Explaining The Playoff Picture For All 32 NFL Teams

With just three weeks left in the NFL season, here’s the playoff picture for all 32 NFL teams.

With just three weeks left to go before NFL Playoffs, the stakes are clear for the league’s 32 teams. Here’s where each team stands in the playoff picture.

Arizona Cardinals

At 7-7, the Cardinals are one game back of the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West. They won the first meeting against the Rams, and play them in Week 17. But, the Seahawks swept the season series, meaning that the Cardinals will need to finish a game above the Seahawks in all likelihood. Their chances at the wild card are slim-to-none.

Atlanta Falcons

The 7-7 Falcons are a game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South race. But, they did sweep the Bucs this year, meaning that they have the tiebreaker if they end up even on record with the Buccaneers.

Baltimore Ravens

The 9-5 Ravens are one game back of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North, and are currently in the first wild card spot in the AFC. They lost to Pittsburgh earlier in the year, so they will look to even up the season series on Saturday. If not, they’re still in good shape in the Wild Card race, needing just one win.

Buffalo BIlls

The Bills have already clinched the AFC East title. At 11-3, they’re two games back of the Chiefs for the top seed in the AFC, and hold the tiebreaker over Kansas City.

Carolina Panthers

The 3-11 Panthers have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Chicago Bears

The 4-10 Chicago Bears have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Cincinnati Bengals

At 6-8, the Bengals are hanging on for dear life in the AFC Wild Card race. They lost to the 8-6 Chargers earlier in season, but play the 9-5 Broncos in Week 17. They need to win out, and have one of those two teams lose out, plus have the Colts and Dolphins lose one more game, to make the playoffs.

Cleveland Browns

The 3-11 Browns have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Dallas Cowboys

The 6-8 Dallas Cowboys have less than a 1% chance of a playoff berth, according to computers. The list of things they need to go right would be too long to list here. Their season is essentially over.

Denver Broncos

At 9-5, just one more win will clinch a playoff berth for the upstart Denver Broncos. The Chiefs have clinched the AFC West, so it’s Wild Card or bust.

Detroit Lions

The Lions are 12-2, and have clinched a playoff berth. But, they could actually end up as low as the 7th-seed and as high as the 1st seed in the NFC. The Vikings are also 12-2, so their Week 18 game could decide the NFC North. The Eagles are also 12-2, though right now the Lions hold the tiebreaker due to conference record for the top seed.

Green Bay Packers

At 10-4, the Packers haven’t technically clinched, but are at over a 99% chance to be in the playoffs. Given the fact they’re two games back of both the Vikings and Lions and those two teams play each other, the Packers would need to win out and have those teams tie, while losing their other games, to win the division. That’s not going to happen. At this point, they look destined for the sixth-seed in the NFC.

Houston Texans

At 9-5, the Texans have clinched the AFC South. They could end up as high as the second-seed, and as low as the fourth-seed, which is where they currently are.

Indianapolis Colts

The 6-8 Colts are on the outside looking in of the AFC Wild Card race. They need to win out and get help from the Chargers or Broncos losing out, plus possibly some other games. The odds of a playoff berth are pretty slim, hovering around 10%.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The 3-11 Jaguars have been eliminated from the playoff race.

Kansas City Chiefs

At 13-1, the magic number for the top seed is 2, meaning that they need a combination of either wins or Bills losses that adds up to two.

Las Vegas Raiders

The 2-12 Raiders have been eliminated from the playoff race.

Los Angeles Chargers

At 8-6, the Chargers have roughly a 75% chance to make the playoffs. Their magic number sits at 2, meaning two wins or losses by Indianapolis, Miami, and Cincinnati will get them in.

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams sit at 8-6, and in first place in the NFC West over the Seahawks via a tiebreaker. They’re one game ahead of the Cardinals, as well. They play both of those teams down the stretch, so things could get interesting.

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins have a slim shot of making the playoffs, and need to win out and hope for some help via losses by the Colts, Chargers, and Broncos.

Minnesota Vikings

At 12-2, The Vikings could finish anywhere from 1st to 7th in the NFC seeding list. They’re tied with the Lions for the division, and play Detroit in Week 18. They’ve clinched a Wild Card berth, so if they don’t win the division, they will be playing for seeding. Right now, they have a two-game lead, plus the tiebreaker, over Green Bay for the first Wild Card spot.

New England Patriots

The 3-11 Patriots have been eliminated from playoff contention.

New Orleans Saints

The 5-9 Saints technically aren’t eliminated, but need a miracle of epic proportions to snag a playoff spot.

New York Giants

The 2-12 Giants have been eliminated from playoff contention.

New York Jets

The 4-10 Jets have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Philadelphia Eagles

At 12-2, the Eagles have a magic number of 1 to clinch the NFC East. They’re currently tied with the Lions for the top seed in the NFC, though the Lions currently hold the tiebreaker via conference re cord.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers sit at 10-4, a game ahead of the Ravens in the AFC North. The two teams play this weekend, with Pittsburgh having won the first matchup. Pittsburgh has clinched a Wild Card berth, at worst.

San Francisco 49ers

The 6-8 49ers have less than a 1% chance to make the playoffs. It will take a miracle for San Francisco to extend its season.

Seattle Seahawks

At 8-6, the Seahawks control their own destiny in the NFC West. Currently, they’re tied with the Rams, and the two teams play in Week 18. It’s likely division title or bust, but a slim path remains for the Seahawks to lose the division but make the playoffs otherwise.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers are 8-6, one game ahead of the Falcons in the NFC South. The Falcons hold the tiebreaker, but Tampa Bay control their destiny. They could make the Wild Card if the division slips away, and have an important win over the Commanders if a tiebreaker would come into play.

Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans have been eliminated from the playoffs at 3-11.

Washington Commanders

The 9-5 Washington Commanders currently sit in the final Wild Card spot in the NFC, and control their own destiny. They could theoretically finish as high as the 2nd seed, or miss the playoffs entirely. The most likely position is the 7th spot. Win and they’re in.