NFL Playoff Scenarios 2023: Week 18 AFC, NFC Postseason Picture
Week 18 is scheduled to begin on Saturday, and much still remains undecided in the NFL playoff picture.
Three playoff spots remain up for grabs, as well as the No. 1 seeds in each conference. But the week's playoff scenarios aren't as clear as they might be under normal circumstances.
Monday night's game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills was suspended after Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest on the field and needed to be resuscitated. He was later transported to a local hospital and remains in critical condition.
The NFL has yet to announce when, or if, the game will be resumed or replayed.
"After speaking with both teams and NFLPA leadership, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell informed the clubs today that the Bills-Bengals game will not be resumed this week," the NFL said in a statement.
For now, we'll assume Week 18 proceeds as scheduled and examine the playoff picture and potential scenarios for the AFC and NFC.
NFL Standings
1 of 3
AFC
1. Kansas City Chiefs 13-3 (Z)
2. Buffalo Bills 12-3 (Z)
3. Cincinnati Bengals 11-4 (X)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars 8-8
5. Los Angeles Chargers 10-6 (X)
6. Baltimore Ravens 10-6 (X)
7. New England Patriots 8-8
8. Miami Dolphins 8-8
9. Pittsburgh Steelers 8-8
10. New York Jets 7-9
11. Tennessee Titans 7-9
12. Cleveland Browns 7-9
13. Las Vegas Raiders 6-10
14. Indianapolis Colts 4-11-1
15. Denver Broncos 4-12
16. Houston Texans 2-13-1
NFC
1. Philadelphia Eagles 13-3 (X)
2. San Francisco 49ers 12-4 (Z)
3. Minnesota Vikings 12-4 (Z)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 8-8 (Z)
5. Dallas Cowboys 12-4 (X)
6. New York Giants 9-6-1 (X)
7. Seattle Seahawks 8-8
8. Detroit Lions 8-8
9. Green Bay Packers 8-8
10. Washington Commanders 7-8-1
11. New Orleans Saints 7-9
12. Carolina Panthers 6-10
13. Atlanta Falcons 6-10
14. Los Angeles Rams 5-11
15. Arizona Cardinals 4-12
16. Chicago Bears 3-13
*(X) = clinched playoff berth, (Z) = clinched division
AFC Playoff Picture
2 of 3
Current Bracket Outlook
1. Kansas City Chiefs: Bye
7. New England Patriots at 2. Buffalo Bills
6. Baltimore Ravens at 3. Cincinnati Bengals
5. Los Angeles Chargers at 4. Jacksonville Jaguars
On the Bubble
Miami Dolphins
Pittsburgh Steelers
Tennessee Titans
The AFC playoff picture is largely in flux, as the Bengals and Bills have played one fewer game than everyone else in the conference. How the league chooses to resolve the Week 17 finale could impact a few things.
"Everything is being considered," NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said, per The Athletic's Mike Jones.
According to Jones, options include resuming the Bills-Bengals game after Week 18 and eliminating the pre-Super Bowl bye week to give extra time to fit in this game, or eliminating the game completely.
If the game is eventually played, the implications would be straightforward. If it is declared a no-contest, playoff positioning would presumably be based on winning percentage.
In the latter scenario, the Kansas City Chiefs would claim the No. 1 seed even though Buffalo owns the head-to-head tiebreaker if both win in Week 18. The Bengals would win the AFC North regardless of the outcome of their game with the Baltimore Ravens.
If the game is played, Buffalo could claim the top seed by winning its final two games. Cincinnati would need to win one in order to finish ahead of Baltimore in the division.
Baltimore and the Los Angeles Chargers have both clinched wild-card berths, while the New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers remain alive for the seventh and final seed.
Miami needs a win over the New York Jets and a Patriots loss. New England is in with a victory against Buffalo. The Steelers can get in if they beat the Cleveland Browns while New England and Miami both lose.
The Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans are scheduled to face off on Saturday night, and the winner will be crowned AFC South champion. The victor in that game will host one playoff game but will be locked in as the No. 4 seed. The Jags could also take the seventh seed with a loss, but they would need the Patriots, Browns and Steelers to all lose as well.
NFC Playoff Picture
3 of 3
Current Bracket Outlook
1. Philadelphia Eagles: Bye
7. Seattle Seahawks at 2. San Francisco 49ers
6. New York Giants at 3. Minnesota Vikings
5. Dallas Cowboys at 4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
On the Bubble
8. Detroit Lions
9. Green Bay Packers
Only one playoff spot remains open in the NFC, and the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers are all in play for it.
Green Bay, which has won four straight, has played its way into a win-and-in scenario. If the Packers beat the Lions, they'll be playoff-bound. Detroit can get in with a win as well, but only if Seattle loses to the Los Angeles Rams.
The Seahawks need to win and have the Lions either beat or tie with the Packers.
The New York Giants have secured a wild-card spot, as have the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.
Philadelphia is a win away from clinching both the NFC East and the No. 1 seed—and the Eagles might have star quarterback Jalen Hurts (shoulder) back for the finale against New York.
According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the 24-year-old was with the first-team offense in Wednesday's practice:
Philadelphia has the conference's best record but has lost two straight with Gardner Minshew II in at quarterback in place of Hurts.
The Eagles can also clinch the division with a Dallas loss. If Philadelphia loses, though, the San Francisco 49ers could claim the No. 1 seed.
The 49ers have won the NFC West but can take the top seed and its first-round bye with a win and an Eagles loss. Dallas can only claim the No. 1 seed if it wins and both the Eagles and 49ers lose.
After losing to the Packers in Week 17, the Minnesota Vikings are out of the hunt for the top seed. However, Minnesota could take the No. 2 seed with a win over the Chicago Bears and losses for San Francisco and Dallas.
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