Friday, January 3, 2025

NFL Playoff Picture 2024: Updated AFC and NFC standings, bracket, tiebreakers for Week 18

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Most of the playoff field has been set, but two playoff teams remain to be decided and the No. 1 seed in the NFC will go down to the final game of the season. Here’s how the NFL playoff picture looks heading into Week 18:

NFC Playoff Picture

DIVISION LEADERS

1. Minnesota Vikings (14-2): Clinched a playoff berth, will clinch the No. 1 seed if they beat the Lions on Sunday night.

2. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3): Clinched the No. 2 seed.

3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6): Clinched the NFC West.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7): One-game lead in the NFC South, but they would lose a tiebreaker to the Falcons.

WILD CARDS

5. Detroit Lions (13-2): Clinched a playoff berth, will clinch the No. 1 seed if they beat the Vikings on Sunday night.

6. Washington Commanders (11-5): Clinched a playoff berth, own the NFC record tiebreaker over the Packers.

7. Green Bay Packers (11-5): Clinched a playoff berth.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

8. Seattle Seahawks (9-7): Mathematically eliminated.

9. Atlanta Falcons (8-8): Will win the NFC South if they win on Sunday and the Buccaneers lose.

10. Dallas Cowboys (7-9): Mathematically eliminated.

11. Arizona Cardinals (7-9): Mathematically eliminated.

12. San Francisco 49ers (6-9): Mathematically eliminated.

13. New Orleans Saints (5-11): Mathematically eliminated.

14. Carolina Panthers (4-12): Mathematically eliminated.

15. Chicago Bears (4-12): Mathematically eliminated.

16. New York Giants (3-13): Mathematically eliminated.

AFC Playoff Picture

DIVISION LEADERS

1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1): Clinched the No. 1 seed, first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

2. Buffalo Bills (13-3): Clinched the No. 2 seed.

3. Baltimore Ravens (11-5): Clinched a playoff berth, will be the No. 3 seed if they win on Saturday.

4. Houston Texans (9-7): Clinched the No. 4 seed.

WILD CARDS

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6): Clinched a playoff berth, own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Chargers.

6. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6): Clinched a playoff berth.

7. Denver Broncos (9-7): One win away from a wild card berth.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

8. Miami Dolphins (8-8): Kept their wild card hopes alive by beating the Browns.

9. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8): Kept their wild card hopes alive by beating the Broncos.

10. Indianapolis Colts (7-9): Mathematically eliminated.

11. New York Jets (4-12): Mathematically eliminated.

12. Las Vegas Raiders (4-12): Mathematically eliminated.

13. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12): Mathematically eliminated.

14. Cleveland Browns (3-13): Mathematically eliminated.

15. Tennessee Titans (3-13): Mathematically eliminated.

16. New England Patriots (3-13): Mathematically eliminated.

Clinching Scenarios

AFC

Baltimore clinches the AFC North with a win or tie, or a Pittsburgh loss or tie.

Pittsburgh clinches the AFC North with a win and a Baltimore loss.

Denver clinches a wild card with a win or tie, or with losses or ties by both the Dolphins and the Bengals.

Miami clinches a wild card with a win and a Denver loss.

Cincinnati clinches a wild card with a win, a Denver loss and a Miami loss or tie.

NFC

The Detroit-Minnesota winner clinches the No. 1 seed.

Tampa Bay clinches the NFC South with a win or tie, or an Atlanta loss or tie.

Atlanta clinches the NFC South with a win and a Tampa Bay loss.

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