Table of Contents
The Bills, Texans and Chiefs have clinched their divisions, the Lions, Steelers, Vikings and Eagles have clinched playoff spots, and eight more playoff spots are up for grabs. Here’s what the playoff picture looks like heading into Week 16:
Image from the NFC playoffs
DIVISION LEADERS
1. Detroit Lions (12-2): Earned a playoff berth.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2): Earned a playoff berth.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6): They have first place in the NFC South and the NFC record tiebreaker over the Rams.
4. Los Angeles Rams (8-6): They took first place in the very competitive NFC West.
Wild cards
5. Minnesota Vikings (12-2): Earned a playoff berth.
6. Green Bay Packers (10-4): Getting swept by the Lions and losing to the Vikings pretty much puts them out of NFC North contention, even though they are otherwise 10-1.
7. Washington Commanders (9-5): One-game lead in the wild card race.
LOOK OUTSIDE
8. Seattle Seahawks (8-6): They didn’t look like a playoff team in Sunday night’s loss to the Packers.
9. Atlanta Falcons (7-7): They stayed alive with a win against the Raiders on Monday night.
10. Arizona Cardinals (7-7): They stay alive in the NFC West.
11. San Francisco 49ers (6-8): The preseason NFC favorites are unlikely to make the playoffs.
12. Dallas Cowboys (6-8): Not completely out of the game, but extremely remote chances of making the playoffs.
13. New Orleans Saints (5-9): Three games out in the NFC South.
14. Chicago Bears (4-10): Mathematically eliminated.
15. Carolina Panthers (3-11): Mathematically eliminated.
16. New York Giants (2-12): Mathematically eliminated.
Image from the AFC playoffs
DIVISION LEADERS
1. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1): They won the AFC West, they have a two-game lead for first place.
2. Buffalo Bills (11-3): They won the AFC East, but can they catch the Chiefs?
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4): They clinched a playoff berth.
4. Houston Texans (9-5): They won the AFC South.
Wild cards
5. Baltimore Ravens (9-5): Own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Broncos.
6. Denver Broncos (9-5): Bo Nix has led them into the wild card race.
7. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6): Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers hurt.
LOOK OUTSIDE
8. Indianapolis Colts (6-8): Little wild card hope.
9. Miami Dolphins (6-8): Wild card hopes even slimmer.
10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8): The smallest of wild card hopes.
11. New York Jets (4-10): Mathematically eliminated.
12. Cleveland Browns (3-11): Mathematically eliminated.
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11): Mathematically eliminated.
14. Tennessee Titans (3-11): Mathematically eliminated.
15. New England Patriots (3-11): Mathematically eliminated.
16. Las Vegas Raiders (2-12): Mathematically eliminated.
Decisive scenarios
The NFL will announce the final official scenarios on Tuesday.