2024 NFL Playoff Picture: Updated AFC and NFC Rankings, Bracket, Tiebreakers for Week 18

2024 NFL Playoff Picture: Updated AFC and NFC Rankings, Bracket, Tiebreakers for Week 18

Most of the playoff field is set, but two playoff teams have yet to be decided and the NFC’s No. 1 seed won’t be determined until the final game of the season. Here’s what the NFL playoff picture looks like heading into Week 18:

NFC playoff picture

DEPARTMENT HEAD

1. Minnesota Vikings (14-2): Clinched a playoff spot and will secure the No. 1 seed if they beat the Lions on Sunday night.

2. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3): have secured the NFC East.

3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6): Won the NFC West.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7): One game ahead in the NFC South, but they would lose a tiebreaker to the Falcons.

WILD CARDS

5. Detroit Lions (13-2): Clinched a playoff spot and will secure the No. 1 seed if they beat the Vikings on Sunday night.

6. Washington Commanders (11-5): Clinched a playoff spot, winning the NFC record tiebreaker over the Packers.

7. Green Bay Packers (11-5): Clinched a playoff spot.

FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKS IN

8. Seattle Seahawks (9-7): Mathematically eliminated.

9. Atlanta Falcons (8-8): Will win the NFC South if they win on Sunday and the Buccaneers lose.

10. Dallas Cowboys (7-9): Mathematically eliminated.

11. Arizona Cardinals (7-9): Mathematically eliminated.

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

13. New Orleans Saints (5-11): Mathematically eliminated.

14. Carolina Panthers (4-12): Mathematically eliminated.

15. Chicago Bears (4-12): Mathematically eliminated.

16. New York Giants (3-13): Mathematically eliminated.

AFC playoff picture

DEPARTMENT HEAD

1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1): Secured the No. 1 seed, first-round bye and home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs.

2. Buffalo Bills (13-3): Securing second place.

3. Baltimore Ravens (11-5): Clinched a playoff spot and will be the No. 3 seed if they win on Saturday.

4. Houston Texans (9-7): Secured fourth place.

WILD CARDS

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6): Has secured a spot in the playoffs and is in a head-to-head tiebreaker against the Chargers.

6. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6): Clinched a playoff spot.

7. Denver Broncos (9-7): One win away from a wild-card spot.

FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKS IN

8. Miami Dolphins (8-8): They kept their wild card hopes alive by beating the Browns.

9. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8): They kept their wild card hopes alive by beating the Broncos.

10. Indianapolis Colts (7-9): Mathematically eliminated.

11. New York Jets (4-12): Mathematically eliminated.

12. Las Vegas Raiders (4-12): Mathematically eliminated.

13. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12): Mathematically eliminated.

14. Cleveland Browns (3-13): Mathematically eliminated.

15. Tennessee Titans (3-13): Mathematically eliminated.

16. New England Patriots (3-13): Mathematically eliminated.

Crucial scenarios

AFC

Baltimore clinch the AFC North with a win or a draw or a loss or a draw at Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh clinches the AFC North with a win and a loss in Baltimore.

Denver clinch a wild card with a win or draw, or with both the Dolphins and Bengals losing or drawing.

Miami secures a wild card with a win and a loss in Denver.

Cincinnati secures a wild card with a win, a loss in Denver and a loss or draw in Miami.

NFC

The Detroit-Minnesota winner secures first place.

Tampa Bay clinch the NFC South with a win or a draw or a loss or a draw in Atlanta.

Atlanta clinches the NFC South with a win and a loss at Tampa Bay.

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