NFL Playoff Scenarios 2023-24 Week 9: Projected Matchups After Lions Win vs. Raiders

Don't look now, but the NFL's regular season will be halfway over at this time next week.

The Detroit Lions wrapped up Week 8 with a 26-14 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday and further cemented their spot in the NFC playoff picture. There is still plenty of time for the seeding in both conferences to change, but the blips of small sample sizes are starting to turn into patterns with the midway point of the campaign in Week 9 approaching.

With that in mind, here is a look at the projected playoff matchups based on the current standings in the NFC and the AFC.

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NFC

1. Philadelphia Eagles (7-1, first-round bye)

2. Detroit Lions (6-2) vs. 7. Minnesota Vikings (4-4, tiebreaker over New Orleans Saints)

3. Seattle Seahawks (5-2) vs. 6. San Francisco 49ers (5-3)

4. Atlanta Falcons (4-4, tiebreaker over Saints) vs. 5. Dallas Cowboys (5-2)

AFC

1. Kansas City Chiefs (6-2, first-round bye and tiebreaker over Miami Dolphins)

2. Miami Dolphins (6-2, tiebreaker over Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars) vs. 7. Cleveland Browns (4-3, tiebreaker over New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals)

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2, tiebreaker over Ravens) vs. 6. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3, tiebreaker over Jets, Bengals and Browns)

4. Baltimore Ravens (6-2) vs. 5. Buffalo Bills (5-3)

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There are a few matchups that jump out from that list, including what would be a showdown between the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills.

That would mean fans would get the chance to see Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen go head-to-head in a battle of some of the best quarterbacks in the league. And if that wasn't enough, Patrick Mahomes could be waiting for the winner in the next round if the seeds held.

For as excellent as Jackson is with a resume that includes a league MVP and two Pro Bowl selections, the playoff success hasn't come yet during his six seasons in the league.

He is just 1-3 as a starter in the postseason with three touchdown passes to five interceptions. Even with his ability to run the ball, that isn't good enough against the league's best teams with trips to the Super Bowl hanging in the balance.

By comparison, Allen has 17 touchdown passes to four interceptions in eight playoff games, although he is just 4-4 in those starts as Buffalo has failed to reach the Super Bowl with him under center despite consistently being among the top teams in the league in recent years.

The Bills' championship dreams ended against Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in back-to-back playoff appearances to cap off the 2020 and 2021 seasons, so the chance to advance to the Divisional Round and play the reigning champions in this scenario would surely be an enticing one for a team looking to take the next step.

As for the NFC, intra-divisional matchups would be the theme if the standings held and pitted the Lions against the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks against the San Francisco 49ers.

Much of that is subject to change, especially with Kirk Cousins now sidelined for Minnesota, but the familiarity in place going into what would be a third head-to-head game of the year would make for intriguing storylines.

San Francisco will need to turn things around if it is going to reach the playoffs and perhaps catch the Seahawks in the NFC West.

The 49ers seemed well on their way to a dominant season with a 5-0 start and no shortage of offensive weapons with Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk and more, but three straight losses and injuries to Samuel and Trent Williams have left some question marks.

So has the recent play of quarterback Brock Purdy, who has three touchdown passes to five interceptions during the current three-game losing streak.

San Francisco can at least take solace knowing it is heading into its bye in Week 9. That should allow it to get healthier and maybe rediscover its form before the stretch run, where it will attempt to overtake the Seahawks and earn home-field advantage in the playoffs.