NFL Playoff Picture Week 15: Latest AFC, NFC Standings and Bracket Scenarios
In Week 14, the San Francisco 49ers became the first NFL team to clinch a playoff berth during the 2023 season. After they defeated the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, the Green Bay Packers' Monday night loss to the New York Giants ensured the Niners would be heading to the postseason for the fourth time in five years.
There's still a lot up in the air regarding this season's playoff field, though. Thirteen more spots are available, and only two of the NFL's 32 teams have been eliminated from postseason contention (the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots).
Four weeks remain in the regular season. Here's a look at the NFL standings heading into Week 15, followed by the playoff picture for both the AFC and NFC.
NFL Standings
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AFC East
1. Miami Dolphins (9-4)
2. Buffalo Bills (7-6)
3. New York Jets (5-8)
4. New England Patriots (3-10, eliminated from playoff contention)
AFC North
1. Baltimore Ravens (10-3)
2. Cleveland Browns (8-5)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
4. Cincinnati Bengals (7-6)
AFC South
1. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5)
2. Indianapolis Colts (7-6)
3. Houston Texans (7-6)
4. Tennessee Titans (5-8)
AFC West
1. Kansas City Chiefs (8-5)
2. Denver Broncos (7-6)
3. Los Angeles Chargers (5-8)
4. Las Vegas Raiders (5-8)
NFC East
1. Dallas Cowboys (10-3)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (10-3)
3. New York Giants (5-8)
4. Washington Commanders (4-9)
NFC North
1. Detroit Lions (9-4)
2. Minnesota Vikings (7-6)
3. Green Bay Packers (6-7)
4. Chicago Bears (5-8)
NFC South
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7)
2. Atlanta Falcons (6-7)
3. New Orleans Saints (6-7)
4. Carolina Panthers (1-12, eliminated from playoff contention)
NFC West
1. San Francisco 49ers (10-3, clinched playoff berth)
2. Los Angeles Rams (6-7)
3. Seattle Seahawks (6-7)
4. Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
AFC Playoff Picture
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Bye: No. 1 Baltimore Ravens (10-3)
No. 2 Miami Dolphins (9-4) vs. No. 7 Indianapolis Colts (7-6)
No. 3 Kansas City Chiefs (8-5) vs. No. 6 Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
No. 4 Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5) vs. No. 5 Cleveland Browns (8-5)
In the hunt: Houston Texans (7-6), Denver Broncos (7-6), Cincinnati Bengals (7-6), Buffalo Bills (7-6), Los Angeles Chargers (5-8), Las Vegas Raiders (5-8), New York Jets (5-8), Tennessee Titans (5-8)
The Ravens are now alone atop the AFC standings after Week 14, when they defeated the Rams in overtime and the Dolphins lost to the Titans. So Baltimore now controls the battle for the No. 1 seed, as it can't be passed in the standings if it wins out.
Miami has a two-game lead over Buffalo in the AFC East, but that division race is far from over. The Dolphins have some tough matchups coming up, including home meetings with the Cowboys (Week 16) and the Bills (Week 18) and a road contest in Baltimore (Week 17).
The tightest division in the conference is the AFC South, in which the Jags (8-5) have a slim lead over the Colts (7-6) and the Texans (7-6). The AFC West leader also only has a one-game advantage, as the Chiefs (8-5) are barely ahead of the Broncos (7-6).
If the season was over today, then three AFC North teams would be in the playoffs. That doesn't even include the Bengals, who are 7-6 after back-to-back wins over the Jaguars and Colts. Cincinnati's remaining games are against Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Cleveland, four teams currently in playoff positions.
No AFC team has clinched a postseason berth, but that could change in Week 15. The Ravens could secure a spot if they beat the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road and also get some help via losses by other playoff competitors.
Considering no AFC division leader has more than a two-game advantage at this point, a lot could change over the next four weeks.
NFC Playoff Picture
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Bye: No. 1 San Francisco 49ers (10-3)
No. 2 Dallas Cowboys (10-3) vs. No. 7 Green Bay Packers (6-7)
No. 3 Detroit Lions (9-4) vs. No. 6 Minnesota Vikings (7-6)
No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) vs. No. 5 Philadelphia Eagles (10-3)
In the hunt: Los Angeles Rams (6-7), Seattle Seahawks (6-7), Atlanta Falcons (6-7), New Orleans Saints (6-7), New York Giants (5-8), Chicago Bears (5-8), Washington Commanders (4-9), Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
Although the 49ers have clinched a playoff berth, they haven't wrapped up the NFC West race quite yet. There's a good chance that won't be the case after Week 15, though, as San Francisco can clinch the division title with either a win at Arizona or a Los Angeles loss to Washington.
The Cowboys, Lions and Eagles could each clinch playoff berths this week. Dallas (at Buffalo) and Philadelphia (at Seattle) can do so with wins, while Detroit needs additional help.
At this point, three NFC North teams are in playoff positions. The Lions have been the best team in the division all season, but the Vikings and Packers are strong wild-card contenders. And the Bears (5-8) aren't out of the postseason picture, either.
Even though the Cowboys and Eagles are both 10-3 (tied for the best record in the NFL), one of those teams will be going on the road to open the playoffs. Only one can win the NFC East, while the other will head to the postseason as a wild card (likely the No. 5 seed).
The NFC South is the tightest division race in the conference, and all four teams are below .500. The Buccaneers, Falcons and Saints each enter Week 15 at 6-7, and any of the three could end up hosting a playoff game in the Wild-Card Round.
With five NFC teams sitting at 6-7 (including the trio of NFC South squads), there could be a lot of movement around the playoff bubble over the final four weeks of the regular season.
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