There will still be a lot of work to do in the standings in the final two weeks of the 2024 NFL regular season. Let’s start with the final game of Saturday’s NFL tripleheader and its implications for the postseason.

The Los Angeles Rams can close out the NFC West via the strong win tiebreaker against the Seattle Seahawks after defeating the Arizona Cardinals 13-9 on Saturday night. The Rams can do this with 2.5 or more wins in Week 17 at the hands of Minnesota (vs. Green Bay), Buffalo (vs. New York Jets), San Francisco (vs. Detroit on Monday night), Washington (vs. Atlanta) or Cleveland (vs. Miami ).

The other three NFC divisions remain in play, but the playoff picture will become clearer after Sunday.

Meanwhile, in the AFC, six of the seven playoff spots are up for grabs, with the Kansas City Chiefs clinching first place in the conference with a 29-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday. The Los Angeles Chargers joined the postseason party with a 40-7 victory over the New England Patriots on Saturday afternoon. And the Cincinnati Bengals avoided elimination by beating the Denver Broncos in overtime on Saturday night.

The Broncos missed the chance to secure a spot in the playoffs with a win or draw at the Bengals. It would have been their first time in the postseason since winning Super Bowl 50. They will finish the regular season against the Chiefs, who don’t have much to play for since the No. 1 seed is already secured.

The NFC North title is open and falls to the Lions and Vikings. The 13-2 Lions will get their first chance to clinch the division title should the Vikings lose to the Packers on Sunday afternoon and Detroit beat San Francisco on Monday night.

Another division that could crown a champion is the NFC East if the Philadelphia Eagles win or tie against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night or Washington loses or ties against Atlanta on Sunday night.

The Commanders can’t win the NFC East unless they win and the Eagles lose, but they can ensure their return to the playoffs for the first time since winning the division in 2020 if they win against the Falcons or Tampa or draw The Bay Buccaneers lose or tie the Carolina Panthers.

Speaking of the Falcons, they could win the NFC South if they beat the Commanders and the Panthers beat the Buccaneers.

Here’s a look at the playoff standings heading into the weekend of Week 17 of the NFL season.

NFC playoff picture

As of December 29th, this is what the playoff race in the NFC looks like. Teams marked in bold have secured a spot in the playoffs.

1. Detroit Lions (13-2)

2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3) vs. 7. Washington Commanders (10-5)

3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6) vs. 6. Green Bay Packers (11-4)

4. Atlanta Falcons (8-7) vs. 5. Minnesota Vikings (13-2)

On the bubble

8. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)

AFC playoff image

As of December 29th, this is what the playoff race in the AFC looks like. Teams marked in bold have secured a spot in the playoffs.

1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)

2. Buffalo Bills (12-3) against 7. Denver Broncos (9-6)

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) vs. 6. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)

4. Houston Texans (9-7) vs. 3. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)

On the bubble

8.Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)

9. Indianapolis Colts (7-8)

10. Miami Dolphins (7-8)

Complete NFC rankings

From December 29th you can see the current state of affairs in the NFC here. Teams marked in bold have secured a spot in the playoffs. Teams in italics are eliminated from the playoffs.

NFC East

1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)

2. Washington Commanders (10-5)

3. Dallas Cowboys (7-8)

4. New York Giants (2-13)

NFC North

1. Detroit Lions (13-2)

2. Minnesota Vikings (13-2)

3. Green Bay Packers (11-4)

4. Chicago Bears (4-12)

NFC South

1. Atlanta Falcons (8-7)

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)

3. New Orleans Saints (5-10)

4. Carolina Panthers (4-11)

NFC West

1. Los Angeles Rams (10-6)

2. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)

3. Arizona Cardinals (7-9)

4. San Francisco 49ers (6-9)

Complete AFC rankings

As of December 29th, here is the state of play in the AFC. Teams marked in bold have secured a spot in the playoffs. Teams in italics are eliminated from the playoffs.

AFC East

1. Buffalo Bills (12-3)

2. Miami Dolphins (7-8)

3. New York Jets (4-11)

4. New England Patriots (3-13)

AFC North

1. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)

3.Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)

4. Cleveland Browns (3-12)

AFC South

1. Houston Texans (9-7)

2. Indianapolis Colts (7-8)

3. Tennessee Titans (3-12)

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12)

AFC West

1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)

2. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)

3. Denver Broncos (9-7)

4. Las Vegas Raiders (3-12)

NFL Draft Order

With two weeks left in the regular season, there is still movement. The New York Giants currently have the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

This is what the top part of the draft order looks like at the start of week 17.

1. New York Giants (2-13)

2. New England Patriots (3-13)

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12)

4. Tennessee Titans (3-12)

5. Cleveland Browns (3-12)

6. Las Vegas Raiders (3-12)

7. Chicago Bears (4-12)

8. Carolina Panthers (4-11)

9. New York Jets (4-11)

10. New Orleans Saints (5-10)

11. San Francisco 49ers (6-9)

12. Arizona Cardinals (7-9)

13. Miami Dolphins (7-8)

14. Indianapolis Colts (7-8)

15. Dallas Cowboys (7-8)

16. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)

17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)

18. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)

—

19. Atlanta Falcons (8-7)

20. Houston Texans (9-7)

21. Denver Broncos (9-7)

22. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)

23. Los Angeles Rams (9-6)

24. Washington Commanders (10-5)

25. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)

26. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)

27. Green Bay Packers (11-4)

28. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)

29. Buffalo Bills (12-3)

30. Minnesota Vikings (13-2)

31. Detroit Lions (13-2)

32. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)