NFL Playoff Standings 2016: Latest Team Records, Updated Postseason Odds

In the AFC, just about everything is up for grabs. In the NFC, seeding is the only variable left to be defined. In both conferences, key matchups down the stretch will decide everything.

Let's break down the AFC and NFC playoff scenarios and take a look at the latest Super Bowl odds.

Super Bowl Odds

Team	Odds
New England Patriots	10-3
Carolina Panthers	4-1
Arizona Cardinals	4-1
Seattle Seahawks	8-1
Denver Broncos	11-1
Green Bay Packers	12-1
Cincinnati Bengals	14-1
Kansas City Chiefs	14-1
Pittsburgh Steelers	22-1
Minnesota Vikings	30-1
New York Jets	35-1
Washington	40-1
Houston Texans	66-1
Indianapolis Colts	150-1

AFC

Place	Team	W	L	T
1.	z- New England Patriots	12	3	0
2.	z- Cincinnati Bengals	11	3	0
3.	Denver Broncos	10	4	0
4.	Houston Texans	8	7	0
5.	x- Kansas City Chiefs	10	5	0
6.	New York Jets	10	5	0
7.	Pittsburgh Steelers	9	6	0
8.	Oakland Raiders	7	8	0
9.	Buffalo Bills	7	8	0
10.	Indianapolis Colts	7	8	0
11.	Jacksonville Jaguars	5	10	0
12.	Miami Dolphins	5	10	0
13.	Baltimore Ravens	5	10	0
14.	San Diego Chargers	4	11	0
15.	Cleveland Browns	3	12	0
16.	Tennessee Titans	3	12	0

Much will be decided in the AFC on Monday Night Football, when the Cincinnati Bengals travel to Denver to face the Broncos.

For starters, a win would guarantee the Bengals a first-round bye and give them a chance to earn the top overall seed in the AFC playoffs. Cincinnati already clinched the AFC North when the Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. They would need help to clinch the top overall seed, however, as the New England Patriots will earn the top seed with a win in Week 17 regardless of what Cincy does. 

A Bengals win would also clinch the AFC South title for the Houston Texans based on a strength-of-victory tiebreaker over the Indianapolis Colts. Regardless, the Texans are guaranteed a playoff spot with a win next week.

Meanwhile, a loss would leave the Broncos in big trouble heading into Week 17, where a loss would not only cost them the AFC West but could knock them out of the playoffs altogether.

On the other hand, a win for the Broncos would guarantee them a playoff berth, though they can't wrap up a division title or first-round bye until Week 17. Even with a win on Monday night, a loss next week paired with a Chiefs win would give Kansas City the AFC West crown.

Kansas City is in the postseason, though the final spot remains up for grabs. The New York Jets need to only win their final game of the season to get in the postseason, meaning the Steelers need a lot of help. A Pittsburgh win and Jets loss would get the Steelers into the playoffs, as would a win and two Denver losses.

It's crazy to think that the Steelers—a team that many felt was the most dangerous in the AFC given their explosive offense—might miss the postseason. If they do, they can blame a disappointing knack for playing to the level of their opponent. 

“We’re capable of beating anyone, but we’re also capable of losing to anyone,” head coach Mike Tomlin said in his postgame news conference, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. “We didn’t handle the business in the stadium today so we’re left to look around at other stadiums. Such is life this time of year when you don’t do what you’re supposed to do.”

A lot of teams will be looking around to different stadiums next week in the wide-open AFC. From Monday night through next weekend, the AFC playoff picture will be fun to follow.

NFC

Place	Team	W	L	T
1.	z- Carolina Panthers	14	1	0
2.	z- Arizona Cardinals	13	2	0
3.	x- Green Bay Packers	10	5	0
4.	z- Washington Redskins	8	7	0
5.	x- Minnesota Vikings	10	5	0
6.	x- Seattle Seahawks	9	6	0
7.	Atlanta Falcons	8	7	0
8.	St. Louis Rams	7	8	0
9.	Detroit Lions	6	9	0
10.	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	6	9	0
11.	New Orleans Saints	6	9	0
12.	Chicago Bears	6	9	0
13.	Philadelphia Eagles	6	9	0
14.	New York Giants	6	9	0
15.	San Francisco 49ers	4	11	0
16.	Dallas Cowboys	4	11	0

The six playoff teams are decided in the NFC. The seedings remain very much in flux, however.

The Carolina Panthers can clinch home-field advantage throughout the postseason with a win next week. Things will get more interesting if they lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, however, as in that scenario the Arizona Cardinals would take the top overall seed in the NFC playoffs with a win over the Seattle Seahawks.

Regardless, the top two seeds in the NFC will go to the Panthers and Cardinals. And Washington is locked in as the No. 4 seed. 

But things get interesting from there.

Next week, the No. 3 seed will be decided when the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings meet, with the winner taking the NFC North crown. If the Vikings win, the Seahawks will be locked in as the No. 6 seed, since the Packers hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.

But if the Packers and Seahawks both win, the Vikings would drop down to the No. 6 seed and would face the Packers again, since Seattle holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over Minny.

One thing is for certain—the Packers need to recover from Week 16's blowout loss to the Cardinals. That game exposed a few things about both teams, as Jarrett Bell of USA Today tweeted:

"

After seeing @AZCardinals crush Green Bay today, thinking they might be most complete team in the NFL. That, or @packers just way overrated.

— Jarrett Bell (@JarrettBell) December 28, 2015"

A win in Week 17 over Minnesota would certainly be a good sign for the Packers, though even a loss wouldn't be the end of the world, as a matchup against Washington would be the easiest scenario—on paper—for the Packers. 

Of course, a Washington team that has won three straight games and four of five shouldn't be taken lightly, either.