The road to Houston is looking more and more like it might run through Missouri as both Kansas City and St. Louis are positioned to claim home field throughout the playoffs. A loss from Miami would open up the race for the second AFC wild card to the AFC North runner-up (Baltimore or Cincinnati) and Denver, while teams like Buffalo and the Jets are still holding out for an all out Dolphins collapse to give them a miracle playoff berth. In the NFC, Dallas and Seattle can pretty much freeze out teams like Green Bay and New Orleans from the wild card hunt, although the Packers still have a good shot at the North title.

#1 (1) Kansas City (11-1): Anyone picked up on the fact that they have beaten exactly one (1) team with a winning record? Plus, with 6 wins by a touchdown or less they’re not exactly blowing the bad clubs out.

#2 (3) New England (10-2): A goal line stand to survive blowing a 31-10 lead? On the road against a 9-2 team led by Peyton Manning? Are you kidding me? I’m speechless.

#3 (6) Philadelphia (9-3): Another win to validate their status as the team to beat in the NFC, going on the road against a division leader and delivering the goods. Now to wrap up the NFC East.

#4 (8) St. Louis (9-3): Potent offense fires on all cylinders and picks up a key win to remain on top of the NFC West and increase their chances of being indoor for the playoffs.

#5 (2) Indianapolis (9-3): It is inexcusable to lose to a team that has no pure rushing threat and a flat out bad set of wide receivers, much less to let that team put up 38 on your home field.

#6 (4) Tennessee (9-3): Great opportunity to keep the heat on KC for the top seed and get ahead of Indianapolis, but they blew it.

#7 (9) Miami (8-4): Just when you think they are down and out, they lay a 40 spot on the Cowboys at Texas Stadium. This week they bow out of the division race though.

#8 (5) Dallas (8-4): They were sent rocking back down to earth in front of a Thanksgiving day audience, and could tumble more in the city of brotherly love this week.

#9 (7) Carolina (8-4): On consecutive weeks they proved they really can’t compete with the top teams when the money is on the line.

#10 (10) Seattle (8-4): Excellent at home, poor on the road and since they should be away in the playoffs their fate is sealed.

#11 (11) Minnesota (7-5): Another Packers loss gave them a shot to separate yet again, but they are playing like they don’t want to win the division or make the playoffs.

#12 (13) Cincinnati (7-5): When Pittsburgh scored to go up 20-17 late the old Bungles would have folded up their tent. This team didn’t just pick up the tying field goal, they drove for the winning touchdown.

#13 (14) Baltimore (7-5): Yes, their defense is still pretty good and Jamal Lewis is about the best bruising running back there is in this league.

#14 (15) Denver (7-5): They won’t send the tape to the Smithsonian, but they got a key victory in Oakland to keep their playoff pulse.

#15 (16) New Orleans (6-6): Deuce keeps getting loose, and this would be a team no one wants to play if they got into the playoffs.

#16 (12) Green Bay (6-6): Imagine how much better Favre would be if he never had to play in domes. He must have 100 career turnovers indoors.

#17 (17) San Francisco (5-7): Another disaster on the road for a team that thought they were improving by ditching coach Mariucci. With Owens leaving and Garcia aging it is almost rebuilding time again.

#18 (18) Tampa Bay (5-7): Horrible showing, and they are the worst team in Florida. So much for them coming together after dumping Keyshawn, eh? What a joke.

#19 (25) Houston (5-7): They have crept to respectability, and certainly have some building blocks to improve into next season.

#20 (24) NY Jets (5-7): This is a well coached team, and like I said before they will give teams hell down the stretch.

#21 (19) Buffalo (5-7): Bledsoe really needed that solid outing on the road to let people know he can still play quarterback in the NFL.

#22 (26) Chicago (5-7): It has been a good run, but with tough games upcoming they can still easily lose 10 games.

#23 (20) Washington (4-8): Hasselbeck was out of football for a reason, and clearly with a healthy Ramsey this club will be much improved next season.

#24 (21) Pittsburgh (4-8): With season was on the line, Cincinnati tore up their defense for a game winning touchdown. Now they just have to be smart and not fire Bill Cowher.

#25 (23) Cleveland (4-8): Okay, now that we’re out of it let’s play like chumps. That’s pretty much what they did this week.

#26 (22) NY Giants (4-8): Listless blowout loss on their home field and Fassel has to account for why this team has given up.

#27 (27) Detroit (4-8): If only they could play every game on Thanksgiving day against the Packers, then they’d be onto something.

#28 (28) Oakland (3-9): With everything they have had to overcome, it’s a wonder they can even be competitive.

#29 (29) Arizona (3-9): Let’s be honest, has any team lost more ugly games than the Cardinals? They just don’t show up on the road.

#30 (30) Jacksonville (3-9): Eye opening win on ESPN for Byron Leftwich, and the biggest of his rookie campaign.

#31 (31) Atlanta (2-10): Do they go after Terrell Owens and make the Nike commercial a reality? That would be scary.

#32 (32) San Diego (2-10): Too bad they couldn’t make a field goal or they might have pulled off the big upset over the Chiefs.