Taking stock of top playoff contenders in NFC, AFC

We’ve rounded the corner on the first half of the season and are tumbling toward Thanksgiving football, so it’s time to take stock of the NFL playoff race.

In the NFC, there appear to be five playoff locks, and a big mess for the final two postseason spots. The Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals are dueling for the best record in football, while the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hot on their heels.

All five of those teams seem like legitimate Super Bowl contenders, but the drop off…