NFL Standings 2025-26 Week 17 Records, Playoff Bracket Scenarios, Wild Card Picture

Five of the seven playoff spots in the NFC and AFC, respectively, have been claimed as the postseason picture in the NFL becomes clearer.

Only the NFC South and AFC North divisions are still up for grabs, with high-profile match-ups in each slated for the upcoming week of action.

Will anyone claim those crowns and which teams will hope to keep their playoff prospects alive?

Find out in this look at the current playoff bracket scenarios.

NFC Playoff Picture

AP Photo

Division Leaders

1. x-Seattle Seahawks (12-3, NFC West; +550 odds to win the Super Bowl)

2. x-Chicago Bears (11-4, NFC North; +2000)'

3. z-Philadelphia Eagles (10-5, NFC East; +1000)

4. Carolina Panthers (8-7, NFC South; +15000)

A Seahawks win, coupled with a loss by either the Rams or the 49ers, and Seattle will be the NFC West champions.

Chicago faces tough competition on the road against the 49ers in Week 17 but they are in control of the NFC North. A win over red-hot west team and a victory over the reeling Lions in Week 18 would give Caleb Williams and Co. the division.

Already the champions of a poor division, the Eagles are unlikely to advance up the rankings and will probably settle nicely in to the third seed, regardless of their record against Buffalo and Washington to close out the season.

An upset win in Seattle and Tampa Bay loss against Miami would give the Panthers the most unlikely division crown in 2025.

Wild Card Teams

5. x-San Francisco 49ers (10-4; +1300)

6. x-Los Angeles Rams (11-4; +425)

7. Green Bay Packers (9-5-1; +1600)

If the Niners can knock off Chicago and Seattle in consecutive weeks to close out the season, they will win the NFC West title and sit atop the conference as the No. 1 seed, a testament to the competitiveness of the division.

The Rams can regain the NFC West lead with a Seattle loss to Carolina and a 49ers loss to the Bears in Week 17.

A win by the Packers in Green Bay or loss by the Lions to the Vikings would give Green Bay a playoff berth.

In the Hunt

8. Detroit Lions (8-7; +12000)

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8; +7000)

The Lions must win out and get help in order to return to the postseason for the third, consecutive year.

The Buccaneers must win to keep their playoff hopes alive and set up a Week 18 match-up against the Panthers for the division crown.

Eliminated

10. 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)

AFC Playoff Picture

AP Photo

Division Leaders

1. x-Denver Broncos (12-3, AFC West; +900)

2. x-New England Patriots (12-3, AFC East; +900)

3. x-Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4, AFC South; +1200)

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6, AFC North; +3500)

The Broncos may have lost Sunday, big, to Jacksonville but they can still win the AFC West crown with a Christmas Day win over Kansas City and a Chargers loss to Houston.

New England can capture its first division title since 2018 with wins over the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins in its final two games, or a Buffalo loss in either of its last two.

The Jaguars are one of the best stories in the NFL this season and cashed a playoff spot by way of Indianapolis' loss Monday night. Now, they can win the AFC South by beating the Colts and hoping the Chargers can knock off the red-hot Texans.

A win Sunday against Cleveland and a loss by the Ravens in Green Bay would give the Steelers the AFC North title.

Wild Card Teams

5. x-Los Angeles Chargers (11-4; +1900)

6. x-Buffalo Bills (11-4; +900)

7. Houston Texans (10-5; +1500)

A win for the Chargers against Houston would set them up for a titanic AFC West clash with the Broncos, with the division crown and home playoff game at stake.

The Bills face stiff competition Sunday in the form of the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. The AFC East title is still unclaimed but for the Bills to have a shot at knocking the Patriots off the pedestal, they have to beat Jalen Hurts and Co.

A win for Houston over Los Angeles and a Jacksonville upset loss to Indianapolis and the Texans will slide into a first-place tie with the Jaguars for the AFC South title.

In The Hunt

8. Indianapolis Colts (8-7; +100000)

9. Baltimore Ravens (7-8; +10000)

The only thing the Colts and Ravens can do to avoid elimination at this point: don't lose.

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)