2024 NFL Playoff Picture: Updated AFC and NFC Rankings, Bracket, Tiebreakers for Week 17

2024 NFL Playoff Picture: Updated AFC and NFC Rankings, Bracket, Tiebreakers for Week 17

On Monday Night Football, the Packers became the ninth team to secure a playoff spot this season, with five spots still up for grabs. Here’s what the playoff picture looks like heading into Week 17:

NFC playoff picture

DEPARTMENT HEAD

1. Detroit Lions (13-2): Clinched a playoff spot.

2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3): Clinched a playoff spot.

3. Los Angeles Rams (9-6): Pull away in the NFC West.

4. Atlanta Falcons (8-7): Own the direct tiebreaker against the Buccaneers.

WILD CARDS

5. Minnesota Vikings (13-2): Clinched a playoff spot and will secure the No. 1 seed if they win.

6. Green Bay Packers (11-4): If they are defeated by the Lions and lose to the Vikings, they will be eliminated from NFC North contention, even though they are 11-1 otherwise.

7. Washington Commanders (10-5): Stayed alive in the NFC East race by defeating the Eagles.

FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKS IN

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7): The loss to the Cowboys has knocked them out of playoff position for the time being.

9. Seattle Seahawks (8-7): Big loss for the Vikings.

10. Dallas Cowboys (7-8): Mathematically eliminated.

11. Arizona Cardinals (7-8): Mathematically eliminated.

12. San Francisco 49ers (6-9): Mathematically eliminated.

13. New Orleans Saints (5-10): Mathematically eliminated.

14. Chicago Bears (4-11): Mathematically eliminated.

15. Carolina Panthers (4-11): Mathematically eliminated.

16. New York Giants (2-13): Mathematically eliminated.

AFC playoff picture

DEPARTMENT HEAD

1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-1): Won the AFC West and took a two-game lead over the No. 1 seed.

2. Buffalo Bills (12-3): Won the AFC East, but can they catch the Chiefs?

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5): Secured a spot in the playoffs and are still above the Ravens in the tiebreaker after Saturday’s loss.

4. Houston Texans (9-6): Won the AFC South.

WILD CARDS

5. Baltimore Ravens (10-5): Clinched a playoff spot with a big win over the Steelers, but Pittsburgh still holds the tiebreaker.

6. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6): Have the direct tiebreaker against the Broncos.

7. Denver Broncos (9-6): The loss to the Chargers hurt, but they are still close to a wild-card spot.

FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKS IN

8. Indianapolis Colts (7-8): Little hopes for wild cards.

9. Miami Dolphins (7-8): Even lower wild card hopes.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (7-8): Least chance of a wild card.

11. New York Jets (4-11): Mathematically eliminated.

12. Cleveland Browns (3-12): Mathematically eliminated.

13. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12): Mathematically eliminated.

14. Tennessee Titans (3-12): Mathematically eliminated.

15. Las Vegas Raiders (3-12): Mathematically eliminated.

16. New England Patriots (3-12): Mathematically eliminated.

Crucial scenarios

Here’s a quick look at this week’s playoff scenarios. The NFL will release the full playoff scenarios on Tuesday:

AFC

The Chiefs will get the No. 1 pick if they win or if the Bills lose.
The Chargers will clinch a playoff spot if they win, or the Colts and Dolphins both lose.
If the Broncos win, they will secure a spot in the playoffs.

NFC

The Lions will clinch the NFC North and the No. 1 seed if they win and the Vikings lose.
The Eagles will clinch the NFC East if they win or if the Commanders lose.
The Rams will clinch the NFC West if they win and the Seahawks lose.
The Falcons will clinch the NFC South if they win and the Buccaneers lose.
If the Commanders win, they will secure a spot in the playoffs.

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