NFL Scores Week 17: Results, Playoff Standings and Picture for AFC, NFC

The playoff picture in the NFL is clearer following Sunday's slate of NFL games, with divisions decided and wildcard teams one step closer to cashing their tickets to the proverbial dance.

The Baltimore Ravens solidified their status as the class of the AFC while good teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams struggled against not-so-great opposition in the NFC.

Who picked up key victories, how did it affect their playoff situations, and what stories made headlines in the penultimate week of the regular season?

Find out with this recap of the Week 17 action.

Week 17 Results

Cooper Neill/Getty Images

CLEVELAND, OH - DECEMBER 28: Joe Flacco #15 of the Cleveland Browns celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the New York Jets at Cleveland Browns Stadium on December 28, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Thursday, December 28

Cleveland Browns def. New York Jets (37-20)

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Saturday, December 30

Dallas Cowboys def. Detroit Lions (20-19)

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Sunday, December 31

Houston Texans def. Tennessee Titans (26-3)

Buffalo Bills def. New England Patriots (27-21)

Arizona Cardinals def. Philadelphia Eagles (35-31)

Jacksonville Jaguars def. Carolina Panthers (26-0)

Indianapolis Colts def. Las Vegas Raiders (23-20)

San Francisco 49ers def. Washington Commanders (27-10)

New Orleans Saints def. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (23-13)

Los Angeles Rams def. New York Giants (26-25)

Baltimore Ravens def. Miami Dolphins (56-19)

Pittsburgh Steelers def. Seattle Seahawks (30-23)

Kansas City Chiefs def. Cincinnati Bengals (25-17)

Denver Broncos def. Los Angeles Chargers (16-9)

Green Bay Packers def. Minnesota Vikings (33-10)

AFC Playoff Picture

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - DECEMBER 31: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 31, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Current AFC standings are:

1. Baltimore Ravens (13-3, AFC North) (X, Y, Z)
2. Miami Dolphins (11-5, AFC East) (X)
3. Kansas City Chiefs (10-6, AFC West) (X)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7, AFC South)
5. Cleveland Browns (11-5, Wildcard) (X)
6. Buffalo Bills (10-6, Wildcard)
7. Indianapolis Colts (9-7, Wildcard)

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On the Bubble

Houston Texans (9-7)

Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)

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Eliminated

New England Patriots (4-12)

Los Angeles Chargers (5-11)

Tennessee Titans (5-11)

New York Jets (6-10)

Las Vegas Raiders (7-9)

Denver Broncos (8-8)

Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)

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(X): clinched playoffs, (Y): clinched division, (Z): clinched No. 1 seed

NFC Playoff Picture

Greg Fiume/Getty Images

LANDOVER, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 31: Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to a game against the Washington Commanders at FedExField on December 31, 2023 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

Current NFC playoff standings are:

1. San Francisco 49ers (12-4, NFC West) (X, Y, Z)
2. Dallas Cowboys (11-5, NFC East) (X)
3. Detroit Lions (11-5, NFC North) (X, Y)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8, NFC South)
5. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5, Wildcard) (X)
6. Los Angeles Rams (9-7, Wildcard) (X)
   
7. Green Bay Packers (8-8, Wildcard)

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On the Bubble

New Orleans Saints (8-8)

Seattle Seahawks (8-8)

Minnesota Vikings (7-9)

Chicago Bears (7-9)

Atlanta Falcons (7-9)

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Eliminated

Carolina Panthers (2-14)

Arizona Cardinals (4-12)

Washington Commanders (4-12)

New York Giants (5-11)

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(X): clinched playoffs; (Y): clinched division, (Z): clinched No. 1 seed

Lamar Jackson's MVP Exclamation Point

Michael Owens/Getty Images

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 31: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates after a touchdown during an NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Miami Dolphins at M&T Bank Stadium on December 31, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Lamar Jackson silenced all doubters about his status as the MVP of the NFL in 2023 Sunday with a five-touchdown performance against the Miami Dolphins that also earned his Baltimore Ravens the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC.

Jackson expertly maneuvered around the pocket, daring the Dolphins to blitz him and picking them apart when they did.

A former league MVP already, Jackson solidified his argument for the top individual honor in the NFL with a performance that saw him go 18-21 for 321 and a perfect quarterback rating of 158.3.

He was perfect, finding Zay Flowers, Justice Hill, Patrick Ricard, and Isaiah Likely (twice) for scores. It was a statement from Jackson, who left no doubt as to who the best player in the league is as the playoffs approach. In the biggest game of the season to this point, he rose to the occasion and had what may have been the best single-game performance of his career.

He was crisp, confident, maneuvered around the pocket like a seasoned veteran, and silenced critics still clinging to the argument that he is a runner first.

The Dolphins' defense had no answer for Jackson or the Ravens' offense, which put up 493 total yards.

For Miami, the loss put the AFC East title in jeopardy. Once shoe-ins to win the division, they now host the Buffalo Bills in a match-up that will not only determine the title but, also, which team will go on the road for its first playoff match-up.

That will not be a concern for Jackson and Co., who will have a first-round bye as the top team in the conference. That is a position the team found itself in, back in 2019, and suffered a divisional round upset loss at the hands of the Tennessee Titans.

Jackson is older, more experienced, and playing the best football of his life. Against the potential opponents in the conference, it is hard to see a team that can stop the soon-to-be two-time MVP.