With Christmas almost here, the NFL playoff races are as wild and confusing as ever, making the homestretch of the season one we’ll likely remember. The AFC entered Week 16 with nine teams boasting winning records and four with 8-6 records — all tied for the final playoff spot. The NFC had three 7-7 teams heading into Week 16.
The playoff standings are so crazy, we’ll be switching to a conference format rather than divisions from this point forward. Below, the tiebreakers for each team will be explained.
Here’s a breakdown of the current standings and what each contender is facing with the first three games of Week 16 in the books.
AFC playoff picture
| Seed | Team | W | L | T | PCT | DIFF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
yz-Ravens |
11 |
3 |
.786 |
+159 |
|
| 2 |
yz-Dolphins |
11 |
4 |
.733 |
+147 |
|
| 3 | y-Chiefs |
9 |
5 |
.643 |
+74 |
|
| 4 | y-Jaguars |
8 |
7 |
.533 |
-12 |
|
| 5 | x-Browns | 10 | 5 | 0 | .667 | +34 |
| 6 | x-Bills | 9 | 6 | 0 | .600 | +127 |
| 7 | x-Colts | 8 | 7 | 0 | .533 | -18 |
| 8 | Texans | 8 | 7 | 0 | .533 | -3 |
| 9 | Steelers | 8 | 7 | 0 | .533 | -34 |
| 10 | Bengals | 8 | 7 | 0 | .533 | -27 |
| 11 | Broncos | 7 | 8 | 0 | .467 | -50 |
| 12 | Raiders | 6 | 8 | 0 | .429 | -15 |
| 13 | e-Jets | 6 | 9 | 0 | .400 | -84 |
| 14 | e-Titans | 5 | 10 | 0 | .333 | -47 |
| 15 | e-Chargers | 5 | 10 | 0 | .333 | -44 |
| 16 | e-Patriots | 4 | 11 | 0 | .267 | -110 |
z-clinched playoff berth
x-current playoff team
y-division leader or clinched division
e-eliminated
Baltimore Ravens
What to know: The Ravens are up two games in the AFC North and are the No. 1 seed in the conference heading into Week 16. They’ll clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC if they win out.
Remaining schedule: at 49ers, vs. Dolphins, vs. Steelers
Miami Dolphins
What to know: Miami entered Week 16 as the No. 2 seed in the AFC and remain there with their huge win over the Cowboys. The Dolphins play the Ravens in Week 17 and clinch the No. 1 seed if they win out.
Remaining schedule: at Ravens, vs. Bills
Kansas City Chiefs
What to know: The Chiefs lead the AFC West by two games over the Broncos after their win over the Patriots heading into Week 16. They are the No. 3 seed, two games back of the Ravens for the top spot.
Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, vs. Bengals, at Chargers
Jacksonville Jaguars
What to know: The Jaguars are still the No. 4 seed in the AFC. Thanks to the Texans and Colts losses, the Jaguars are still first in the AFC South. The Jaguars own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Texans and Colts, despite losing four in a row.
Remaining schedule: vs. Panthers, at Titans
Cleveland Browns
What to know: The Browns are the No. 5 seed in the AFC. They sit 1.5 games out of the AFC North lead and are up two games over the final wild card spot. They just need one win in their final two games to clinch a playoff berth.
Remaining schedule: vs. Jets, at Bengals
Buffalo Bills
What to know: The Bills jump into the No. 6 seed with their win over the Chargers and the Texans and Colts losing, up one game over the team in the final playoff spot.
Remaining schedule: vs. Patriots, at Dolphins
Indianapolis Colts
What to know: The Colts are currently the No. 7 seed in the AFC despite the loss to the Falcons, holding the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Texans (No. 8). The Colts also have the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Steelers (No. 9), who are ahead of the Bengals due to Pittsburgh holding the head-to-head tiebreaker over Cincinnati (No. 10).
Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, vs. Texans
Houston Texans
What to know: Houston is currently eighth and sits outside the playoffs affter Sunday’s loss to Cleveland, dropping the head-to-head tiebreaker against Indianapolis for the No. 7 seed.The Texans also have the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Steelers (No. 9), who are ahead of the Bengals due to Pittsburgh holding the head-to-head tiebreaker over Cincinnati (No. 10).
Remaining schedule: vs. Titans, at Colts
Pittsburgh Steelers
What to know: The Steelers are currently on the outside looking in even after the win over the Bengals on Saturday, moving up to the No. 9 seed. They own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Bengals (No. 10) by virtue of sweeping Cincinnati, but lose the head-to-head tiebreaker to the Colts and Texans.
Remaining schedule: at Seahawks, at Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals
What to know: The Bengals fall out of the playoff picture with their loss to the Steelers. Cincinnati is in 10th position, losing the head-to-head tiebreaker with Pittsburgh for division standing, which affects any potential tiebreakers with Houston and Indianapolis.
Remaining schedule: at Chiefs, vs. Browns
Denver Broncos
What to know: The Broncos remain in 11th in the AFC on the cusp of playoff elimination after their crushing loss to the Patriots.
Remaining schedule: vs. Chargers, at Raiders
Las Vegas Raiders
What to know: The Raiders are 1.5 games out of the final playoff spot in the AFC, sitting 12th in the conference.
Remaining schedule: at Chiefs, at Colts, vs. Broncos
New York Jets
What to know: The Jets are eliminated from playoff contention.
Remaining schedule: at Browns, at Patriots
Tennessee Titans
What to know: The Titans are eliminated from playoff contention.
Remaining schedule: at Texans, vs. Jaguars
Los Angeles Chargers
What to know: The Chargers were eliminated from playoff contention with their loss to the Bills in Week 16.
Remaining schedule: at Broncos, vs. Chiefs
New England Patriots
What to know: The Patriots are eliminated from playoff contention.
Remaining schedule: at Bills, vs. Jets
NFC playoff picture
| Rank | Team | W | L | T | PCT | DIFF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
yz-49ers |
11 |
3 |
.769 |
+191 |
|
| 2 |
yz-Lions |
11 |
4 |
.733 |
+57 |
|
| 3 | yz-Eagles | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | +18 |
| 4 |
y-Buccaneers |
8 |
7 |
.533 |
+24 |
|
| 5 | z-Cowboys | 10 | 5 | 0 | .667 | +165 |
| 6 | x-Rams | 8 | 7 | 0 | .533 | +25 |
| 7 | x-Seahawks | 8 | 7 | 0 | .533 | -32 |
| 8 | Vikings | 7 | 8 | 0 | .467 | +15 |
| 9 | Falcons | 7 | 8 | 0 | .467 | -1 |
| 10 | Packers | 7 | 8 | 0 | .467 | +2 |
| 11 | Saints | 7 | 8 | 0 | .467 | +34 |
| 12 | Bears | 6 | 9 | 0 | .400 | -31 |
| 13 | Giants | 6 | 9 | 0 | .357 | -149 |
| 14 | e-Commanders | 4 | 11 | 0 | .267 | -144 |
| 15 | e-Cardinals | 3 | 12 | 0 | .231 | -128 |
| 16 | e-Panthers | 2 | 13 | 0 | .133 | -145 |
z-clinched playoff berth
x-current playoff team
y-division leader or clinched division
e-eliminated
San Francisco 49ers
What to know: The 49ers remain the No. 1 seed in the NFC heading into Week 16, holding a half-game lead over the Lions for the top spot. San Francisco clinched the NFC West.
Remaining schedule: vs. Ravens, at Commanders, vs. Rams
Detroit Lions
What to know: The Lions have clinched the NFC North with their win over the Vikings. They currently are the No. 2 seed with the Cowboys loss.
Remaining schedule: at Cowboys, vs. Vikings
Philadelphia Eagles
What to know: The Eagles take over first place in the NFC East with the Cowboys loss. They have clinched a playoff spot.
Remaining schedule: vs. Giants, vs. Cardinals, at Giants
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
What to know: The Buccaneers continue to lead the NFC South after their win over the Jaguars, extending their lead to one game over the Saints and Falcons.
Remaining schedule: vs. Saints, at Panthers
Dallas Cowboys
What to know: The Cowboys fall out of the NFC East lead with their loss to the Dolphins. Dallas is the No. 5 seed and has clinched a playoff berth.
Remaining schedule: vs. Lions, at Commanders
Los Angeles Rams
What to know: The Rams are the No. 6 seed in the conference after their win over the Saints. They hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Seahawks (No. 7).
Remaining schedule: at Giants, at 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
What to know: The Seahawks are back as the No. 7 seed in the NFC after their win over the Titans. The Rams hold the head-to-head tiebreaker for No. 6, but Seattle is up a game for the final playoff spot.
Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Cardinals
Minnesota Vikings
What to know: The Vikings fall to eighth in the conference with their loss to the Lions. Minnesota owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Falcons (No. 9) and Packers (No. 10). The Falcons own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Saints (No. 11).
Remaining schedule: vs. Packers, at Lions
Atlanta Falcons
What to know: The Falcons are a game out of the the NFC South lead after their win over the Colts. They are also one game out of the final wild card spot as the No. 9 seed. They own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Packers (No. 10) and Saints (No. 11), losing the head-to-head to the Vikings (No. 8).
Remaining schedule: at Bears, at Saints
Green Bay Packers
What to know: The Packers sit in 10th place in the NFC with their win over the Panthers, one game out of the final playoff spot. They own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Saints (No. 11), but lose head-to-head to the Vikings (No. 8) and Falcons (No. 9).
Remaining schedule: at Vikings, vs. Bears
New Orleans Saints
What to know: The Saints are a game out of the NFC South lead after falling to the Rams in Week 16. They also lose the head-to-head tiebreakers to all the teams they are tied with record-wise for the No. 8 seed, hence why they are at No. 11.
Remaining schedule: at Buccaneers, vs. Falcons
New York Giants
What to know: The Giants hold the common record tiebreaker over the Bears, but their playoff chances are slim entering Week 16. A loss eliminates the Giants from playoff contention.
Remaining schedule: at Eagles, vs. Rams, vs. Eagles
Chicago Bears
What to know: The Bears are two games out of the final playoff spot as the No. 12 seed, but still remain in the race with their win over the Cardinals.
Remaining schedule: vs. Falcons, at Packers
Washington Commanders
What to know: The Commanders are eliminated from playoff contention.
Remaining schedule: vs. 49ers, vs. Cowboys
Arizona Cardinals
What to know: The Cardinals are eliminated from playoff contention.
Remaining schedule: at Eagles, vs. Seahawks
Carolina Panthers
What to know: The Panthers are eliminated from playoff contention.
Remaining schedule: at Jaguars, vs. Buccaneers
