B/R
Thursday’s nap-inducing, 6-3 win for the Seattle Seahawks over the Chicago Bears didn’t do much to change the overall playoff picture around the NFL, but there could be plenty of shuffling over the weekend.
Below, we’ll take a look at the updated playoff standings and the postseason implications for some of this weekend’s biggest games.
1. Kansas City Chiefs: 15-1
3. Baltimore Ravens: 11-5
5. Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-6
6. Los Angeles Chargers: 9-6
Wins tie break over Denver based on head-to-head win percentage.
8. Indianapolis Colts: 7-8
Wins tie break over Cincinnati and Miami based on best win percentage in conference games.
Wins tie break over Cincinnati based on best win percentage in conference games.
10. Cincinnati Bengals: 7-8
12. Cleveland Browns: 3-12
Wins tie break over Jacksonville based on head-to-head win percentage. Wins tie break over Las Vegas and New England based on best win percentage in conference games. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Tennessee (Jacksonville wins tie break over Tennessee based on head-to-head win percentage).
13. Jacksonville Jaguars: 3-12
Wins tie break over Las Vegas and New England based on best win percentage in conference games. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Tennessee (Jacksonville wins tie break over Tennessee based on head-to-head win percentage).
14. Tennessee Titans: 3-12
Wins tie break over Las Vegas and New England based on best win percentage in conference games.
15. Las Vegas Raiders: 3-13
Wins tie break over New England based on best win percentage in conference games.
16. New England Patriots: 3-12
Notes: The Chiefs, Bills, Ravens, Texans and Steelers have clinched playoff berths. The Chiefs, Bills and Texans have clinched divisional crowns. The Chiefs have clinched home-field advantage in the playoffs. The Jets, Browns, Jaguars, Titans, Raiders and Patriots have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Wins tie break over Minnesota based on head-to-head win percentage.
2. Philadelphia Eagles: 12-3
Wins tie break over Tampa Bay based on head-to-head win percentage.
5. Minnesota Vikings: 13-2
6. Green Bay Packers: 11-4
7. Washington Commanders: 10-5
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-7
11. Arizona Cardinals: 7-8
12. San Francisco 49ers: 6-9
13. New Orleans Saints: 5-10
14. Carolina Panthers: 4-11
16. New York Giants: 2-13
Notes: The Lions, Eagles, Vikings and Packers have clinched playoff berths. The Cowboys, Cardinals, Niners, Saints, Bears, Panthers and Giants have been eliminated from playoff contention.
We now have three games in the books in Week 17, and those three contests have decided quite a bit. The Chiefs clinched the top overall seed in the AFC playoffs on Wednesday, beating the Steelers, while that result paired with Baltimore’s win moved the Ravens to first place in the AFC North with one game remaining.
And Thursday’s result means that Seattle remains in the hunt for the NFC West division title. If the Rams lose out—including Week 18’s matchup between the teams—the Seahawks will win the division. If the Rams win this week, meanwhile, Seattle could still win the division by beating L.A. in Week 18, though they would need a few other dominos to fall into place.
There are plenty of more interesting games to follow.
The Eagles are a win—or a Washington loss—away from clinching the NFC East and will face a Cowboys team on Sunday that won’t have star wideout CeeDee Lamb. Washington, meanwhile, is facing a Falcons team fighting for both an NFC South title and playoff berth.
The biggest game of the week will be the Vikings taking on the Packers, as Minnesota looks to keep pace with Detroit in the NFC North. Wins by both the Lions and Vikings would set up a winner-take-all game in the Week 18 with both the NFC North title and the top overall seed in the NFC playoffs up for grabs.
In the AFC, the top remaining game of the week will be Denver taking on Cincinnati, with the Bengals clinging to slim playoff hopes. The Bengals can only reach the playoffs by winning out alongside the Broncos losing their final two games and both the Dolphins and Colts each losing one more contest. That likely won’t happen this week, with the Dolphins taking on the Browns and the Colts facing the Giants, while next week the Bengals take on the Steelers, the Broncos play the Chiefs, the Dolphins face the Jets and the Colts take on the Jaguars.
It’s a long shot for the Bengals, but hope remains alive.
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