NFL playoff picture: Standings heading into final regular season matchups

Week 17 is over, so there is only one more week until the NFL postseason begins. Seventeen teams have already been eliminated from playoff contention, meaning there is only one spot up for grabs in each conference. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Baltimore Ravens are on the outside looking in right now, but they can still make it. So, how does the NFL playoff picture stack up heading into the regular season finale?

AFC standings

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

NFC standings

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

AFC playoff picture

The Denver Broncos are atop the AFC standings, and they will take on a Los Angeles Chargers team that will rest their starters in Week 18, meaning Denver should be able to secure the one seed and a first-round bye. Denver isn’t likely to secure the single-season sack record that was once within reach, but the team’s elite defense will be on display in the postseason. Los Angeles has been good enough to clinch a playoff berth, but they’ve also been bitten by the injury bug all season long, so resting the starters should help freshen the roster up ahead of a potential playoff run.

The New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars are still in the running for the one seed, too. Both teams would need a Denver loss, and the Jaguars would also need the Patriots to lose in addition to securing a win. After a second straight Los Angeles Rams loss, Drake Maye has surpassed Matthew Stafford as the MVP favorite.

While the Jaguars could earn the first-round bye, they are also at risk of losing the division title. A loss would leave the door open for the Houston Texans to win the AFC South....