Who would be in the 2024-2025 NFL playoffs ahead of Super Bowl 59 based on the current AFC and NFC standings?
With fewer than three 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 Saturday, Sunday and Monday games of Week 16:
POWER RANKINGS: Chiefs, Eagles get 'super' bumps; Lions, Steelers fall ahead of Week 16
NFL standings for Week 16
AFC playoff picture
1. Kansas City Chiefs 14-1 (champions, AFC West): The Chiefs, with a superhuman Patrick Mahomes, have a 2,5-game lead over the Bills for the top seed, home-field advantage and the lone bye in the conference tournament. They need to finish a game ahead of the Bills to keep No. 1 as the latter owns the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Chiefs can clinch home field in Week 16 after winning at home over the Texans if the Bills lose to the Patriots.
2. Buffalo Bills 11-3 (champions, AFC East): The Bills rebounded in Week 15 with a big win over the Lions to stay within striking distance of passing the Chiefs by Week 18, but they need help from the Chiefs losing twice.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers 10-5 (first place, AFC North): The Steelers have clinched at a wild-card playoff berth in yet another winning season under Mike Tomlin. The division title will come down to the final two weeks after losing to the Ravens. They hold the tiebreaker for now with a better conference record. The Steelers close with two tough home games against the Chiefs and Bengals.
4. Houston Texans 9-6 (champions, AFC South) The Texans have clinched a second consecutive division title and will just use the final two weeks to tune up for the playoffs ahead of likely hosting the North runner-up in the wild-card round.
5. Baltimore Ravens 10-5 (second place, AFC North): The Ravens have clinched at least a wild-card playoff berth. They now have a strong chance of winning the division after splitting the season series with the Steelers. The Ravens go to Houston in Week 17 before hosting Cleveland to close the season.
6. Los Angeles Chargers 9-6 (second place, AFC West): The Chargers jumped the Broncos by rallying big-time and completing a season sweep on Thursday night. They can clinch a playoff spot should the Dolphins and Colts lose in Week 16.
7. Denver Broncos 9-6 (third place, AFC West): The Broncos lost a heartbreaker on the road to fall behind the Chargers but can still clinch a playoff berth with losses by Dolphins, Colts and Bengals.
Who's in the hunt?
- 8. Indianapolis Colts 6-8 (second place, AFC South)
- 9. Miami Dolphins 6-8 (second place, AFC East)
- 10. Cincinnati Bengals 6-8 (third place, AFC North)
The Bengals lose the tiebreaker for now but they're the hottest team of the three with the best chance to make a shocking run.
Who's left?
- 11. New York Jets 4-10 (third place, AFC East)
- 12. Cleveland Browns 3-11 (fourth place, AFC North)
- 13. Jacksonville Jaguars 3-11 (third place, AFC South)
- 14. Tennessee Titans 3-11 (fourth place, AFC South)
- 15. New England Patriots 3-11 (fourth place, AFC East)
- 16. Las Vegas Raiders 2-12 (fourth place, AFC West)
All of these teams have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.
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NFC playoff picture
1. Detroit Lions 12-2 (first place, NFC North): The Lions have clinched a return to the playoffs but their hopes of repeating in the division as they lead by only a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Vikings ahead of the teams playing each other in Week 18. The Lions also remain ahead of the Eagles for No. 1 because of a better conference record.
2. Philadelphia Eagles 12-2 (first place, NFC East): The Eagles are staying right there behind the Lions, hoping to pass them by Week 18. They first need to clinch the division title by beating the Commanders in Week 16.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 8-6 (first place, NFC South): The Buccaneers have a one-game lead over the Falcons but lose the head-to-head tiebreakers because they were swept in that series earlier in the season. They are ahead of the Rams for this seed with a better conference record.
4. Los Angeles Rams 8-6 (first place, NFC West) (first place, NFC West): The Rams lead the division by a head-to-head tiebreaker over the same-record Seahawks because they that team in Seattle in overtime. The Rams will try to keep winning vs. the Jets ahead of facing the Seahawks again in Week 18.
5. Minnesota Vikings 12-2 (second place, NFC North): The Vikings have clinched a playoff berth and will try to keep the pressure on the Lions by beating the Seahawks in Week 16.
6. Green Bay Packers 10-4 (third place, NFC North): The Packers can clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Saints on Monday night, or before with a loss by the Falcons coupled by a loss from either the Rams or Seahawks.
7. Washington Commanders 9-5 (second place, NFC East): The Commanders need to beat the Eagles to stay in the hunt of the division title. They also can clinch at least a wild-card berth with a win, a Falcons loss and a loss either by the Rams or Seahawks. The Commanders also would get in with a with with losses by the Falcons, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks.
Who's in the hunt?
- 8. Seattle Seahawks 8-6 (second place, NFC West)
- 9. Atlanta Falcons 7-7 (second place, NFC South)
- 10. Arizona Cardinals 7-7 (third place, NFC West)
All three teams have a better path to the playoffs through a division title than a wild-card berth ahead of the Commanders.
Who's left?
- 11. San Francisco 49ers 6-8 (fourth place, NFC West)
- 12. Dallas Cowboys 6-8 (third place, NFC East)
- 13. New Orleans Saints 5-9 (third place, NFC South)
- 14. Chicago Bears 4-10 (fourth place, NFC North)
- 15. Carolina Panthers 3-11 (fourth place, NFC South)
- 16. New York Giants 2-12 (fourth place, NFC East)
Only the 49ers, Cowboys and Saints are barely alive for a playoff spot here.
