The NFL playoff picture after week 13: who is likely in and who is in trouble?
There are only five weeks to go in the 2022 NFL regular season, and some teams seem headed for the playoffs while others appear to be out of the race.
As we head into Week 14 of the 2022 NFL season, some teams look like they have practically sealed their spot in the playoffs, while others need a miracle to stay in the running.
The NFC playoff picture
The Philadelphia Eagles are closer than ever to clinching the top seed of the NFC with their Sunday domination of the Tennessee Titans. They will have three successive games on the road, but are confident of earning their playoff seat this week with a win against the New York Giants or losses by the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks.
Here’s a look at the NFC playoff picture after the excitement of Week 13.
- Philadelphia Eagles (11-1), NFC East leaders
- Minnesota Vikings (10-2), NFC North leaders
- San Francisco 49ers (8-4), NFC West leaders
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6), NFC South leaders
- Dallas Cowboys (9-3), wild card No. 1
- New York Giants (7-4-1), wild card No. 2
- Seattle Seahawks (7-5), wild card No. 3
The Washington Commanders (7-5-1) and the Detroit Lions (5-7) still have a fighting chance at getting a wild card spot.
Other teams that mathematically still have a hope of making it but realistically speaking are in very deep trouble are Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers (5-8), Atlanta Falcons (5-8), Arizona Cardinals (4-8), Carolina Panthers (4-8), New Orleans Saints (4-8) and the reigning champions Los Angeles Rams (3-9).
The Chicago Bears have been eliminated with a 3-10 record.
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The AFC playoff picture
The Buffalo Bills now lead the AFC after beating the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football. The loss keeps Bill Belichick’s squad out of the playoff picture for the second straight week. The Bills’ win, aided by losses of the Kansas City Chiefs to the Cincinnati Bengals and the Miami Dolphins to the San Francisco 49ers, propelled them to the top of the division. They have edged out the Chiefs due to their head-to-head win against KC.
Here are the AFC playoff standings heading into Week 14.
- Buffalo Bills (9-3), AFC East leaders
- Kansas City Chiefs (9-3), AFC West leaders
- Baltimore Ravens (8-4), AFC North leaders
- Tennessee Titans (7-5), AFC South leaders
- Cincinnati Bengals (8-4), wild card No. 1
- Miami Dolphins (8-4), wild card No. 2
- New York Jets (7-5), wild card No. 3
A few teams are still in a position to make it to the postseason: the New England Patriots (6-6), Los Angeles Chargers (6-6), Las Vegas Raiders (5-7), Cleveland Browns (5-7), and the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-7).
The teams that have not yet been technically booted out but are in very poor shape are the Indianapolis Colts (4-8-1), Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8), and the Denver Broncos (3-9).
The Houston Texans are out of the contest with the worst record in the league at 1-10-1.