NFL Playoff Picture 2024: Updated AFC and NFC standings, bracket, tiebreakers for Week 17

The Chiefs clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC on Christmas Day. Here’s how the rest of the playoff picture looks after Thursday night of Week 17:

NFC Playoff Picture

DIVISION LEADERS

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

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

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

4. Atlanta Falcons (8-7): Own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Buccaneers.

WILD CARDS

5. Minnesota Vikings (13-2): Clinched a playoff berth, will clinch the No. 1 seed if they win out.

6. Green Bay Packers (11-4): Getting swept by the Lions and losing to the Vikings takes them out of NFC North contention, even though they’re 11-1 otherwise.

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

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

8. Seattle Seahawks (9-7): Stayed alive with win over Bears.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7): Loss to the Cowboys knocked them out of playoff position, for now.

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

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

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

AFC Playoff Picture

DIVISION LEADERS

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

2. Buffalo Bills (12-3): Clinched the AFC East.

3. Baltimore Ravens (11-5): Clinched a playoff berth.

4. Houston Texans (9-7): Clinched the AFC South and the No. 4 seed in the playoffs.

WILD CARDS

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6): Clinched a playoff berth.

6. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6): Have the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Broncos.

7. Denver Broncos (9-6): The loss to the Chargers hurt, but they’re still on the cusp of a wild card berth.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

8. Indianapolis Colts (7-8): Slim wild card hopes.

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

10. Cincinnati Bengals (7-8): The slimmest of wild card hopes.

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.

Clinching Scenarios

AFC

CLINCHED:

Kansas City Chiefs (14-1) – AFC No. 1 seed

Buffalo Bills (12-3) – AFC East

Houston Texans (9-6) – AFC South

Baltimore Ravens (10-5) – playoff berth

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5) – playoff berth

Denver Broncos (9-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (7-8); Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network

Denver clinches a playoff berth with:

1. DEN win or tie

Los Angeles Chargers (9-6) at New England Patriots (3-12); Saturday, 1 p.m. ET, NFL Network

Los Angeles clinches a playoff berth with:

1. LAC win or tie

2. MIA loss or tie + IND loss or tie

NFC

CLINCHED:

Detroit Lions (13-2) – playoff berth

Green Bay Packers (11-4) – playoff berth

Minnesota Vikings (13-2) – playoff berth

Philadelphia Eagles (12-3) – playoff berth

Detroit Lions (13-2) at San Francisco 49ers (6-9); Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC

Detroit clinches NFC North division title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and home-field advantage with:

1. DET win + MIN loss

Philadelphia Eagles (12-3) vs. Dallas Cowboys (7-8); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

Philadelphia clinches NFC East division title with:

1. PHI win or tie

2. WAS loss or tie

Atlanta Falcons (8-7) at Washington Commanders (10-5); Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC

Atlanta clinches NFC South division title with:

1. ATL win + TB loss

Los Angeles Rams (9-6) vs. Arizona Cardinals (7-8); Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, NFL Network

Los Angeles Rams clinch NFC West division title with:

1. LAR win + LAR clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over SEA

(Note: LAR clinches strength of victory over SEA with 3.5 or more wins from the following teams: MIN, BUF, SF, WAS, CIN, CLE)

Washington Commanders (10-5) vs. Atlanta Falcons (8-7); Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC

Washington clinches a playoff berth with:

1. WAS win or tie

2. TB loss or tie