NFL Playoff Picture 2021: Updated AFC, NFC Standings After Week 16 SNF

The NFL is separating the wheat from the chaff in the race for the playoffs.

Entering Sunday, only two teams were guaranteed a playoff berth. The Green Bay Packers clinched the NFC North in Week 15, while the Dallas Cowboys would at least be a wild-card team thanks to the San Francisco 49ers' loss to the Tennessee Titans on Thursday.

But there were plenty of playoff permutations that could be fulfilled by Sunday's results.

Here's how things stand following the day's action

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AFC Standings

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

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NFC Standings

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

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With nothing else to play for this season, the Houston Texans fully relished their spoiler role against the Los Angeles Chargers, pulling off a 41-29 upset. Tavierre Thomas put the finishing touches on the win with a pick-six inside the final two minutes of the fourth quarter.

Los Angeles' defeat, paired with the Kansas City Chiefs' victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, allowed Patrick Mahomes and Co. to secure their sixth straight AFC West title. By ceding ground to the Chiefs and falling behind their wild-card rivals, the Chargers might be the biggest losers from Sunday.

Elsewhere in the AFC, the Buffalo Bills shut the door on the New England Patriots claiming the AFC East crown in Week 16.

The Pats could've restored order within the division with a victory over the Bills and a loss or tie by the Miami Dolphins on Monday night. Buffalo blocked the first part of that formula from happening.

In doing so, the Bills also jumped into the top spot in the AFC East thanks to their 4-1 record inside the division.

The Arizona Cardinals had something to celebrate one day after a dispiriting 22-16 defeat to the Indianapolis Colts.

The Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers were both on the losing end in Week 16, which cleared Arizona's path to the postseason.

The good news couldn't have come at a better time for the Cardinals, who are on a three-game losing streak. Their recent swoon mirrors their second half in 2020, raising concerns that history is repeating itself.

Making the playoffs for the first time since 2015 represents progress under head coach Kliff Kingsbury, but this is a franchise with Super Bowl aspirations.

A Wild Card Round exit would be a bitter pill to swallow after a 10-2 start seemed to justify Arizona's status as a title contender.