Which teams have qualified for the 2022 NFL playoffs?
With the NFC all but wrapped up and the AFC on it's way, here is a look at who will be be in the NFL playoffs once the regular season curtain comes down.
As we approach the we approach the start of the 2022 NFL Playoffs there are still a few spots up for grabs in both conferences. Here we take a look at who's in and who's yet to arrive.
Getting into the NFL playoffs
In each of the two conferences in the NFL - NFC and AFC - there are a potential six spots in the post season up for grabs. There are the four allocated to each of the division winners i.e. North, South, East and West and then there are two Wild Card spots as well. The No.1 seed in the conference, which is to say the team with the best overall record gets a bye week for the first round of the playoffs while the Wild Card teams duke it out, as well as the benefit of home advantage throughout the playoffs. This year the NFC's top team is the Green Bay Packers, while the AFC will go to the wire as both the Titans and Chiefs could claim the honor.
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What does the AFC playoff picture look like?
Heading into the final week of the season - week 18 - the four division leaders i.e. the teams that are already qualified for the playoffs are as follows: the Tennessee Titans (11-5), the Kansas City Chiefs (11-5), the Cincinnati Bengals (10-6) and the Buffalo Bills (10-6). While the Chiefs are still very much in contention for the No. 1 seed, the Titans can snatch it from under their noses with a win at the Houston Texans on Sunday. The reason for that is because the Chiefs lost in dramatic fashion to the Bengals in Week 17. They did themselves a favor, however, by beating the Broncos on Saturday, which in turn heaps the pressure on the Titans.
Where the Wild Card race is concerned, the New England Patriots are the one team that is already guaranteed a spot in the playoffs as they prepare to face the already eliminated Dolphins in week 18. The other spot will be contested for by the Indianapolis Colts (9-7), the Los Angeles Chargers (9-7), the Las Vegas Raiders (9-7), the Baltimore Ravens (8-8) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7-1).
How are things shaping up in the NFC?
As mentioned before, the Green Bay Packers solidified themselves as the No. 1 seed in the conference courtesy of their win over the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday. After taking on the Detroit Lions in Week 18 they will enjoy their first round bye as they prepare for what many believe will be a march towards the Super Bowl. The Packers are joined by the Dallas Cowboys (11-5), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-4) and the Los Angeles Rams (12-4) who could yet take the NFC West if they manage to overcome the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night.
The Wild Card race in the NFC should be interesting, as it will be a tightly contested race for the last two remaining spots in the post season. The Arizona Cardinals (11-5), the San Francisco 49ers (9-7), the Philadelphia Eagles (9-7) and the New Orleans Saints (8-8) are all set to go to the wire as they head into Week 18 looking for a playoff birth.