NFL Playoff Picture 2023: Clinching, Elimination Scenarios Released for Week 13

The Philadelphia Eagles can be the first team to punch their NFL playoff ticket in Week 13.

Avoiding a defeat to the San Francisco 49ers and getting the right results elsewhere will secure Philadelphia's postseason passage:

At the other end of the spectrum, the Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots can all be eliminated from playoff contention this week. The Panthers have the most straightforward path since a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will do the job.

Here's how the NFL playoff bracket looks through 12 weeks:

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AFC Playoff Seeding

1. Baltimore Ravens, 9-3

2. Kansas City Chiefs, 8-3

3. Jacksonville Jaguars, 8-3

4. Miami Dolphins, 8-3

5. Pittsburgh Steelers, 7-4

6. Cleveland Browns, 6-5

7. Indianapolis Colts, 6-5

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NFC Playoff Seeding

1. Philadelphia Eagles, 10-1

2. San Francisco 49ers, 8-3

3. Detroit Lions, 8-3

4. Atlanta Falcons, 5-6

5. Dallas Cowboys, 6-5

6. Seattle Seahawks, 6-5

7. Minnesota Vikings, 6-6

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Some separation in the standings is inevitable as the end of the regular season gets closer, but this year's playoff race won't be lacking in drama.

None of the eight teams leading their respective divisions is up by three games or more. In the AFC South, only two games separate the Jacksonville Jaguars from the Indianapolis Colts. The margins are nearly the same in the AFC North, where neither the Pittsburgh Steelers nor the Cleveland Browns (both 7-4) are out of it against the Baltimore Ravens (9-3).

The wild-card battles are even tighter.

The 12th-place Las Vegas Raiders already fired their head coach, yet only 1.5 games separate them from the Colts for the wild-card spot. The New York Giants, Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders have been bad to abject for nearly the entire year, and the gap between the Minnesota Vikings in seventh is only two games.

There are also some teams with playoff ambitions that are reduced to leaning on a backup quarterback thanks to an injury to the starter.

For the aforementioned Vikings, the magic may have run out for Josh Dobbs, who went 22-of-32 for 185 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions in Monday's 12-10 defeat to the Bears.

The Browns are in a similar bind because their hopes are pinned to fifth-round pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who's also in the concussion protocol following Sunday's 29-12 loss to the Denver Broncos.

Parity has been a hallmark of the NFL for years, and the gulf in quality between the top and bottom of the league has never felt closer.