NFL Playoff Picture Week 15, AFC, NFC Bracket Scenarios, 2025 Postseason Predictions

The NFL playoff picture is taking shape, with the best teams solidifying their positions and others doing just enough to stay in the hunt for a spot in the postseason.

The Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots reign atop the NFC and AFC, respectively, while the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos are making moves to eclipse them.

Who else is in contention, which teams are clinging to their playoff lives, and are any of the squads in the hunt realistically likely to make the dance?

Find out with this early look at the playoffs, including odds to both make it and win the Super Bowl, as well as predictions for the bubble teams.

NFC Playoff Picture

AP Photo

Division Leaders

1. Los Angeles Rams (10-3, NFC West; 390 odds to make the Super Bowl; -10000 odds to make playoffs)

2. Green Bay Packers (9-3-1, NFC North; 800; -2500)

3. Philadelphia Eagles (8-5, NFC East; 1200; -2000)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6, NFC South; 5500; -300)

Jalen Hurts' disastrous Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers, including five turnovers in the 22-19 loss, raised eyebrows and created questions about the defending Super Bowl champions' ability to repeat. The offense has been stagnant and, despite continued strong play from the defense, the team is headed in the wrong direction at a key point in the season following their third straight loss.

Wildcard Race

5. Seattle Seahawks (10-3; 650; -10000)

6. San Francisco 49ers (9-4; 2200; -1600)

7. Chicago Bears (9-4; 4500; -200)

The San Francisco 49ers may be the most underappreciated playoff team this season. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has kept his team in the postseason hunt despite a plethora of injuries, including quarterback Brock Purdy and key defenders Fred Warner and Nick Bosa. With Purdy back and Christian McCaffrey having a historic season, they are one of the Wildcard teams that could make a legitimate Super Bowl run.

In the Hunt

8. Detroit Lions (8-5; 2200; -115)

9. Carolina Panthers (7-6; 15000; 220)

10. Dallas Cowboys (5-6-1; 11000; +600)

11. Minnesota Vikings (5-8; 100000; 25000)

With the Eagles' loss Monday, the Cowboys are still in the hunt, not just for a playoff spot but the NFC East division title. What Brian Schottenheimer has been able to accomplish with his team, despite the historically bad defense early on and the injuries suffered by star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, has been special, as has the quarterback play of Dak Prescott. Winnable games against Las Vegas and Minnesota set up a potentially season-defining game against the Chargers to close things out.

Eliminated

12. Atlanta Falcons (4-9)

13. Arizona Cardinals (3-10)

14. New Orleans Saints (3-10)

15. Washington Commanders (3-10)

16. New York Giants (2-11)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

AFC Playoff Picture

AP Photo

Division Leaders

1. New England Patriots (11-2, AFC East; 1000 odds to make the Super Bowl; 20000 odds to make playoffs)

2. Denver Broncos (11-2, AFC West; 1000; 15000)

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4, AFC South; 1900; -10000)

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6, AFC North; 6500; -185)

The Patriots and Broncos will have the most interesting and important playoff run down the stretch, with each team riding long win streaks and jockeying for that top spot in the AFC. New England faced Buffalo in a Week 15 match with heavy AFC East implications, while the Broncos play one of the NFC's elite, Green Bay. Denver has a tougher road ahead, with match-ups against four teams still in the postseason hunt. The Pats end the season against three struggling teams in Baltimore, the Jets, and Miami.

Wild Card Race

5. Buffalo Bills (9-4; 850; -10000)

6. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4; 2800; -340)

7. Houston Texans (8-5; 1300; -2500)

The Chargers sent a message loudly and clearly to anyone doubting their ability to win the big game Monday night, turning Jalen Hurts over five times and defeating the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles. They needed that momentum-building win because they have an unenviable slate against the playoff-hopeful Cowboys and Chiefs, before finishing the season against the defensively dominant Houston and against Denver in a game that may be for the division crown.

In the Hunt

8. Indianapolis Colts (8-5; 13000; 300)

9. Baltimore Ravens (6-7; 4000; 185)

10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-7; 5500; 550)

11. Miami Dolphins (6-7; 100000; 10000)

12. Cincinnati Bengals (4-9; 20000; 1400)

Is the dynasty over? The Chiefs' turnover-riddled loss to Houston means Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and Co. will not win the AFC West for the first time in nine seasons and may be in danger of missing the playoffs all together. There is a path there, thanks to very winnable games against Tennessee and Las Vegas, but they would have to essentially win out or hope that one of the teams ahead of them craters. That seems rather unlikely given games against the Chargers (Week 15) and Broncos (Week 17).

Eliminated

13. New York Jets (3-10)

14. Cleveland Browns (3-10)

15. Las Vegas Raiders (2-10)

16. Tennessee Titans (2-11)

Will Any of the "In The Hunt" Teams Actually Get In?

AP Photo

The teams battling for a wild card spot will face a tougher time breaking through and making the postseason this year, thanks to a stacked upper-half of each conference.

In the AFC, the Indianapolis Colts are the most likely. Still, the team is facing major questions at quarterback with a season-ending injury to Daniel Jones (torn Achilles) and a knee injury to backup Riley Leonard. With Anthony Richardson unable to play because of an eye injury, the team will work out 44-year-old Philip Rivers. Turning to a retired quarterback who has not played in two seasons is not conducive to a legitimate playoff run.

The Kansas City Chiefs are a shell of their Super Bowl selves and, despite having the stars in place, have not been able to muster consistent play at any point in their season. Their loss to Houston Sunday night felt like a dagger more than a setback.

In the NFC, the Detroit Lions legitimately have a shot, thanks to their clever offense and aggressive play, but the defense has been a liability and games against playoff teams like Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, and Chicago will make it tough for them to come out of the hunt and into a Wild Card position.

The Cowboys, as previously mentioned, remain in competition for the NFC East, thanks to an Eagles team that looks like it may implode before season's end following a disastrous Monday night showing.

Despite pathways to the postseason for all four squads, most of the teams that are already in as of now are playing some of their best football of the season and it is difficult to imagine any falling off to the extent that they drop out of the playoff picture.

Prediction: No, none of the "in the hunt" teams will get into the postseason