NFL Standings 2023-24: Week 17 Records, Playoff Scenarios, Wild Card Picture Review

Numerous NFL conference, division and wild-card races are slated to go down to the wire with just two weeks remaining in the regular season.

The wild-card races are particularly puzzling this year. In the AFC, four teams are tied for the third and final wild-card spot at 8-7.

The Indianapolis Colts currently hold down that berth with tiebreakers over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals.

To make matters more complicated, the Texans and Colts are also tied with the Jacksonville Jaguars for the AFC South lead.

The NFC isn't much clearer. We do know that the loser of the NFC East race between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys is earning one wild-card berth.

From there, it gets more complicated. The Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks own the last two wild-card spots at 8-7, but they are just one game ahead of a quartet of 7-8 teams (the Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints). The Falcons and Saints are also just behind the 8-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the NFC South title.

With all that in mind, here's a look at where everything stands through 16 weeks, alongside a peek ahead to Week 17.

Week 17 Schedule

David Berding/Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 24: Amon-Ra St. Brown #14 of the Detroit Lions warms up prior to the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 24, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Thursday, December 28

New York Jets at Cleveland Browns (8:15 p.m., Prime Video)

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Saturday, December 30

Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys (8:15 p.m., ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN+, ESPN DEPORTES)

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Sunday, December 31

Miami Dolphins at Baltimore Ravens (1:00 p.m., CBS)

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills (1:00 p.m., CBS)

Atlanta Falcons at Chicago Bears (1:00 p.m., CBS)

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans (1:00 p.m., FOX)

Las Vegas Raiders at Indianapolis Colts (1:00 p.m., CBS)

Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars (1:00 p.m., CBS)

Los Angeles Rams at New York Giants (1:00 p.m., FOX)

New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1:00 p.m., FOX)

San Francisco 49ers at Washington Commanders (1:00 p.m., FOX)

Pittsburgh Steelers at Seattle Seahawks (4:25 p.m., FOX)

Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos (4:25 p.m., CBS)

Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs (4:25 p.m., CBS)

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings (8:25 p.m., NBC, UNIVERSO)

AFC Playoff and Wild Card Standings

Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images

HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 24: Joe Flacco #15 of the Cleveland Browns looks to pass against the Houston Texans during the first quarter at NRG Stadium on December 24, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Playoff and Wild Card Standings

1. Baltimore Ravens (12-3, AFC North)
2. Miami Dolphins (11-4, AFC East)
3. Kansas City Chiefs (9-6, AFC West)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7, AFC South)
5. Cleveland Browns (10-5, Wild Card)
6. Buffalo Bills (9-6, Wild Card)
7. Indianapolis Colts (8-7, Wild Card)

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On the Bubble

Houston Texans (8-7)

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7)

Cincinnati Bengals (8-7)

Las Vegas Raiders (7-8)

Denver Broncos (7-8)

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Eliminated

New York Jets (6-9)

Tennessee Titans (5-10)

Los Angeles Chargers (5-10)

New England Patriots (4-11)

NFC Playoff and Wild Card Standings

Megan Briggs/Getty Images

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 24: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up prior to the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on December 24, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Playoff and Wild Card Standings

1. San Francisco 49ers (11-4, NFC West)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (11-4, NFC East)
3. Detroit Lions (11-4, NFC North)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7, NFC South)
5. Dallas Cowboys (10-5, Wild Card)
6. Los Angeles Rams (8-7, Wild Card)
7. Seattle Seahawks (8-7, Wild Card

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On the Bubble

Minnesota Vikings (7-8)

Atlanta Falcons (7-8)

Green Bay Packers (7-8)

New Orleans Saints (7-8)

Chicago Bears (6-9)

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Eliminated

New York Giants (5-10)

Washington Commanders (4-11)

Arizona Cardinals (3-12)

Carolina Panthers (2-13)

Games With Wild-Card Implications

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 24: Gardner Minshew #10 of the Indianapolis Colts looks to throw a pass during the first quarter In the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 24, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

New York Jets at Cleveland Browns

Win and in for the Cleveland Browns, who are enjoying a late-season surge under veteran quarterback Joe Flacco. Cleveland has the inside track on the No. 5 seed, which would likely mean a date against the AFC South winner.

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New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills

The Bills are all but assured of a wild-card spot with a win over the Pats, but they have their sights set on the division. They need to defeat the Pats and hope for the Miami Dolphins to lose to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday to have a chance. Then, if Buffalo beats Miami at home, the Bills will have their fourth division title in as many years.

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Atlanta Falcons at Chicago Bears

If the Bears lose, their season is over. If they win, the Bears need a victory next Sunday and a lot of help. If the Falcons lose, their season is on life support. Atlanta can also get into the postseason through the NFC South but need the Bucs, who are a game ahead, to lose.

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Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders at Indianapolis Colts

These two games go hand-in-hand. The Texans and Colts are in the AFC Wild Card and AFC South races. Wins keep them alive in both. If either team loses and the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the 2-13 Carolina Panthers, then they will be eliminated from the division race.

The Raiders also stayed alive in the playoff race but need two wins and a lot of help.

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Los Angeles Rams at New York Giants

The Rams will stay in the wild-card driver's seat with a win over the Giants, who showed some fight against the Philadelphia Eagles on Christmas but ultimately lost.

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New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Saints' hopes for the NFC South stay alive with a win and die with a loss. A defeat will crush their wild-card hopes too. But a victory makes things very interesting going into Week 18 for the division and wild-card races. As for the Bucs, they control their own destiny here. Win, and the NFC South is theirs.

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Pittsburgh Steelers at Seattle Seahawks

The Steelers need this game more than the Seahawks, with them currently outside the playoffs because of tiebreakers. A loss will significantly damage Pittsburgh's hopes, but a win keeps them alive for one more week. Meanwhile, Seattle stays in front of the pack with a win. A loss will drag them down a game and into a tie with at least one 8-8 team with one week left.

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Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos

The Broncos need a win and a lot of help to stay in the playoff race. Ultimately, and realistically, the Christmas Eve loss to the Pats has all but ended hopes.

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Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs

The Bengals took a huge blow in their playoff hopes with a bad loss to the Steelers, but they can bring them back to life with a road win over the reeling Chiefs.

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Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings

This is essentially an elimination game, with the winner staying alive and the loser all but out. By the time this game is played, that might actually be the case depending on how the day's results go.