The Bills, Texans and Chiefs have clinched their divisions, the Lions, Steelers, Vikings and Eagles have clinched playoff berths, and eight more playoff spots are up for grabs. Here’s how the playoff picture looks heading into Week 16:
NFC Playoff Picture
DIVISION LEADERS
1. Detroit Lions (12-2): Clinched a playoff berth.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2): Clinched a playoff berth.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6): Have first place in the NFC South, and the NFC record tiebreaker over the Rams.
4. Los Angeles Rams (8-6): Took over first place in the very competitive NFC West.
WILD CARDS
5. Minnesota Vikings (12-2): Clinched a playoff berth.
6. Green Bay Packers (10-4): Getting swept by the Lions and losing to the Vikings pretty much takes them out of NFC North contention, even though they’re 10-1 otherwise.
7. Washington Commanders (9-5): One-game lead in the wild card race.
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
8. Seattle Seahawks (8-6): Didn’t look like a playoff team in Sunday night’s loss to the Packers.
9. Atlanta Falcons (7-7): Stayed alive with a win against the Raiders on Monday night.
10. Arizona Cardinals (7-7): Staying alive in the NFC West.
11. San Francisco 49ers (6-8): Preseason NFC favorites are unlikely to make the playoffs.
12. Dallas Cowboys (6-8): Not totally out of it, but extreme long shots to make the playoffs.
13. New Orleans Saints (5-9): Three games out in the NFC South.
14. Chicago Bears (4-10): Mathematically eliminated.
15. Carolina Panthers (3-11): Mathematically eliminated.
16. New York Giants (2-12): Mathematically eliminated.
AFC Playoff Picture
DIVISION LEADERS
1. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1): Clinched AFC West, have a two-game lead for the No. 1 seed.
2. Buffalo Bills (11-3): Clinched the AFC East, but can they catch the Chiefs?
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4): Clinched a playoff berth.
4. Houston Texans (9-5): Clinched the AFC South.
WILD CARDS
5. Baltimore Ravens (9-5): Own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Broncos.
6. Denver Broncos (9-5): Bo Nix has led them into the wild card race.
7. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6): Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers hurt.
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
8. Indianapolis Colts (6-8): Slim wild card hopes.
9. Miami Dolphins (6-8): Even slimmer wild card hopes.
10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8): The slimmest of wild card hopes.
11. New York Jets (4-10): Mathematically eliminated.
12. Cleveland Browns (3-11): Mathematically eliminated.
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11): Mathematically eliminated.
14. Tennessee Titans (3-11): Mathematically eliminated.
15. New England Patriots (3-11): Mathematically eliminated.
16. Las Vegas Raiders (2-12): Mathematically eliminated.
Clinching Scenarios
Official clinching scenarios will be released by the NFL on Tuesday.
