NFL Playoff Scenarios 2021-22 Week 13: Updated Standings, Matchups to Watch

The New England Patriots caused a shakeup at the top of the AFC standings with their win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Tennessee fell out of the top spot down to No. 3 behind New England, while the Baltimore Ravens claimed No. 1 thanks to their victory against the Cleveland Browns.

There was much less movement atop the NFC, as the Arizona Cardinals remained in first place at 9-2 despite being on a bye in Week 12. The top five teams remained unchanged, while the San Francisco 49ers leaped to the sixth spot after defeating the Minnesota Vikings, who fell to seventh.

Here's a look at how things stand heading into Week 13.

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AFC Playoff Picture

1. Baltimore Ravens (8-3)

2. New England Patriots (8-4)

3. Tennessee Titans (8-4)

4. Kansas City Chiefs (7-4)

5. Cincinnati Bengals (7-4)

6. Buffalo Bills (7-4)

7. Los Angeles Chargers (6-5)

8. Denver Broncos (6-5)

9. Las Vegas Raiders (6-5)

10. Indianapolis Colts (6-6)

11. Cleveland Browns (6-6)

12. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-5-1)

13. Miami Dolphins (5-7)

14. New York Jets (3-8)

15. Houston Texans (2-9)

16. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9)

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Projected 1st-Round Matchups

No. 2 New England Patriots vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Chargers

No. 3 Tennessee Titans vs. No. 6 Buffalo Bills

No. 4 Kansas City Chiefs vs. No. 5 Cincinnati Bengals

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NFC Playoff Picture

1. Arizona Cardinals (9-2)

2. Green Bay Packers (9-3)

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-3)

4. Dallas Cowboys (7-4)

5. Los Angeles Rams (7-4)

6. San Francisco 49ers (6-5)

7. Washington Football Team (5-6)

8. Minnesota Vikings (5-6)

9. Atlanta Falcons (5-6)

10. New Orleans Saints (5-6)

11. Philadelphia Eagles (5-7)

12. Carolina Panthers (5-7)

13. New York Giants (4-7)

14. Chicago Bears (4-7)

15. Seattle Seahawks (3-8)

16. Detroit Lions (0-10-1)

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Projected 1st-Round Matchups

No. 2 Green Bay Packers vs. No. 7 Washington Football Team

No. 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. No. 6 San Francisco 49ers

No. 4 Dallas Cowboys vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Rams

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The parity within the NFL this year has continued as 17 of 32 teams have a record of .500 or above, giving them all a shot at making a playoff push as we chug toward the last quarter of the season. Eleven of those teams are in the AFC, creating a few intriguing Week 13 matchups.

The marquee game of the week is the Patriots taking on the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. A win for Buffalo would give it the advantage over New England in the loss column, which would have a big impact on the conference standings.

The Patriots are looking like top contenders in the AFC while riding a six-game win streak. New England is firing on all cylinders on both sides of the ball and has proved to be a tough out for any team this year. Buffalo, which was considered to be on the short list of favorites to win the AFC heading into the season, has gone 2-2 in its last four games.

The AFC West is the most competitive division in the league this year. The Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders all trail the division-leading Kansas City Chiefs by just one game. The Chiefs will put their four-game win streak on the line when they host the Broncos on Sunday night.

The Chargers will face the fifth-seeded Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday and would overtake them with a win. The Raiders will host the Washington Football Team.

Things are much less eventful in the NFC, as six of the top seven teams are scheduled to face teams with losing records. The Los Angeles Rams are on a three-game skid and will look to end it against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Dallas Cowboys will try to bounce back from back-to-back losses against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night.