The NFL playoff picture before Week 18: Who is in and who is in contention?
The NFL is heading into the home stretch, and the race for the last postseason slots remains heated. Here’s how the playoff picture is shaping up.
The last week of the NFL regular season is about to get underway, and a few teams are still scrambling for the remaining places in the playoffs.
Eagles soared first
The Philadelphia Eagles were the first to advance to the playoffs in Week 14. The San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Dallas Cowboys joined the Eagles in Week 15. The Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens, and the Los Angeles Chargers were the next to clinch their seats in Week 16.
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The Vikings (NFC North), the 49ers (NFC West), the Chiefs (AFC West), and the Bills (AFC East), have all won their divisions.
Week 17 saw Tom Brady and Buccaneers salvage the season with a victory that won them the NFC South and another postseason spot in the process. The New York Giants also moved on to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Battle for the last seats
There are three berths still remaining- two for the AFC, and one for the NFC.
The Pittsburgh Steelers stayed alive by winning over the Baltimore Ravens. This triumph, combined with a win by the New England Patriots over the Miami Dolphins, keeps them in the running. Other teams who still have chances to get one of the AFC seats are the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Patriots, the Dolphins, and the Tennessee Titans.
Over at the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks, the Detroit Lions, and the Green Bay Packers are still to launch their last stand in Week 18 to nab the last remaining playoff spot.
Clinched playoffs spots
| AFC | NFC |
|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills, 12-3 (AFC East winner) | Philadelphia Eagles, 13-3 (NFC East leader) |
| Kansas City Chiefs, 13-3 (AFC West winner) | San Francisco 49ers, 12-4 (NFC West winner) |
| Cincinnati Bengals, 11-4 (AFC North leader) | Minnesota Vikings, 12-4 (NFC North winner) |
| Baltimore Ravens, 10-5 (First wild card) | Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8-8 (NFC South winner) |
| Los Angeles Chargers, 9-6 (Second wild card) | Dallas Cowboys, 12-4 (First wild card) |
| New York Giants, 9-6-1 (Second wild card) |
In the mix
| AFC | NFC |
|---|---|
| Jacksonville Jaguars, 8-8 (AFC South leader) | Seattle Seahawks 8-8 |
| New England Patriots 8-8 (Third wild card) | Detroit Lions 8-8 |
| Miami Dolphins, 8-8 | Green Bay Packers 8-8 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers 8-8 | |
| Tennessee Titans 7-9 |
Eliminated from playoffs
| AFC | NFC |
|---|---|
| Houston Texans (2-13-1) | Chicago Bears (3-13) |
| Denver Broncos (4-12) | Arizona Cardinals (4-12) |
| Indianapolis Colts (4-11-1) | Los Angeles Rams (5-11) |
| Cleveland Browns (7-9) | Atlanta Falcons (6-10) |
| Las Vegas Raiders (6-10) | Carolina Panthers (6-10) |
| New York Jets (7-9) | New Orleans Saints (7-9) |
| Washington Commanders (7-8-1) |