NFL Playoff Picture Week 13: Updated AFC, NFC Wildcard Scenarios and Predictions

The AFC wild-card race could receive some much-needed clarity in Week 13.

The Denver Broncos and Houston Texans face off inside NRG Stadium and the Cincinnati Bengals are on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

That means two of the six teams fighting for the No. 7 seed will lose. The Bengals are one of the biggest underdogs on the schedule and are expected to fall on Monday night.

The Indianapolis Colts have the most to gain on Sunday, but they face a tricky road test against the Tennessee Titans.

A win within the AFC South would be massive for Indianapolis' wild-card hopes with the Denver-Houston matchup and the Buffalo Bills and Las Vegas Raiders on byes.

The NFC wild-card race has the potential to get more interesting on Sunday if the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams win.

The Seattle Seahawks' Thursday loss to the Dallas Cowboys moved Seattle down to 6-6 alongside the Minnesota Vikings and created a three-game gap between the Cowboys and the 6-6 sides.

AFC Playoff Picture

Cooper Neill/Getty Images

HOUSTON, TX - NOVEMBER 26: C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans looks on from the field during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium on November 26, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Division Leaders

1. Baltimore (9-3)

2. Kansas City (8-3)

3. Jacksonville (8-3)

4. Miami (8-3)

Wild-Card Race

5. Pittsburgh (7-4)

6. Cleveland (7-4)

7. Indianapolis (6-5)

8. Houston (6-5)

9. Denver (6-5)

10. Buffalo (6-6)

11. Cincinnati (5-6)

12. Las Vegas (5-7)

13. Los Angeles Chargers (4-7)

14. Tennessee (4-7)

15. New York Jets (4-7)

At least one of the three 6-5 teams in the AFC will lose on Sunday.

Houston will be at home against Denver, but the Broncos are playing the better football at the moment.

The Texans have the potential to claim a few key head-to-head wins, starting on Sunday, as they face the Broncos, Colts and Cleveland Browns. They lost their first meeting with the Colts so they need to level the season series in Week 18.

The Colts own the head-to-head advantage over the Texans and have a better conference record than the Broncos.

A loss to Tennessee would be a brutal blow to the Colts' tiebreaker advantages. It would also drop their division record, which would be used if they split the season series with Houston.

Tennessee is a few games out of the wild-card race right now, but a home win on Sunday could push it slightly into the conversation.

Cincinnati is expected to lose to Jacksonville on Monday night and that would drop it below the Raiders.

The Bills and Raiders are both on byes in Week 13 so they can only move up in the standings if the teams in front of them lose.

The Los Angeles Chargers are expected to move to 5-7 with a win over the New England Patriots. That would at least put the Chargers in the wild-card conversation, but their season-long inconsistencies may hurt them too much in the final five weeks.

The New York Jets are still alive on the fringe of the wild-card race. They face a must-win home game against the Atlanta Falcons to keep their bleak playoff hopes alive.

Wild-Card Prediction

5. Pittsburgh

6. Cleveland

7. Indianapolis

NFC Playoff Picture

Michael Owens/Getty Images

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 30: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys looks to pass as he warms up prior to an NFL football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Seattle Seahawks at AT&T Stadium on November 30, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Division Leaders

1. Philadelphia (10-1)

2. San Francisco (8-3)

3. Detroit (8-3)

4. Atlanta (5-6)

Wild-Card Race

5. Dallas (9-3)

6. Minnesota (6-6)

7. Seattle (6-6)

8. Green Bay (5-6)

9. Los Angeles Rams (5-6)

10. New Orleans (5-6)

11. Tampa Bay (4-7)

Dallas is clear of everyone in the NFC wild-card race.

The Cowboys own a three-game advantage over the Vikings and Seahawks. It would take a historical collapse for the Cowboys to not make the playoffs as the No. 5 seed.

Minnesota and Seattle have work to do to avoid fights with the Packers, Rams and Saints for the final two wild-card positions.

Both franchises would love to see the Packers fall to the Kansas City Chiefs, Rams lose to the Cleveland Browns and Saints stumble versus the Detroit Lions.

Even two defeats from those three teams would make the Seahawks and Vikings feel more comfortable about their respective wild-card positions.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers can move up to 5-7 with a win over the Carolina Panthers, but they could struggle after that in back-to-back road games against Atlanta and Green Bay.

The only playoff clinching scenario in play for Week 13 involves the NFC-leading Philadelphia Eagles.

Philadelphia clinches a playoff berth with a win over the San Francisco 49ers, or with losses from the Rams, Packers and Lions.

Wild-Card Prediction

5. Dallas

6. Minnesota

7. Seattle