NFL standings: Updated AFC, NFC playoff pictures for Week 12 of 2024 season

Vinnie Iyer

NFL standings: Updated AFC, NFC playoff pictures for Week 12 of 2024 season image

Who would be in the 2024-2025 NFL playoffs ahead of Super Bowl 59 based on the current AFC and NFC standings?

With seven-plus weeks left in the regular season, here's an updated look at who would be in, who would be out, and where all the potential postseason teams would be seeded going into the Sunday and Monday action of Week 12:

MORE: SN's NFL Power Rankings for Week 12

NFL standings for Week 12

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AFC playoff picture

1. Kansas City Chiefs 9-1 (first place, AFC West): The Chiefs are looking to get closer to nailing down the top seed, lone bye, and home-field advantage, but that took a big hit before Week 12 with their first loss of the season coming to the Bills in Buffalo and now they need to worry more about the Steelers, too.

2. Buffalo Bills 9-2 (first place, AFC East): The Bills are only a half-game behind the Chiefs after earning the head-to-head tiebreaker with their thrilling win in Buffalo in Week 11 before their Week 12 bye.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers 8-3 (first place, AFC North): The Steelers missed a chance to jump up to No. 2 ahead of the Bills after getting upset by the Browns in Cleveland on Thursday night to open Week 12. Their lead over the Ravens is down to one game, but they will still be in first place after Week 12 regardless because of beating the Ravens in Week 11.

4. Houston Texans 7-4 (first place, AFC South) The Texans still have a strong two-game lead on the Colts, who they beat twice, and are positioned to cruise to a second straight division title. It's looking tougher, however, to finish above No. 3.

5. Los Angeles Chargers 7-3 (second place, AFC West): The Chargers jumped the Ravens by a half-game with their win over the Bengals on Sunday night in Week 11. Now they will look to increase that lead to 1.5 games head-to-head vs. the Ravens in Week 12.

6. Baltimore Ravens 7-4 (second place, AFC North): The Ravens need to work on making up ground on the Steelers in the division race over the final seven weeks after losing in Pittsburgh in Week 11, but first they need to beat the Chargers on Monday to get back into the top wild-card spot.

7. Denver Broncos 6-5 (third place, AFC West): The Broncos needed that big home win over the Falcons in Week 11 to keep this playoff position after two difficult losses at Baltimore and Kansas City. It kept them a game ahead of the Colts for Week 12.

Who's in the hunt?

  • 8. Indianapolis Colts 5-6 (second place, AFC South)
  • 9. Miami Dolphins 4-6 (second place, AFC East)
  • 10. Cincinnati Bengals 4-7 (third place, AFC North)

The Colts' big win over the Jets got them closer to the final wild-card spot with an Anthony Richardson spark. The Dolphins jumped the Bengals with their win over the Raiders after the Bengals lost to the Chargers in Week 11.

Who's left?

  • 11. Cleveland Browns 3-8 (fourth place, AFC North)
  • 12. New York Jets 3-8 (third place, AFC East)
  • 13. New England Patriots 3-8 (fourth place, AFC East)
  • 14. Tennessee Titans 2-8 (third place, AFC South)
  • 15. Las Vegas Raiders 2-8 (fourth place, AFC West)
  • 16. Jacksonville Jaguars 2-9 (fourth place, AFC South)

MORE: NFL power rankings | Week 12 NFL picks | Week 12 NFL picks against the spread

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NFC playoff picture

1. Detroit Lions 9-1 (first place, NFC North): The Lions hold this spot for home-field advantage and the lone bye by a game over the Eagles with both teams winning in Week 11.

2. Philadelphia Eagles 8-2 (first place, NFC East): The Eagles increased their division lead over the Commanders to 1.5 games by beating them at home in Week 11. They still need to do work to pass the Lions for the top seed.

3. Arizona Cardinals 6-4 (first place, NFC West): The Cardinals, after Week 11 bye, are clinging to a one-game lead over the three other teams in the division after the Rams won and the Seahawks upset the 49ers, putting all three teams at 5-5.

4. Atlanta Falcons 6-5 (first place, NFC South): The Falcons are 4-1 in division play and leading the NFC South by 1.5 games over the Buccaneers, who they already have  swept this season. A Week 11 loss in Denver dropped them here but did little else to affect their playoff chances as the leaders of a weak division during their Week 12 bye.

5. Minnesota Vikings 8-2 (second place, NFC North): The Vikings have fallen behind the Lions in the division race, but they kept strengthening their great NFC wild-card position with another easy win in Week 11. They can stay hot at the Bears in Week 12.

6. Green Bay Packers 7-3 (third place, NFC North): The Packers, after a Week 10 bye, got back to strengthening their own wild-card position by surviving the Bears in Chicago in Week 11. They will look to take care of another wild-card hopeful by beating the 49ers at home in Week 12.

7. Washington Commanders 7-4 (second place, NFC East): The Commanders fell down a spot after losing at the Eagles in Week 11 nd are now longshots to win the division, leaving them to focus more on the final wild card. They should rebound vs. the Cowboys in Week 12.

Who's in the hunt?

  • 8. Los Angeles Rams 5-5 (second place, NFC West)
  • 9. Seattle Seahawks 5-5 (third place, NFC West)
  • 10. San Francisco 49ers 5-5 (fourth place, NFC West)
  • 11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-6 (second place, NFC South)
  • 12. Chicago Bears 4-6 (fourth place, NFC North)

The Rams, Seahawks, and 49ers all have a better path to the playoffs by getting ahead of the Cardinals in the NFC West. The Rams also separated from the losing Bears by beating the Patriots in Week 11, while the Bears fell behind the idle Buccaneers.

Who's left?

  • 13. New Orleans Saints 4-7 (third place, NFC South)
  • 14. Carolina Panthers 3-7 (fourth place, NFC South)
  • 15. Dallas Cowboys 3-7 (third place, NFC East)
  • 16. New York Giants 2-8 (fourth place, NFC East)

Vinnie Iyer

Vinnie Iyer Photo

Vinnie Iyer has been with The Sporting News since 1999, not long after graduating from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He has produced NFL content for more than 20 years, turning his attention to full-time writing in 2007. Vinnie covers every aspect of the NFL for TSN including draft prospects analysis, gambling and fantasy football. He also represents TSN as host of the “Locked On Fantasy Football” podcast on the Locked On network.