NFL Playoff Picture Week 13: Updated AFC, NFC Wildcard Scenarios and Predictions

NFL Week 13 has the potential to shake up the playoff standings in both conferences more than any other Sunday before it.

Each of the three teams in the AFC wild-card positions face teams in playoff positions, while two NFC wild-card contenders face off in a divisional matchup.

The top of the conference standings likely will not change too much, but the order of the wild-card teams may change a lot and alter the potential tiebreakers in play.

The New York Giants or Washington Commanders will pick up a valuable win in the NFC wild-card race, which is likely down to those two teams, the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks.

The AFC wild-card field should be just five teams, but if the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets all lose on Sunday, there could a path, albeit a bleak one, for one of the teams further down the standings to put pressure on them in the next five weeks.

AFC Playoff Picture

Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 01:Quarterback Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills and the offense take the field for warms up against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 01, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

Division Leaders

1. Kansas City (9-2)

2. Buffalo (9-3)

3. Tennessee (7-4)

4. Baltimore (7-4)

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Wild-Card Race

5. Miami (8-3)

6. Cincinnati (7-4)

7. New York Jets (7-4)

8. Los Angeles Chargers (6-5)

9. New England (6-6)

10. Indianapolis (4-7-1)

11. Jacksonville (4-7)

12. Las Vegas (4-7)

13. Cleveland (4-7)

14. Pittsburgh (4-7)

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Week 13 could be a transformative week in the AFC playoff picture.

Each of the three teams holding wild-card positions could lose and allow other franchises to creep back into the conversation.

The Miami Dolphins head to the west coast to face the San Francisco 49ers, the New York Jets visit the Minnesota Vikings, and the Cincinnati Bengals welcome the Kansas City Chiefs to town.

Kansas City needs a win to stay in front of the Buffalo Bills for the AFC's No. 1 seed, while Minnesota and San Francisco have to win to keep up their aspirations of chasing down the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Los Angeles Chargers could end up as Sunday's biggest winner in the AFC if they beat the Las Vegas Raiders and the three teams in front of them lose.

Miami is facing Mike McDaniel's old bosses in San Francisco, New York is relying on Mike White for the second straight week, and Cincinnati could stumble with Kansas City in search of revenge from two losses last season.

The potential for chaos opens up a small possibility for one of the four-win teams to slide into the conversation. The Cleveland Browns have the best chance of achieving that since they face the Houston Texans in Deshaun Watson's return on Sunday.

Gaining ground in one week and eclipsing Miami, New York and Cincinnati are two different things, and that is why it feels like the AFC wild-card race is down to five teams, although the New England Patriots did not make a convincing case that they are a playoff team in their Thursday loss to the Bills.

The Baltimore Ravens could be the biggest winner of the seven current playoff teams because they could pick up a vital one-game lead on Cincinnati if they beat the Denver Broncos at home and the Chiefs beat the Bengals. The Ravens would love a week of normalcy after blowing a lead versus the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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Prediction

1. Kansas City

2. Buffalo

3. Tennessee

4. Baltimore

5. Miami

6. New York Jets

7. Cincinnati

NFC Playoff Picture

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 24: Jihad Ward #55 of the New York Giants celebrates after making a big tackle during a game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on November 24, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys defeated the Giants 28-20. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Division Leaders

1. Philadelphia (10-1)

2. Minnesota (9-2)

3. San Francisco (7-4)

4. Tampa Bay (5-6)

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Wild-Card Race

5. Dallas (8-3)

6. New York Giants (7-4)

7. Washington (7-5)

8. Seattle (6-5)

9. Atlanta (5-7)

10. Detroit (4-7)

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The NFC wild-card race has one game in focus in Week 13.

The New York Giants host the Washington Commanders in a game that could splinter the top six in the NFC from the rest of the pack.

New York is coming off a Thanksgiving Day loss to the Dallas Cowboys that dropped it one game back of its NFC East rival for the No. 5 seed. The Giants gained an extra few days of rest after the loss, and that could benefit them at home versus the Commanders.

Washington enters on a three-game winning streak, but two of those wins came over the Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons. The win on the road over the Philadelphia Eagles stands out the most in that stretch.

New York and Washington play twice in the next three weeks, so one side could gain separation in the wild-card race, or we could be stuck in the same spot after Week 15.

The Seattle Seahawks have the most to gain in the NFC wild-card hunt in Week 13, as they visit an injury-riddled Los Angeles Rams team. A win over their divisional rival would put the Seahawks on seven wins and in a great position to strike if the NFC East teams beat each other in the coming weeks.

Seattle still has to play San Francisco and Kansas City, so it needs to win on Sunday to make sure it can absorb a loss or two in December to stay in contention.

The Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions are barely hanging on to the playoff standings, and they could drop too far back as soon as Sunday. Atlanta hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Lions welcome the Jacksonville Jaguars to Ford Field. Even if Atlanta and Detroit win in Week 13, they need flawless Decembers and some help to reach the seventh spot.

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Prediction

1. Philadelphia

2. Minnesota

3. San Francisco

4. Tampa Bay

5. Dallas

6. New York Giants

7. Seattle