NFL Playoff Bracket Picture 2025-26 and AFC, NFC Standings After Week 12 SNF

The playoff picture in the NFL continued to take shape Sunday afternoon, with legitimate contenders overcoming challenges from non-contenders and former champions resuscitating their postseason hopes in dramatic fashion.

Find out what the current playoff situation looks like after Sunday's action, including the one team who overcame the challenge of a division-leading squad to remain in the hunt for the Lombardi Trophy.

NFC Playoff Picture

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The NFC playoff picture is:

1. Los Angeles Rams (9-2, West)

2. Philadelphia Eagles (8-3, East; Wins tie break over Chicago based on best win percentage in conference games)

3. Chicago Bears (8-3, North)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5, South; Wins tie break over Carolina based on best win percentage in division games)

5. Seattle Seahawks (8-3, Wild Card)

6. Green Bay Packers (7-3-1, Wild Card)

7. San Francisco 49ers (7-4, Wild Card; Wins tie break over Detroit based on best win percentage in conference games)

8. Detroit Lions (7-4)

9. Carolina Panthers (6-5)

10. Dallas Cowboys (5-5-1)

11. Atlanta Falcons (4-7; Wins tie break over Minnesota based on head-to-head win percentage)

12. Minnesota Vikings (4-7)

13. Arizona Cardinals (3-8; Wins tie break over Washington based on best win percentage in conference games)

14. Washington Commanders (3-8)

15. New Orleans Saints (2-9)

16. e-New York Giants (2-10)

(e) - eliminated from the postseason

AFC Playoff Picture

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The AFC playoff picture is:

1. New England Patriots (10-2, East)

2. Denver Broncos (9-2, West)

3. Indianapolis Colts (8-3, South)

4. Baltimore Ravens (6-5, North; Wins tie break over Pittsburgh based on best win percentage in division games.)

5. Los Angeles Chargers (7-4, Wild Card; Wins tie break over Buffalo and Jacksonville based on best win percentage in conference games.)

6. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-4, Wild Card; Wins tie break over Buffalo based on best win percentage in conference games)

7. Buffalo Bills (7-4, Wild Card)

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5; Wins tie break over Houston based on strength of victory. Wins tie break over Kansas City based on best win percentage in conference games)

9. Houston Texans (6-5; Wins tie break over Kansas City based on best win percentage in conference games.)

10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-5)

11. Miami Dolphins (4-7)

12. Cincinnati Bengals (3-8; Wins tie break over Cleveland based on head-to-head win percentage)

13. Cleveland Browns (3-8)

14. Las Vegas Raiders (2-9; Wins tie break over NY Jets based on strength of victory)

15. New York Jets (2-9)

16. Tennessee Titans (1-10)

Chiefs Stay Alive in Playoff Hunt With OT Win

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The Chiefs' dreams of competing in a fourth, consecutive Super Bowl remain alive.

For now.

The defending AFC champions fought back, down 20-9 in the fourth quarter, to defeat the Indianapolis Colts in overtime, 23-20.

Patrick Mahomes did not score, and was sacked four times, and was picked off once. The former league and Super Bowl MVP did throw for 352 yards. His 31-yard strike to Xavier Worthy and 21-yard pass to Rashee Rice set up kicker Harrison Butker's game-winning field goal.

Even with the win, the 6-5 Chiefs remain on the outside looking in at the playoff picture, ranked 10th in the AFC and losers of a tiebreaker scenario with the Houston Texans, who have more conference victories than Mahomes and Co.

It will not be easy for the Chiefs to climb back into contention, either, with three of their final six coming against winning teams and three of the six within their own division, including a Christmas Day showdown with the AFC's second-seeded Denver Broncos.

The silver lining? All three games against winning teams are at home, where the Chiefs are 5-1 this season.