NFL playoff picture: Are the Broncos the best team in the NFL?

After 15 weeks of action, the NFL playoff picture is becoming much clearer. Thirteen teams have officially been eliminated from postseason contention. Most notably, the Kansas City Chiefs won’t be playing postseason ball for the first time since 2014.

Meanwhile, teams that haven’t had a lot of success in recent years, such as the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, and Jacksonville Jaguars, are seemingly running the league. With the Chiefs eliminated, the league is more wide open than it has been in a long time. So, how does the playoff picture stack up in both the AFC and NFC?

AFC standings

1. Denver Broncos, 12-2, AFC West
2. New England Patriots, 11-3, AFC East
3. Jacksonville Jaguars, 10-4, AFC South
4. Pittsburgh Steelers, 8-6, AFC North
5. Los Angeles Chargers, 10-4, AFC West
6. Buffalo Bills, 10-4, AFC East
7. Houston Texans, 9-5, AFC South
8. Indianapolis Colts 8-6, AFC South
9. Baltimore Ravens, 7-7, AFC North
10. Kansas City Chiefs, 6-8, AFC West (eliminated)
11. Miami Dolphins, 6-8, AFC East (eliminated)
12. Cincinnati Bengals, 4-10, AFC North (eliminated)
13. New York Jets, 3-11, AFC East (eliminated)
14. Cleveland Browns, 3-11, AFC North (eliminated)
15. Las Vegas Raiders, 2-12, AFC West (eliminated)
16. Tennessee Titans, 2-12, AFC South (eliminated)

NFC standings

1. Los Angeles Rams, 11-3, NFC West
2. Chicago Bears, 10-4, NFC North
3. Philadelphia Eagles, 9-5, NFC East
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7-7, NFC South
5. Seattle Seahawks, 11-3, NFC West
6. San Francisco 49ers, 10-4, NFC West
7. Green Bay Packers, 9-4-1, NFC North
8. Detroit Lions, 8-6, NFC North
9. Carolina Panthers, 7-7, NFC South
10. Dallas Cowboys, 6-7-1, NFC East
11. Minnesota Vikings, 6-8, NFC North (eliminated)
12. Atlanta Falcons, 5-9, NFC South (eliminated)
13. New Orleans Saints, 4-10, NFC South (eliminated)
14. Washington Commanders, 4-10, NFC East (eliminated)
15. Arizona Cardinals, 3-11, NFC West (eliminated)
16. New York Giants, 2-12, NFC East (eliminated)

AFC playoff teams

The Broncos have won 11 straight games. They are still in the running to break the single-season sack record, and the offense is really coming together. Their win over the Green Bay Packers displayed more offensive firepower than perhaps any of their previous performances this season. Bo Nix had 302 yards and four touchdown passes.

The Patriots’ winning streak, meanwhile, finally came to a close. They were up big on the Buffalo Bills, but a streaky defense and the team’s youth were exposed late. The Broncos now have the clearest path to securing a first-round bye.

The Jaguars will take on the top-ranked Broncos in Week 16. In Week 15, they scored 48 points in what was arguably the best game of Trevor Lawrence’s professional career. The former first overall pick went for 330 yards and five touchdowns. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the other divisional leader as of now in the AFC. Their prowess in cold-weather games paid off on Monday Night Football.

The Wild Card teams in the AFC are the Los...