Week 15 NFL Playoff Picture, AFC, NFC Wild-Card Scenarios, Bracket Predictions

The NFC playoff picture shifted a bit on Thursday night, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell to the Atlanta Falcons. Tampa ceded the top spot in the NFC South with the loss and saw its playoff chances take a hit.

The Bucs are still -130 (bet $130 to win $100) to make the playoffs, according to DraftKings SportsBook, but they were heavy favorites to win the division just a few weeks ago.

Tampa couldn't have clinched this week, but the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams can. They all face win-and-in scenarios, and New England can clinch the AFC East with a win over the Buffalo Bills.

Losses by the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts would also clinch wild-card berths for the Broncos and Patriots.

Here's an updated look at where teams stand and some predictions about where they end up.

AFC Standings

AP Photo/Candice Ward

Broncos QB Bo Nix

Division Leaders

1. Denver Broncos (11-2; AFC West)

2. New England Patriots (11-2; AFC East)

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

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

According to NFL.com, the Broncos can also clinch with a tie and losses by any one of the Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Texans and Colts. The Patriots face the same clinching situation.

The Jaguars, meanwhile, took over the NFC South last week with a win over the Colts. The Pittsburgh Steelers managed to hold off the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14 to regain the lead in the AFC North.

The Jags can stay atop their division by taking care of business against the already- eliminated New York Jets. The Steelers will have to survive the scrappy Miami Dolphins on Monday night football.

Odds are no longer available for the Patriots and Broncos to make the playoffs, while the Steelers are -185, and the Jaguars are -10000.

Wild-Card Race

5. Los Angeles Chargers (9-4)

6. Buffalo Bills (9-4)

7. Houston Texans (8-5)

The Chargers knocked off the defending-champion Philadelphia Eagles last week. They have -340 odds heading into their game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bills have -10000 odds going into a critical matchup with New England.

Buffalo has to win on Sunday to keep its hopes of winning the AFC East alive.

The Texans are still battling in the AFC South and could overtake the Jags if Jacksonville slips up. They're -2500 going into a matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.

In the Hunt

8. Indianapolis Colts (8-5)

9. Baltimore Ravens (6-7)

10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-7)

11. Miami Dolphins (6-7)

12. Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)

The Baltimore Ravens, who are still fighting for control of the AFC North, are the most threatening of the "in-the-hunt" teams heading into Sunday. Indianapolis is still in the mix, but it has lost quarterback Daniel Jones to a torn Achilles.

The Colts face a brutal matchup with the white-hot Seattle Seahawks this week.

Baltimore is +185 (bet $100 to win $185) to make the playoffs, while Indy is +330. The Chiefs are +550, the Dolphins are +10000, and the Cincinnati Bengals are +1400.

Eliminated 

13. New York Jets (3-10)

14. Cleveland Browns (3-10)

15. Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)

16. Tennessee Titans (2-11)

NFC Standings

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Rams QB Matthew Stafford

Division Leaders

1. Los Angeles Rams (10-3; NFC West)

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

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

4. Carolina Panthers (7-6; NFC South)

A win over the Detroit Lions this week will guarantee the Rams a playoff spot. Unsurprisingly, Los Angeles is -10000 to make the playoffs. They cannot, however, clinch the NFC West this week, as the 10-3 Seahawks are keeping pace within the division.

The Green Bay Packers need a win over a tough Broncos squad to guarantee staying atop the NFC North. With a loss, the Packers could fall behind the Chicago Bears, who have a very winnable game against the lowly Cleveland Browns.

Green Bay has -2500 odds to make the postseason.

The Philadelphia Eagles are in a bit of a slump but still have a considerable lead in the NFC East. They're -1800 to make the postseason. The Panthers are +110 (bet $100 to win $110) to make the playoffs. They need a win over the New Orleans Saints this week to stay ahead of Tampa.

Wild-Card Race

5. Seattle Seahawks (10-3)

6. San Francisco 49ers (9-4)

7. Chicago Bears (9-4)

The aforementioned Seahawks feel like virtual locks to make the playoffs. Their -10000 odds suggest as much. A win over the Colts will put real pressure on the Rams in the West.

The San Francisco 49ers aren't far behind Seattle and Los Angeles and still have an outside shot at winning the division. They're more likely to be a wild-card team, though, and are -1600 to make the postseason.

The Bears can recapture the NFC North lead if Green Bay falters in Denver. With -200 odds, however, Chicago seems to be viewed as more of a fringe contender.

In the Hunt

8. Detroit Lions (8-5)

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)

10. Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)

11. Minnesota Vikings (5-8)

The Detroit Lions' reputation may have a lot to do with how Chicago is viewed. The Lions trail both the Packers and Bears in the North but are -115 to make the playoffs. The Buccaneers, meanwhile, still seem to be viewed as the favorites in the South.

The Dallas Cowboys have clawed their way back into the postseason picture, even though they only have an outside shot at getting in. Dallas has +600 odds heading into a matchup with the Minnesota Vikings, who have +25000 odds.

Eliminated 

12. Atlanta Falcons (5-9)

13. Arizona Cardinals (3-10)

14. New Orleans Saints (3-10)

15. Washington Commanders (3-10)

16. New York Giants (2-11)

NFL Playoff Bracket Projections

AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper

Patriots QB Drake Maye

AFC

1. New England Patriots

7. Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos

6. Buffalo Bills at 3. Houston Texans

5. Jacksonville Jaguars at 4. Pittsburgh Steelers

NFC

1. Los Angeles Rams

7. Detroit Lions at 2. Green Bay Packers

6. San Francisco 49ers at 3. Philadelphia Eagles

5. Seattle Seahawks at 4. Carolina Panthers

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