NFL Playoff Picture 2023-24 Week 11: Standings, Scenarios After Ravens vs. Bengals

The Baltimore Ravens kept their eyes on the proverbial prize on Thursday night, beating up the Cincinnati Bengals, 34-20, on a night that saw Joe Burrow leave the game with a right wrist injury.

It was a result with major implications for the AFC North, the AFC playoff picture in general and potentially the rest of Cincy's season, depending on the severity of Burrow's injury.

We'll break down the entire NFL postseason picture below.

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AFC Standings

1. Kansas City Chiefs: 7-2

2. Baltimore Ravens: 8-3

3. Jacksonville Jaguars: 6-3 (Wins tie break over Miami based on strength of victory.)

4. Miami Dolphins: 6-3

5. Pittsburgh Steelers: 6-3 (Wins tie break over Cleveland based on head-to-head win percentage.)

6. Cleveland Browns: 6-3

7. Houston Texans: 5-4

---------- Playoff Line ----------

8. Indianapolis Colts: 5-5 (Wins tie break over Buffalo, Cincinnati and Las Vegas based on best win percentage in conference games.)

9. Las Vegas Raiders: 5-5 (Wins tie break over Buffalo and Cincinnati based on best win percentage in conference games.)

10. Cincinnati Bengals: 5-5 (Wins tie break over Buffalo based on head-to-head win percentage.)

11. Buffalo Bills: 5-5

12. Los Angeles Chargers: 4-5 (Wins tie break over New York based on head-to-head win percentage. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Denver. Wins tie break over Denver based on best win percentage in division games.)

13. New York Jets: 4-5 (Wins tie break over Denver based on head-to-head win percentage.)

14. Denver Broncos: 4-5

15. Tennessee Titans: 3-6

16. New England Patriots: 2-8

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AFC Scenarios

The AFC is wide, wide open. You could make an argument that basically every team not named the Patriots still has at least an outside shot of playing their way into the postseason.

Almost every division appears to be up for grabs outside of the AFC West, too. (Let's be honest—the Raiders, Chargers and Broncos probably aren't going to make Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and Taylor Swift's boyfriend sweat too much for the division crown).

The AFC North remains in Baltimore's control, though the Steelers are currently the only undefeated team in division play (2-0), a potential advantage down the stretch if they can keep that going. Deshaun Watson's season-ending shoulder injury and the uncertainty around Burrow's wrist could also play a major part in how the North shakes out.

C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans, meanwhile, have made things very interesting in the AFC South, where the Jaguars didn't exactly look like a lock to claim the division crown after getting smacked around by San Francisco this past week.

And the Dolphins are the clear frontrunner in the AFC East, given Buffalo's recent woes and the Jets' lackluster quarterback play. Just two games separate those three teams, however, and Buffalo already beat Miami. Two games down the stretch between the Dolphins and Jets could decide the division.

In terms of the Wild Card picture, well, pick a few coins and flip them. It's wild in the AFC, and it's going to be a very fun end to the regular season.

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NFC Standings

1. Philadelphia Eagles: 8-1

2. Detroit Lions: 7-2

3. San Francisco 49ers: 6-3

4. New Orleans Saints: 5-5

5. Seattle Seahawks: 6-3 (Wins tie break over Dallas based on best win percentage in conference games.)

6. Dallas Cowboys: 6-3

7. Minnesota Vikings: 6-4

---------- Playoff Line ----------

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4-5

9. Washington Commanders: 4-6 (Wins tie break over Atlanta based on head-to-head win percentage.)

10. Atlanta Falcons: 4-6

11. Green Bay Packers: 3-6 (Wins tie break over Los Angeles based on head-to-head win percentage.)

12. Los Angeles Rams: 3-6

13. Chicago Bears: 3-7

14. New York Giants: 2-8 (Wins tie break over Arizona based on head-to-head win percentage.)

15. Arizona Cardinals: 2-8

16. Carolina Panthers: 1-8

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NFC Scenarios

Obviously, Thursday's result didn't have any bearing on the postseason picture in the NFC, where all roads again go through Philadelphia.

But the Eagles have a brutal five-game stretch coming up, with matchups against the Chiefs, Bills, Niners, Cowboys and Seahawks. Philly gave itself a bit of a cushion in the NFC East with a strong start to the season, but the Lions could be beneficiaries of that brutal slate.

Detroit, currently second in the conference, has a far easier upcoming slate, with two matchups against the Bears and contests against the Packers, Saints and Broncos in the next five weeks. Two meetings with the Vikings and a showdown against the Cowboys loom in the final three weeks, but the Lions are serious threats to steal the top seed from Philly.

The Niners are still in that conversation as well, with a Week 13 showdown between the teams arguably the biggest game of the season in the NFC. The Niners have an easier schedule down the stretch than Philly, though a pair of games against Seattle and a matchup with the Ravens is still on tap.

The NFC South is the worst division in football, but it also might provide the most drama in the conference, with the Saints, Bucs and Falcons all within one game of each other. The prize for winning the conference will be a home date with the top Wild Card team, likely either the Cowboys or Eagles.

There's plenty of football to be played, but at this juncture, the runaway favorites to reach the NFC playoffs are the Eagles, Cowboys, Lions, Vikings, Niners, Seahawks and whichever team wins the NFC South. Whereas the AFC is chaos incarnate, the NFC picture is clearer.

At least for the moment.