NFL Playoff Picture 2023-24: AFC, NFC Clinching and Elimination Scenarios for Week 14

The NFL playoff race is officially on.

There are just five weeks remaining in the 2023 season, and everything is still up in the air. No team has clinched a division title, both No. 1 seeds are up for grabs and only the Carolina Panthers have been completely eliminated from postseason contention.

Week 14 features a number of games pitting playoff contenders against each other, so there promises to be more clarity in the near future.

With that in mind, here is a look at the current postseason picture, some clinching scenarios and what is in store for NFL fans this week.

Current Playoff Standings

AFC

1. Miami Dolphins, 9-3 (tiebreaker over Baltimore Ravens)
2. Baltimore Ravens, 9-3
3. Kansas City Chiefs, 8-4 (tiebreaker over Jacksonville Jaguars)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars, 8-4
5. Pittsburgh Steelers, 7-5 (tiebreaker over Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans)
6. Cleveland Browns, 7-5 (tiebreaker over Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans)
7. Indianapolis Colts, 7-5 (tiebreaker over Houston Texans)

NFC

1. Philadelphia Eagles, 10-2
2. San Francisco 49ers, 9-3 (tiebreaker over Detroit Lions)
3. Detroit Lions, 9-3
4. Atlanta Falcons, 6-6
5. Dallas Cowboys, 9-3
6. Minnesota Vikings, 6-6 (tiebreaker over Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers)
7. Green Bay Packers, 6-6 (tiebreaker over Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks)

Clinching and Elimination Scenarios

• Arizona is eliminated if Green Bay and Los Angeles win or if Los Angeles wins, Green Bay ties and Minnesota wins or ties
• New England is eliminated if it loses or ties. It is also eliminated if Houston wins or ties, Cincinnati wins or ties, Las Vegas wins and Buffalo wins or ties, or Las Vegas ties and Buffalo wins.
• Tennessee is eliminated if it loses and Jacksonville and Cleveland tie, Indianapolis wins, Pittsburgh wins, and Houston wins or ties

Week 14's Key Games in Playoff Race

Not all important games are created equal.

After all, a matchup between the 5-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 6-6 Atlanta Falcons doesn't look all that intriguing on paper. Yet it will go a long way toward determining the NFC South champion and whether a team will end up hosting a playoff game with a losing record.

The Falcons are in first place, but Tampa Bay and the New Orleans Saints are just one game back.

Elsewhere, the AFC picture will take center stage when the Indianapolis Colts face the Cincinnati Bengals, the Jacksonville Jaguars play the Cleveland Browns, and the Kansas City Chiefs square off against the Buffalo Bills.

The matchup between Kansas City and Buffalo figured to be a potential AFC Championship Game preview when the schedule was released, but the Bills are outside of the playoff picture at 6-6. They are still well within striking distance, but Patrick Mahomes and Co. could deal quite the blow to one of their presumed challengers for the AFC crown.

Cincinnati is in a similar position to Buffalo as a team that is not in the current playoff picture despite realistic championship hopes at the start of the season. Its outlook isn't as promising with Joe Burrow sidelined for the rest of the season, but Jake Browning was excellent in Monday's win over the Jaguars and now has a chance to make up some ground on the Colts.

As for Jacksonville, it will look to bounce back against a Cleveland team that is just one game behind it in the standings.

On the NFC side, the battle for the No. 1 seed will be a primary focus in Week 14.

That is the case after the San Francisco 49ers handled the Philadelphia Eagles with relative ease on Sunday. The 42-19 victory meant Philadelphia is just one game ahead entering the stretch run.

The Dallas Cowboys have the opportunity to do just what San Francisco did with a head-to-head matchup against the Eagles in Week 14. Dallas is just one game back in both the NFC East and the race for the No. 1 seed, and a victory in the week's biggest contest would put the conference's first-round bye fully up for grabs, especially if the 49ers defeat the Seattle Seahawks and the Detroit Lions beat the Chicago Bears.