance to keep the number one seed after winning over the Texans.
Andy Dalton injury changes the AFC race
Dalton injured his finger while trying to make a tackle after an interception on Sunday and now reports have the quarterback potentially out for the rest of the regular season. There is not an official timetable for Dalton to return and that could leave AJ McCarron to be the starter for the team if Dalton can't play. If Dalton is out for the playoffs it changes everything about the Bengals in the AFC.
AFC and NFC Wild Card races take shape
The AFC Wild Card chase has the Jets and the Chiefs in right now, but the Steelers are right in the mix at 8-5 and those three teams appear to be the final contenders for the wild card in the conference. The Chiefs have continued to stay hot, while the Jets dominated over the Titans and are in right now at 8-5 along with Kansas City. The NFC race is a bit more defined, as the Seahawks and Vikings are both 8-5 and they lead the Buccaneers, Falcons and Eagles, all of whom are 6-7 and will need some help to get in.
Bonus nugget: Week 14 saw a number of teams eliminated from playoffs officially
The Week 14 results eliminated some teams from playoff contention officially, with the Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans and Chargers all getting officially bounced. The Browns had already been eliminated and now those teams join Cleveland as teams that are guaranteed to be out of the playoffs. NFL draft 2016 here they come.
