NFL Playoff Picture 2023: Week 17 Standings, AFC and NFC Wild-Card Hunt

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers again didn't look their best Sunday night. They ended their two-game losing streak, but they needed overtime to pull out a Christmas Day road victory against the Arizona Cardinals.

Although the Bucs are only 7-8, they remain in control in the NFC South race. They have a one-game lead over both the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints with two weeks to go in the regular season. So Tampa Bay has a good chance to be heading back to the playoffs, even if it ends up with a losing record.

The AFC South champion could also finish below .500, as the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans are both 7-8 atop that division. The Jags hold the tiebreaker for now, but that could change by the end of Week 18.

The majority of Week 16 action is complete, with only a Monday night matchup featuring the Los Angeles Chargers and Indianapolis Colts remaining. Here's a look at the NFL standings and playoff picture for both the AFC and NFC at this point.

Full NFL Standings

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

This is the NFL logo painted in the end zone in Acrisure Stadium before an NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Las Vegas Raiders in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

AFC East

Buffalo Bills (12-3)

Miami Dolphins (8-7)

New England Patriots (7-8)

New York Jets (7-8)

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AFC North

Cincinnati Bengals (11-4)

Baltimore Ravens (10-5)

Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8)

Cleveland Browns (6-9)

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AFC South

Jacksonville Jaguars (7-8)

Tennessee Titans (7-8)

Indianapolis Colts (4-9-1)

Houston Texans (2-12-1)

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AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs (12-3)

Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)

Las Vegas Raiders (6-9)

Denver Broncos (4-11)

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NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles (13-2)

Dallas Cowboys (11-4)

New York Giants (8-6-1)

Washington Commanders (7-7-1)

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NFC North

Minnesota Vikings (12-3)

Detroit Lions (7-8)

Green Bay Packers (7-8)

Chicago Bears (3-12)

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NFC South

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)

Carolina Panthers (6-9)

New Orleans Saints (6-9)

Atlanta Falcons (5-10)

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NFC West

San Francisco 49ers (11-4)

Seattle Seahawks (7-8)

Los Angeles Rams (5-10)

Arizona Cardinals (4-11)

AFC Playoff Picture

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins (27) warms up before of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Division Leaders

1. Buffalo Bills (12-3, clinched AFC East)

2. Kansas City Chiefs (12-3, clinched AFC West)

3. Cincinnati Bengals (11-4, clinched playoff berth)

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-8)

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Wild-Card Leaders

5. Baltimore Ravens (10-5, clinched playoff berth)

6. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)

7. Miami Dolphins (8-7)

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In the Hunt

8. New England Patriots (7-8)

9. New York Jets (7-8)

10. Tennessee Titans (7-8)

11. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8)

12. Las Vegas Raiders (6-9)

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The Bills clinched the AFC East title with a win over the Bears on Saturday. Now, the Dolphins, Patriots and Jets can't end up atop the division, so they'll each be focused on trying to secure a wild-card berth over the next two weeks.

Miami remains in the No. 7 spot, but it has lost four straight games after it was defeated by Green Bay on Sunday. If the Dolphins hope to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2016 season, they'll need to play better the rest of the way. But they control their own destiny and can secure a berth with two consecutive wins.

New England and New York are among a group of four 7-8 teams that will be trying to move up the standings and into a wild-card spot down the stretch. However, that quartet includes Tennessee, which could also still win the AFC South title.

The Titans have lost five straight games after falling to the NFL-worst Texans on Saturday. They also are without starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who underwent ankle surgery. So Tennessee may have a tough time finishing ahead of Jacksonville, which has won four of its past five games.

An AFC South champion may not be crowned until Week 18, when the Jags and Titans will face off in Jacksonville. The Jaguars won the first meeting between the teams in Week 14.

The No. 5 seed will likely go to either the Bengals or Ravens, whichever finishes second in the AFC North race. Both clinched playoff berths in Week 16, but they're continuing to battle for the division title.

The Chargers would improve to 9-6 with a win over the Colts on Monday night and move another step closer to clinching a wild-card berth. They're in a great position, considering their final two games will be against the Rams (5-10) and Broncos (4-11).

NFC Playoff Picture

Cooper Neill/Getty Images

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 24: Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at AT&T Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Division Leaders

1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-2, clinched playoff berth)

2. Minnesota Vikings (12-3, clinched NFC North)

3. San Francisco 49ers (11-4, clinched NFC West)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)

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Wild-Card Leaders

5. Dallas Cowboys (11-4, clinched playoff berth)

6. New York Giants (8-6-1)

7. Washington Commanders (7-7-1)

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In the Hunt

8. Seattle Seahawks (7-8)

9. Detroit Lions (7-8)

10. Green Bay Packers (7-8)

11. Carolina Panthers (6-9)

12. New Orleans Saints (6-9)

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The NFC East remains one of the more intriguing divisions in the NFL this season. The Eagles had a chance to wrap up the race for the title Saturday, but they lost to the Cowboys, who could still capture the crown themselves. Either way, Philadelphia and Dallas will both be heading to the playoffs, with the second-place finisher likely to be the No. 5 seed.

Meanwhile, the Giants and Commanders both lost Saturday. New York fell to Minnesota, while Washington lost to San Francisco. Yet, neither fell in the wild-card standings, remaining in the Nos. 6 and 7 spots, respectively.

So the Giants and Commanders each control their own destiny over the final two weeks of the regular season. New York is in a better position, but Washington has winnable home games against Cleveland and Dallas to close out its schedule.

If the Commanders falter, it will open the door for one of the three 7-8 teams (Seahawks, Lions and Packers) to move up and potentially capture a wild-card berth. Green Bay is on an upward trend, as it's notched three wins in a row after beating Miami on Sunday.

The NFC South race continues to be controlled by the Buccaneers, who have a one-game edge over both the Panthers and Saints. It was crucial for Tampa Bay to get back on track in Week 16, when it defeated Arizona. Now, the Bucs close the regular season with divisional games against the Panthers and Falcons.