NFL Playoff Scenarios 2025-26, Wild Card Picture, Postseason Bracket Post-Week 16

A few more teams were able to punch their tickets to 2025-26 NFL Playoffs, but Sunday was mostly a day of races tightening across the league.

The hunt for the No. 1 seed in both the AFC and NFC are both open. The Broncos lost some ground in their quest for the top seed in a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Bills, Chargers and Panthers all picked up wins that puts them in a really strong position to get to the postseason even if they didn't clinch.

Let's take a look at the results around the league and where the playoff picture stands after Sunday's action.

NFL Week 16 Results

AP Photo/Matt Patterson

Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert

Thursday, Dec. 18

Seattle Seahawks 38, Los Angeles Rams 37

Saturday, Dec. 20

Philadelphia Eagles 29, Washington Commanders 18
Chicago Bears 22, Green Bay Packers 16

Sunday, Dec. 21

Buffalo Bills 23, Cleveland Browns 20
Los Angeles Chargers 34, Dallas Cowboys 17
Tennessee Titans 26, Kansas City Chiefs 9
Cincinnati Bengals 45, Miami Dolphins 21
New Orleans Saints 29, New York Jets 6
Minnesota Vikings 16, New York Giants 13
Carolina Panthers 23, Tampa Buccaneers 20

Jacksonville Jaguars 34, Denver Broncos 20
Atlanta Falcons 26, Arizona Cardinals 19
Pittsburgh Steelers 29, Detroit Lions 24
Houston Texans 23, Las Vegas Raiders 21

New England Patriots 28, Baltimore Ravens 24

Monday, Dec. 22

San Francisco 49ers vs. Indianapolis Colts, 8:15 p.m.

All Times ET

AFC Playoff Picture

AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence

Division Leaders

Denver Broncos (12-3, AFC West, clinched playoff spot)

New England Patriots (12-3, AFC East, clinched playoff spot)

Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4 AFC South)

Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6, AFC North)

The Jaguars win over the Denver Broncos wasn't just a statement win for Liam Coen's squad. It also opened up the race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Patriots held off the Ravens on Sunday Night Football and are just a game behind the Broncos for the top seed.

The win also validates the Jaguars as a real threat in the AFC. They put up a ton of points on the Broncos defense and handed them their first home loss.

The Steelers victory over the Lions gives them a little more margin for error over the final two weeks. They remain atop the AFC North and a Ravens loss on Sunday Night Football would put them two games ahead of Baltimore with two games left to go.

Wild-Card Race

5. Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)
6. Buffalo Bills (11-4)
7. Houston Texans (10-5)

The Chargers and Bills both picked up wins that not only keep them in the race for their respective divisions, but also keeps them just ahead of the Houston Texans in the wild-card race.

The Texans took care of business against the lowly Raiders. Now they just have to wait to see if the Colts can lose to improve their wild-card chances.

In the Hunt

8. Indianapolis Colts (8-6)
9. Baltimore Ravens (7-8)

Monday Night Football will gives us a little more insight on the NFL bubble. The Ravens slim hopes in the AFC North now hinge on winning their next two games against the Packers and Steelers on the road while Pittsburgh loses in Week 17. The Colts face a crucial test against the Niners on Monday Night Football with their playoff hopes on the line.

Eliminated

10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-9)
11. Miami Dolphins (6-9)
12. Cincinnati Bengals (5-10)
13. New York Jets (3-12)
14. Tennessee Titans (3-12)
15. Cleveland Browns (3-12)
16. Las Vegas Raiders (2-13)

No one was officially eliminated in the AFC on Sunday.

NFC Playoff Picture

AP Photo/Brian Westerholt

Carolina Panthers S Lathan Ransom

Division Leaders

1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3, NFC West, clinched playoff berth)
2. Chicago Bears (11-4, NFC North, clinched playoff berth)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5, Clinched NFC East)
4. Carolina Panthers (8-7, NFC South)

The Seahawks are headed to the playoffs for the first time in the Mike Macdonald era after beating the Rams on Thursday Night Football. They also helped their chances of holding off the Rams in the NFC West. The Bears didn't clinch just yet, but scoring a win over the Packers gives them a more comfortable lead in the NFC North.

The Eagles clinched their second consecutive NFC East title when they pulled away from the Commanders in the second half of their Saturday game. The Panthers pulled into sole possession of the NFC South lead with a huge 23-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Wild-Card Race

5. Los Angeles Rams (11-4, clinched playoff berth)
6. San Francisco 49ers (10-4, clinched playoff berth)
7. Green Bay Packers (9-5-1)

The Rams' overtime loss to the Seahawks was far from ideal, but the NFC West title and the No. 1 overall seed are still in play. They finish out the season with the Cardinals and Falcons while Seattle will get the 49ers and Panthers.

The Packers' loss to the Bears not only gave them a slim chance of winning the NFC North, but it also opens the door for the Lions to catch them in the wild-card race.

In the Hunt

8. Detroit Lions (8-7)
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8, still in NFC South race)

The Buccaneers' late-game interception that shut down a potential game-winning drive might have also cost them a playoff spot. They are eliminated from the wild-card race, but have a chance to catch the Panthers when they play again in Week 18.

The Lions' loss to the Steelers gives them a very narrow path to the playoffs. They need to win out with the Packers losing their remaining two games to sneak in as the seven seed.

Eliminated

9. Minnesota Vikings (7-8)
11. Dallas Cowboys (6-8-1)
12. Atlanta Falcons (6-9)
13. New Orleans Saints (5-10)
14. Washington Commanders (4-11)
15. Arizona Cardinals (3-12)
16. New York Giants (2-13)

The Cowboys joined the ranks of the eliminated before they even got the chance to take the field this week. The Eagles win over the Commanders slammed the door shut on their slim playoff odds so their loss to the Chargers was just salt in the wound.

Remaining Week 16 Scenarios

AP Photo

San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey

The Monday Night Football matchup holds significant playoff stakes in both conferences.

The Niners already clinched a playoff berth, but a win would help them move up to the fifth seed in the NFC. That would make a lot of AFC contenders happy. It wouldn't eliminate the Colts, but they would have a hard time catching up with anyone else in the wild-card race.

The Bills, Chargers and Jaguars could all clinch with a 49ers win with mostly seeding left to the final two weeks of the season.