NFL Playoff Bracket Scenarios 2025-26 Week 14, Latest Update After Giants vs. Patriots

The New England Patriots head into their Week 14 bye on top of the AFC.

Drake Maye and Co. blew out the New York Giants on Monday night to reclaim the top position in the AFC at the end of Week 13.

New England is a half-game ahead of the Denver Broncos, who escaped with a win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday night.

The NFC playoff picture looks different than it did a week ago, as the Chicago Bears are now the No. 1 seed after the Los Angeles Rams' surprise defeat at the hands of the Carolina Panthers.

AFC Standings

AP Photo

Division Leaders

New England (11-2)

Denver (10-2)

Jacksonville (8-4)

Baltimore (6-6)

Wild-Card Race

Los Angeles Chargers (8-4)

Indianapolis (8-4)

Buffalo (8-4)

Houston (7-5)

Pittsburgh (6-6)

Kansas City (6-6)

Miami (5-7)

Cincinnati (4-8)

New York Jets (3-9)

Cleveland (3-9)

New England became the first NFL team to reach 11 wins on Monday night.

At minimum, the Patriots will be tied with the Broncos on record when they next take the field in Week 15.

Denver will likely move to 11-2 in Week 14 against the already-eliminated Las Vegas Raiders.

Denver and New England do not play in the regular season, so the tiebreaker will come down to conference record. Both teams are 6-2 in AFC play.

Three games in Week 14 could flip the AFC playoff picture around.

The Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars square off for first place in the AFC South, the Baltimore Ravens face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North and the Kansas City Chiefs need to beat the Houston Texans to have a shot at a wild-card berth.

Kansas City is 6-6 with head-to-head losses to the Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens.

The Chiefs might have to win out just to be in the wild-card conversation in Week 18.

NFC Standings

AP Photo

Division Leaders

Chicago (9-3)

Los Angeles Rams (9-3)

Philadelphia (8-4)

Tampa Bay (7-5)

Wild-Card Race

Seattle (9-3)

Green Bay (8-3-1)

San Francisco (9-4)

Detroit (7-5)

Dallas (6-5-1)

Carolina (7-6)

Atlanta (4-8)

Minnesota (4-8)

Washington (3-9)

The next game on the NFL schedule could serve as an elimination game in the NFC wild-card race.

The 7-5 Detroit Lions take on the 6-5-1 Dallas Cowboys in a game that both teams need in order to remain within reach of the three wild-card teams.

Both the Lions and Cowboys will be rooting for the Chicago Bears on Sunday in Green Bay.

A Bears win would open up a multi-game gap on the Packers and Lions in the NFC North with only four weeks to play.

If Green Bay wins, it is not just back in the NFC North driver's seat, but in the mix for the No. 1 overall seed in the conference.

The Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles have tricky road games against the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14, so there could be a massive opportunity for the Bears-Packers winner to pull away a bit.