NFL Playoff Picture 2023: Week 18 Standings, AFC and NFC Wild Card Hunt
NFL fans could be treated to a potential playoff preview on Monday night. The Week 17 slate is set to wrap up with a matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals, two of the top teams in the AFC.
Although it's beginning to feel like the time for postseason football, there's still much to be decided in Week 18. Neither No. 1 seed has been clinched, three divisions need champions and three of the 14 playoff berths remain up for grabs.
One of those division titles could still be awarded in Week 17, though, as the Bengals can clinch the AFC North with a win over the Bills. If Cincinnati loses, then the Baltimore Ravens could still have a chance to end up atop that division.
With most of the Week 17 action complete, here's a look at the full NFL standings and the playoff picture for both the AFC and NFC.
Full NFL Standings
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AFC East
Buffalo Bills (12-3, clinched AFC East)
New England Patriots (8-8)
Miami Dolphins (8-8)
New York Jets (7-9, eliminated from playoff contention)
AFC North
Cincinnati Bengals (11-4, clinched playoff berth)
Baltimore Ravens (10-6, clinched playoff berth)
Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8)
Cleveland Browns (7-9, eliminated from playoff contention)
AFC South
Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8)
Tennessee Titans (7-9)
Indianapolis Colts (4-11-1, eliminated from playoff contention)
Houston Texans (2-13-1, eliminated from playoff contention)
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs (13-3, clinched AFC West)
Los Angeles Chargers (10-6, clinched playoff berth)
Las Vegas Raiders (6-10, eliminated from playoff contention)
Denver Broncos (4-12, eliminated from playoff contention)
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles (13-3, clinched playoff berth)
Dallas Cowboys (12-4, clinched playoff berth)
New York Giants (9-6-1, clinched playoff berth)
Washington Commanders (7-8-1, eliminated from playoff contention)
NFC North
Minnesota Vikings (12-4, clinched NFC North)
Detroit Lions (8-8)
Green Bay Packers (8-8)
Chicago Bears (3-13, eliminated from playoff contention)
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8, clinched NFC South)
New Orleans Saints (7-9, eliminated from playoff contention)
Carolina Panthers (6-10, eliminated from playoff contention)
Atlanta Falcons (6-10, eliminated from playoff contention)
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers (12-4, clinched NFC West)
Seattle Seahawks (8-8)
Los Angeles Rams (5-11, eliminated from playoff contention)
Arizona Cardinals (4-12, eliminated from playoff contention)
AFC Playoff Picture
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Bye: No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs (13-3, clinched AFC West)
No. 2 Buffalo Bills (12-3, clinched AFC East) vs. No. 7 New England Patriots (8-8)
No. 3 Cincinnati Bengals (11-4, clinched playoff berth) vs. No. 6 Baltimore Ravens (10-6, clinched playoff berth)
No. 4 Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8) vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Chargers (10-6, clinched playoff berth)
In the hunt: Miami Dolphins (8-8), Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8), Tennessee Titans (7-9)
If the Bills beat the Bengals on Monday night, they'll take back over the No. 1 spot in the AFC. But even if Buffalo loses, it could still have a chance to capture the top seed in Week 18, as it owns a potential tiebreaker over Kansas City.
If Cincinnati fails to clinch the AFC North on Monday, it will still have a one-game advantage over Baltimore heading into Week 18, when the division rivals will face off. That contest would then decide the champion, as well as which of the two teams will end up in a wild-card spot.
The AFC South title will be on the line during a Week 18 matchup between the Jaguars and Titans in Jacksonville. If the Jags win, then Tennessee will be eliminated from playoff contention. If the Titans win, the Jaguars could still end up as the No. 7 seed, depending on the results of the other wild-card contenders.
The Patriots are in control of their own destiny. If they can beat the Bills in Buffalo in Week 18, they'll clinch the third and final wild-card berth. But that won't be an easy task for New England, which has lost three straight meetings between the AFC East rivals.
If the Pats lose, it will open the door for the Dolphins to capitalize. Miami could then secure a playoff berth with a home win over the Jets. But if the Patriots and Dolphins both lose, then the Steelers could secure the final wild-card berth with a home win over the Browns.
There's also a scenario in which New England loses and still reaches the playoffs. In order for that to happen, though, Miami, Pittsburgh and Jacksonville would all have to lose in Week 18.
NFC Playoff Picture
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Bye: No. 1 Philadelphia Eagles (13-3, clinched playoff berth)
No. 2 San Francisco 49ers (12-4, clinched NFC West) vs. No. 7 Seattle Seahawks (8-8)
No. 3 Minnesota Vikings (12-4, clinched NFC North) vs. No. 6 New York Giants (9-6-1, clinched playoff berth)
No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8, clinched NFC South) vs. No. 5 Dallas Cowboys (12-4, clinched playoff berth)
In the hunt: Detroit Lions (8-8), Green Bay Packers (8-8)
The Eagles failed on opportunities to clinch the NFC East title and the No. 1 seed in both Weeks 16 and 17. But they still are in control, as they could capture both with a Week 18 home win over the Giants (who are already locked into the No. 6 seed).
If Philadelphia loses, either San Francisco or Dallas could end up in the NFC's top spot. The 49ers would then clinch the No. 1 seed with a home win over the Cardinals. If the Eagles and Niners both lose, then the Cowboys would capture the top seed with a road win over the Commanders.
The Buccaneers captured the NFC South title with a Week 17 win over the Panthers, and they're now locked into the No. 4 seed. They'll be hosting either the Cowboys or Eagles in the NFC Wild-Card Round, depending on what happens in Week 18.
Three 8-8 teams are battling for the No. 7 seed: Seattle, Detroit and Green Bay. And even though the Packers are currently on the outside of a playoff spot, they're actually in control of that battle.
Green Bay would clinch a playoff spot with a Week 18 home win over Detroit. The Packers would jump the Lions in the standings and then own any potential tiebreaker with the Seahawks.
Seattle needs Detroit to beat Green Bay, and then it could secure the No. 7 seed with a home win over the Rams. The only way the Lions will get in is if they beat the Packers and the Seahawks lose.
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