Only three weeks are left in the 2018 NFL regular season, and Week 15 offers a number of intriguing matchups that could impact the playoff race. With so much on the line, which game is the most important?

For some context, we’ll use Brian Burke of ESPN’s Playoff Probability Leverage, which Burke tweets out weekly. In short, playoff probability leverage indicates the change in chance of making the playoffs based on the results of the selected game. For example, teams like the Rams, Patriots, and Saints are so assured of earning a postseason appearance that this week’s contests have limited meaning for them (less than 1% playoff leverage). Teams like the Lions, Giants, 49ers, Cardinals, Bills, and Raiders etc. will also face low playoff leverages because they have virtually no chance of making the postseason.

But for some clubs, Week 15 means everything. And by combining the playoff probability leverages of the two teams involved in a selected game, we can determine which contests will most determine the postseason entrants:

• Miami Dolphins (19%) @ Minnesota Vikings (42%)
• New England Patriots (1%) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (42%)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1%) @ Baltimore Ravens (40%)
• Tennessee Titans (29%) @ New York Giants (1%)
• Dallas Cowboys (2%) @ Indianapolis Colts (24%)

Of course, there are other factors at play here as well. It’s not just playoff bids that are on the line here, many coaches are coaching for their jobs as well. Ron Rivera, John Harbaugh, and Dirk Koetter are all in grave danger of being fired if their respective teams miss the playoffs, so each of their games this week have some added meaning.. There’s also a bunch of games with seeding relevance, as the number one seed in the AFC and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs is still wide open with four teams in contention.

This week is massive for the AFC North, as both the Steelers and Ravens will see their playoff chances dramatically decrease if they can’t win. The Patriots are still battling for seeding in the AFC, and could clinch the AFC East with a win and Dolphins loss.

So, what do you think? Are the numbers right — is Dolphins/Vikings the most critical game of the weekend because it’ll go a long way toward determining wild card spots? Or does a contest farther down the playoff probability leverage spectrum, such as Buccaneers/Ravens mean more because of the coaching implications? Vote below (link for app users), and add your thoughts in the comments section!

Only four weeks are left in the 2018 NFL regular season, and Week 14 offers a number of intriguing matchups that could impact the playoff race. With so much on the line, which game is the most important?

For some context, we’ll use Brian Burke of ESPN’s Playoff Probability Leverage, which Burke tweets out weekly. In short, playoff probability leverage indicates the change in chance of making the playoffs based on the results of the selected game. For example, the Rams, Patriots, Saints, and Chiefs are so assured of earning a postseason appearance that this week’s contests have limited meaning for them (less than 1% playoff leverage). Teams like the Lions, Giants, 49ers, Cardinals, Bills, Jets, and Raiders etc. will also face low playoff leverages because they have virtually no chance of making the postseason.

But for some clubs, Week 14 means everything. And by combining the playoff probability leverages of the two teams involved in a selected game, we can determine which contests will most determine the postseason entrants:

• Philadelphia Eagles (47%) @ Dallas Cowboys (42%) = 89%
• Minnesota Vikings (33%) @ Seattle Seahawks (16%) = 49%
• Baltimore Ravens (34%) @ Kansas City Chiefs (0%) = 34%
• Indianapolis Colts (28%) @ Houston Texans (2%) = 30%
• Denver Broncos (20%) @ San Francisco 49ers (0%) = 20%
• Carolina Panthers (17%) @ Cleveland Browns (1%) = 18%

Of course, there are other factors at play here as well. It’s not just playoff bids that are on the line here, many coaches are coaching for their jobs as well. Ron Rivera, John Harbaugh, and Vance Joseph are all in grave danger of being fired if their respective teams miss the playoffs, so perhaps those games have a little added meaning. There’s also a bunch of games with seeding relevance, as the number one seed in the AFC and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs is still wide open with four teams in contention.

So So, what do you think? Are the numbers right — is Eagles/Cowboys the most critical game of the weekend because it’ll go a long way toward determining the winner of the NFC East? Or does a contest farther down the playoff probability leverage spectrum, such as Panthers/Browns mean more because of the coaching implications? Vote below (link for app users), and add your thoughts in the comments section!

The U.S. can’t get enough of the NFL, but the country’s appetite for professional football alternatives is highly questionable. Despite the collapse of the USFL, the first iteration of the XFL, and other challengers, there are now three ambitious spring football leagues in development. 

On Thursday, Ricky Williams, Terrell Owens, and other former NFL notables announced the formation of the Freedom Football League, a league that vows to give players an opportunity to speak out on social injustice while providing fans with an opportunity to become full-fledged shareholders. The FFL also intends to focus on player wellness with “support on and off the field.”

The FFL says it will have teams in San Diego, Oklahoma City, Portland, Texas, Ohio, Florida, Birmingham, St. Louis, Connecticut, and Oakland, but what it doesn’t have is a concrete launch date or a broadcasting deal like the American Alliance of Football. It’s also unclear whether it has the financial backing to match the returning XFL, which is owned by billionaire Vince McMahon.

These three leagues will fight for the biggest slice of a pie that may not be all that big in the first place. One could argue that the AAF – which boasts a roster of coaches including Brad Childress, Mike Singletary, Steve Spurrier, and Mike Martz – has the best chance for survival, though McMahon seems driven to eclipse the memory of his one-and-done football experiment of 2001. We don’t know much about the FFL, but we do know that it will be playing catchup when and if it launches.

Which spring league will reign supreme? Cast your vote below (link for app users) and head to the comment section to let us know whether you think large-scale spring football can be viable.