The Jets, Vikings, and Rams made it into the NFL playoffs yesterday. The way they played, they might be out in a week.

New York and Minnesota backed in, the Vikings losing seven of their last 10 for the second straight season. But the Jets, who went 5-6 after starting 5-0, got in as an AFC wild card. And Minnesota and St. Louis both qualified in the NFC at 8-8, the second time that’s happened.

It all meant that the NFC’s hottest team got left out of the postseason. That was New Orleans, which won its last four games, three on the road, including a 21-18 victory over Carolina yesterday to finish 8-8. Carolina, which lost to New England in the last Super Bowl, won five straight games after starting 1-7, but finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs after losing two of its last three games.

Buffalo, which had won six straight, blew a chance to make the playoffs by losing 29-24 at home to Pittsburgh, even though the Steelers rested many starters. With the Jets losing, the Bills (9-7) would have made the playoffs with a win.

It wouldn’t be too surprising if the Jets, Vikings, and Rams wind up as first-round losers. Then again, it’s hard to predict anything in the NFC. The Vikings will play Sunday afternoon at Green Bay (10-6), to whom they have lost twice this season.

The Rams will be at Seattle on Saturday to open the wild-card round. The Seahawks (9-7) clinched the NFC West by holding off Atlanta 28-26 yesterday. But the Rams won both meetings this season, coming back from 17 points down with six minutes left in regulation to win in Seattle 33-27 in overtime. Then they won in St. Louis 23-12.

The Jets will play at the AFC West champion San Diego Chargers (12-4) on Saturday as the fifth-seeded team. The Chargers beat Kansas City 24-17 yesterday with backups.

AFC South champion Indianapolis (12-4) will be at home Sunday in a rematch against Denver (10-6), which got in by beating the Colts 33-14 as Indy rested Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James, and most of its record-setting offense.

The top seedings in each conference were set before Sunday.

In the AFC, North champ Pittsburgh (15-1) and East champ New England (14-2) will host second-round games the weekend of January 15 and 16.

In the NFC, East winner Philadelphia (13-3) earned the top seeding, and South winner Atlanta is no. 2. The Eagles clinched home-field advantage throughout the conference playoffs two weeks ago, then lost their final two games with backups.

The teams with byes traditionally advance. But in this wacky season, who knows what will happen, especially in the NFC. Minnesota, for example, ended up 8-8 after starting 5-1. So, maybe making it with a loss will change things.