Writer's note: All statistics, which are apparently for losers, are accurate as of Friday morning, including the Browns' 28-7 loss to the Ravens, which started Week 10.

Just over a year ago, the Chiefs dropped their fifth game of the season. With a six-point loss to the Vikings, they fell to 1-5 overall. They were all but mathematically eliminated, especially considering Jamaal Charles had already lost his season to a torn ACL.

They ended up winning their last 10 games of the regular season. They booked a wild card spot. Andy Reid danced ... a ton. They stretched that streak to 11 games with a dominant showing against the Texans in the postseason. Their run ended with a loss to the Patriots the next weekend, which featured perhaps the most Andy Reid two-minute drill ever in that it actually took five minutes.

Reid jokes aside, what the Chiefs achieved last season likely won't be replicated by some other team this year (or next season or the year after). But that doesn't mean a sub.-500 team that is currently lagging in the standings can't overcome a brutal start to the season. In fact, given the current climate of the NFL -- a bunch of bad teams with a few good-not-great teams sprinkled in -- I'd argue that at least one team that is below .500 entering Week 10 will journey into January.

As it stands, 14 teams are currently below .500. Let's run through all 14 teams and their chances to make the playoffs.

Group 5: Win a game first

The Browns are on course to go 0-16. USATSI

14. Browns (0-10): Can the Browns win a game this season? Take a look at their remaining schedule:

Steelers

Giants

Bengals

Bills

Chargers

Steelers

Their best hope is that the Steelers will have a playoff spot booked before Week 17 and will opt to rest some starters. Or maybe an asteroid will hit Earth the next time the Browns take an early lead and then we'll have to award them the win.

SportsLine's playoff chances: 0 percent.

Group 4: Go get that draft pick

Ryan Fitzpatrick's poor play will prevent the Jets from making a comeback. USATSI

13. 49ers (1-7): I'm a fan of Chip Kelly and approved of the 49ers' decision to hire him. But Kelly won't win until the front office supplies him with a roster that isn't completely devoid of talent. The best they can do is lose and snag a top-level player in the draft.

SportsLine's playoff chances: 0 percent.

12. Jaguars (2-6): The Jaguars need a new coach and quarterback. So no, they're not close to becoming a playoff team. Hang in there, Duval. Pass the time by playing the team's official video game.

SportsLine's playoff chances: 1.5 percent.

11. Jets (3-6): Ryan Fitzpatrick is not an NFL starting quarterback -- he's a fine backup -- so I thought the Jets should let him walk in free agency. Instead, they dragged out a contract stalemate that lasted until training camp and ended in the one way everyone knew it would end: They gave him money and handed him the starting job.

So, I do not feel bad for the Jets, who are the worst team in the AFC East. For the Jets to somehow rescue their season, they'll need Fitzpatrick to stop playing like the quarterback he's played like for the past decade. To this point, Fitzpatrick ranks dead last in completion percentage (56.4), 26th in yards per attempt (6.65), tied for 26th in touchdown passes (8), first in interceptions (13), and dead last in passer rating (67.6).

They still have to play the Patriots twice, which means they're guaranteed to lose at least eight total games. I just don't see a path to the postseason.

SportsLine's playoff chances: 2.3 percent.

Group 3: I mean, it's not impossible

Jay Cutler's return gives the Bears a chance to rebound after a tough start. USATSI

10. Rams (3-5): I would've included the Rams in the group above, but they can't really go get a high draft pick considering they parted ways with their 2017 first rounder to land Jared Goff -- the quarterback who still can't beat out Case Keenum. Without a top draft pick, there really isn't an incentive to tank. So, the Rams must march onwards to an inevitable 7-9 season.

On a serious note, if the Rams want to earn a playoff berth, they'll need to navigate this schedule:

Jets

Dolphins

Saints

Patriots

Falcons

Seahawks

49ers

Cardinals

There are some totally winnable games on that list. They can beat the Jets, Dolphins, Saints, and 49ers. But the problem with the Rams is that they could also lose every one of those games. That's how bad their offense is. They've managed to turn Todd Gurley into the 19th best running back in terms of yards.

You know it's bad when linebacker Alec Ogletree says the punter is the Rams' MVP.

SportsLine's playoff chances: 2.1 percent.

9. Buccaneers (3-5): The Buccaneers have been inconsistent in large part due to injuries -- seriously, they're down to like their 50th running back -- a horrible defense, and Jameis Winston's up-and-down play. I'll say this, though: They're not out of the playoff race.

A year ago, the Falcons collapsed. They could do that again. The Buccaneers are only two games back in the loss column. Still, some tough matchups loom, including the Chiefs, Seahawks, Chargers, Cowboys, and Panthers.

For the Buccaneers to mount a second-half comeback, they'll need Winston to develop into the elite quarterback that so many thought he'd become in his second season and they'll need to start winning games at home.

#Bears are 0-4 on road this year; Buccaneers are 0-4 at home. Tampa Bay's 3-17 home record since start of '14 season is worst in NFL. — Larry Mayer (@LarryMayer) November 7, 2016

Given the weakened state of the division, there's a chance. Not to mention, Doug Martin returned to practice this week. And Mike Evans cleared the concussion protocol, so he can continue rescuing Winston's errant passes.

If the Buccaneers want to have any chance, they'll need to take care of business at home against the Bears.

SportsLine's playoff chances: 2.3 percent.

8. Bears (2-6): I know what you're thinking: The Bears suck.

Just hear me out. You're right. The Bears suck(ed).

The Bears sucked in the first half of the season because they couldn't score points, which I'm led to believe is a super important thing to do in football. And they couldn't score points because they lost their quarterback to an injury. How many teams are equipped to score points without their quarterbacks? Not many.

Brian Hoyer completed a ton of passes and didn't throw any interceptions, so folks immediately decided he was better than Jay Cutler. But that was so, so wrong. Cutler makes more mistakes than Hoyer -- that part isn't up for debate -- but he makes up for those mistakes by generating plays that lead to the end zone.

It took Cutler one game -- a win over the Vikings, by the way -- to demonstrate that. Let's run through two examples.

In the second quarter, the Bears held a 3-0 lead and faced a third-and-8 near midfield. On the play, Cutler handled the shotgun snap and immediately dealt with pressure coming around the left side of the offensive line. Instead of throwing the ball away or taking the sack, Cutler stepped up in the pocket and then -- at the last second -- flipped the ball to his running back, Jordan Howard.

Howard gained 34 yards, leading to a Bears field goal.

That's the kind of play that doesn't always work out for Cutler. If that scenario played out 100 times, Cutler maybe gets sacked and even fumbles on a decent number of them. But when it works out, it's a brilliant football play.

On the Bears' first drive of the third quarter, they faced an early third-and-5. Cutler knew he had Alshon Jeffery in one-on-one coverage on the outside, so he decided to give him a chance to win a jump ball.

Jeffery won (and a few plays later, Cutler hit him for a touchdown).

That's the kind of pass that Hoyer almost always refused to attempt, which is probably why Jeffery was pumped for Cutler's return.

Those are just two examples. But it's not just Cutler's return that should have the Bears' excited. Pernell McPhee just returned to the field following offseason knee surgery. A year ago, he was Pro Football Focus' most efficient pass-rusher out of all 3-4 outside linebackers. When healthy, their offensive interior (Josh Sitton, Cody Whitehair, and Kyle Long) might be the best in football. They're healthy.

The schedule also isn't bad:

Buccaneers

Giants

Titans

49ers

Lions

Packers

Redskins

Vikings

Considering the current state of the NFC North -- bad, which Will Brinson recently wrote about -- it's not totally insane to suggest the Bears could make a late-season run to make things a bit more interesting. They're only three games back.

Will it happen? Probably not. But don't be surprised if the Bears play themselves out of a top draft pick by winning a few games in the second half of the season now that they're healthy.

SportsLine's playoff chances: 0.9 percent.

Group 2: There's a real chance

A big win in Green Bay kept the Colts alive in the AFC South. USATSI

7. Bills (4-5): Lost amid the Richard Sherman controversy of Monday night's game, which the Bills lost to the Seahawks, is that the Bills offense completely had its way with the vaunted Seahawks defense. Tyrod Taylor went 27 of 38 for 289 yards, one touchdown, and one interception (which appeared to be due to a miscommunication). He also scored with his legs.

It wasn't so much Taylor's stat line as it was how he put up those numbers. He consistently bought time in the backfield, kept his head up, and found open receivers deep down the field.

It wasn't just Taylor. LeSean McCoy looks like one of the league's best running backs. In a return from a nagging hamstring injury, McCoy had 25 touches for 120 yards.

Meanwhile, the Bills' defense is good enough to bother opposing quarterbacks. Lorenzo Alexander leads the NFL in sacks with 10 and, as a whole, the Bills rank first with 30. If the Bills get to the playoffs, they'll bring along a strategy that can work in the postseason: a combination of a dominant ground game and an intense pass-rush.

The only issue is getting there. The AFC East has already been decided, so the Bills need to win a wild-card spot.

SportsLine's playoff chances: 13.1 percent.

6. Colts (4-5): Someone has to win the AFC South, so let's make a quick case for the Colts:

Andrew Luck is the best quarterback in the division.

Adam Vinatieri doesn't miss field goals.

OK that's it.

SportsLine's playoff chances: 25.4 percent.

5. Titans (4-5): Someone has to win the AFC South, so let's make a quick case for the Titans:

The Texans and Colts aren't good, and the Titans aren't awful.

OK, that's it.

SportsLine's playoff chances: 11.5 percent.

(Note: No. 5 and 6 are totally interchangeable).

Group 1: Someone here is playoff bound

Tyler Eifert solves one of the Bengals' biggest issues. USATSI

4. Cardinals (3-4-1): Carson Palmer isn't playing like the MVP caliber player he was a year ago. So, here's what the Cardinals have going for them: David Johnson and a really muddled conference.

They probably won't catch Seattle in the NFC West, but the way the NFC is playing out, nine wins might be enough to book a wild-card spot. And the Cardinals can get to nine wins, because they have arguably the best all-around back in football. He leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 1,112.

They get to host the 49ers this weekend, so they're guaranteed to get their fourth win. After that, it's tougher to predict with games against the Vikings, Falcons, Redskins, Dolphins, Saints, Seahawks, and Rams. All of those teams are also alive in the playoff race.

SportsLine's playoff chances: 38.4 percent.

3. Chargers (4-5): If not for blowing three fourth-quarter leads in their first five games, the Chargers would be keeping pace with the Raiders atop the AFC West. They're not a bad football team, despite their record. And I think they're good enough to be considered a playoff contender.

But here's the bad news for the Chargers: They have a more difficult path than a team like the Cardinals. The AFC West features the 7-2 Raiders, the 6-2 Chiefs, and the 6-3 Broncos. That's a problem -- not just for their hopes in the division, but also for their wild-card odds.

Here's the good news for the Chargers: They get to the play the Raiders and Chiefs one more time. More good news: Philip Rivers is still playing like a Hall of Famer. The best news: Melvin Gordon might've made the leap from a great Fantasy player with an unsustainable touchdown rate to an actually good NFL running back.

If you've had Gordon on your Fantasy roster, you've enjoyed a successful outing pretty much every week of the season. But that doesn't mean he's always been a good player. In games 1-7, Gordon averaged 3.34 yards per rush. Yet, because he entered the end zone 10 times (eight rushing, two receiving), he appeared to be having a great season.

Finally, in his past two games, he's had actual good games. He averaged 5.58 yards per attempt. Funnily enough, he scored just one touchdown. But don't let that low touchdown total fool you: He's played better in the past two games than he did in the first seven games. And that bodes well for the Chargers' future, even if they don't book a playoff spot this year.

SportsLine's playoff chances: 7.7 percent.

2. Panthers (3-5): Carolina can make the playoffs because ...

They've been unlucky: Three of their five losses have been decided by three points or fewer.

The NFC as a conference isn't good.

The NFC South's leader, Atlanta, is just two games up on Carolina in the loss column.

They get to play the Falcons one more time.

They have Cam Newton.

Seriously, don't write off the Panthers after their horrible start to the season. The Falcons choked away a 5-0 start last year and their defense is still bad.

SportsLine's playoff chances: 10.1 percent.

1. Bengals (3-4-1): The Bengals are going to make the playoffs. They're going to make the playoffs because tight end Tyler Eifert is back.

Eifert isn't Gronk, but he occupies a spot in the next tier of tight ends. A year ago, he caught 13 touchdowns. Eleven of those came in the red zone.

Without Eifert in the first seven games (I'm not counting his first game back, because he was on the field for 15 snaps), the Bengals were one of the worst red zone offenses. With Eifert in one game, the Bengals were perfect in the red zone.

Second half optimism for Bengals: Their red zone scoring (42.9%) was 29th in the league before Eifert returned. They went 4 for 4 last week. — Joe Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) November 9, 2016

In his return against the Redskins, Eifert was targeted 12 times. He came down with nine passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. Yes, that touchdown came in the red zone.

With Eifert, the Bengals have a formidable offense again. Defenses can't just focus on A.J. Green. They need to always account for Eifert, too.

There's also this: Despite all of the Bengals' issues so far, they're tied in the loss column with the Ravens and Steelers. They get to play both teams again.

Everything is set up for the Bengals to make a second-half run. I think that's exactly what they'll do.

SportsLine's playoff chances: 37.4 percent.