NFL Playoff Bracket Picture 2024-25: AFC, NFC Standings After Week 16 Sunday Slate
The Detroit Lions' quest to earn home-field advantage in the NFC got easier thanks to results in Week 16.
Detroit is now a full game in front of the Philadelphia Eagles after the NFC East leader fell to the Washington Commanders without Jalen Hurts.
Washington's upset win at home and the Los Angeles Rams' road triumph over the New York Jets cut the field of potential playoff teams in the NFC to nine.
The Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on the outside looking in after Sunday. Tampa Bay dropped out of the NFC South lead due to its loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
The Atlanta Falcons now control the NFC South because they beat the Bucs twice earlier in the regular season.
Survival was the name of the game in the AFC wild-card race on Sunday, as the Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals picked up wins to keep hope alive into Week 17.
All three teams are still chasing the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos in the wild-card race, but at least they have hope, which is something a handful of NFC teams do not have anymore after they were eliminated on Sunday.
AFC Standings
1 of 2
Division Leaders
1. Kansas City (14-1)
2. Buffalo (11-3)
3. Pittsburgh (10-5)
4. Houston (9-6)
Wild-Card Race
5. Baltimore (10-5)
6. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)
7. Denver (9-6)
8. Indianapolis (7-8)
9. Miami (7-8)
10. Cincinnati (7-8)
The Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals kept their wild-card dreams alive for another week with victories on Sunday.
The Colts won a wild AFC South battle with the Tennessee Titans, while the Bengals took care of business against the Cleveland Browns.
Miami defeat the San Francisco 49ers in a matchup that meant far less to the Niners after they were eliminated from playoff contention in Sunday's early window.
All three of Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Miami need the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos to lose out to even have a shot of landing a wild-card spot.
Cincinnati has the biggest opportunity in front of it in Week 17 since it plays the Broncos.
At the top of the AFC, the Buffalo Bills remained mathematically alive for the No. 1 seed with a win over the New England Patriots.
The Bills need to win their final two games and for the Chiefs to lose out to claim the top seed on the head-to-head tiebreaker.
NFC Standings
2 of 2
Division Leaders
1. Detroit (13-2)
2. Philadelphia (12-3)
3. Los Angeles Rams (9-6)
4. Atlanta (8-7)
Wild-Card Race
5. Minnesota (13-2)
6. Green Bay (10-4)
7. Washington (10-5)
8. Tampa Bay (8-7)
9. Seattle (8-7)
Washington picked up the most important win in the NFC playoff picture on Sunday, as it came from behind to knock off the Eagles.
The Commanders are still two games back of the Eagles in the NFC East race, but what Sunday's win did is knock out a collection of teams from playoff contention.
The Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys can no longer qualify for the postseason.
Arizona and San Francisco entered Sunday with slim chances to win the NFC West, but those hopes were dashed after the Los Angeles Rams took down the New York Jets.
Los Angeles now owns a one-game lead over the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West thanks to its win and Seattle's defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings.
Minnesota is still in the running for the NFC North crown, and if it wins out, it can be the No. 1 seed in the NFC now that the Eagles are out of the picture. Minnesota plays Detroit in Week 18.
Tampa Bay failed to keep its one-game lead atop the NFC South on Sunday night. The Bucs now need help from the Commanders in Week 17 to beat the Falcons.
The Bucs must finish one game ahead of the Falcons in the NFC South due to Atlanta's edge in the head-to-head tiebreaker.
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