NFL Standings 2017: Results, Playoff Picture and Scenarios After Week 15

The 2017 NFL playoff picture is coming into focus with Week 15 almost in the books.

The Minnesota Vikings secured themselves a playoff berth Sunday with a 34-7 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The victory handed the Vikings their second division title in the last three years. The Philadelphia Eagles were already assured of a postseason place and strengthened their position further by guaranteeing themselves a first-round bye on Sunday.

Over in the AFC, the Jacksonville Jaguars are headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2007 after beating the Houston Texans 45-7.

Below are the full Week 15 results, followed by the updated NFL standings and a look at the playoff scenarios for the teams still in the hunt.

Week 15 Results

Denver Broncos 25, Indianapolis Colts 13

Detroit Lions 20, Chicago Bears 10

Kansas City Chiefs 30, Los Angeles Chargers 13

Buffalo Bills 24, Miami Dolphins 16

Baltimore Ravens 27, Cleveland Browns 10

Minnesota Vikings 34, Cincinnati Bengals 7

New Orleans Saints 31, New York Jets 19

Philadelphia Eagles 34, New York Giants 29

Washington Redskins 20, Arizona Cardinals 15

Carolina Panthers 31, Green Bay Packers 24

Jacksonville Jaguars 45, Houston Texans 7

Los Angeles Rams 42, Seattle Seahawks 7

New England Patriots 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 24

San Francisco 49ers 25, Tennessee Titans 23

Dallas Cowboys 20, Oakland Raiders 17

Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8:30 p.m. ET, Monday)

AFC Standings

East

1. New England Patriots (11-3)

2. Buffalo Bills (8-6)

3. Miami Dolphins (6-8)

4. New York Jets (5-9)

North

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3)

2. Baltimore Ravens (8-6)

3. Cincinnati Bengals (5-9)

4. Cleveland Browns (0-14)

South

1. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4)

2. Tennessee Titans (8-6)

3. Houston Texans (4-10)

4. Indianapolis Colts (3-11)

West

1. Kansas City Chiefs (8-6)

2. Los Angeles Chargers (7-7)

3. Oakland Raiders (6-8)

4. Denver Broncos (5-9)

NFC Standings

East

1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2)

2. Dallas Cowboys (8-6)

3. Washington Redskins (6-8)

4. New York Giants (2-12)

North

1. Minnesota Vikings (11-3)

2. Detroit Lions (8-6)

3. Green Bay Packers (7-7)

4. Chicago Bears (4-10)

South

1. New Orleans Saints (10-4)

2. Carolina Panthers (10-4)

3. Atlanta Falcons (8-5)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-9)

West

1. Los Angeles Rams (10-4)

2. Seattle Seahawks (8-6)

3. Arizona Cardinals (6-8)

4. San Francisco 49ers (4-10)

Playoff Picture

The New England Patriots won the AFC East with their 27-24 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had already assured themselves of the AFC North crown. The Jaguars haven't technically clinched the AFC South, but the Tennessee Titans are two games back with games against the Los Angeles Rams and Jaguars remaining.

Although the Jaguars can trip up and let the Titans take the division, Jacksonville is firmly in the driver's seat and should have little trouble wrapping things up.

That leaves the AFC West, where the Kansas City Chiefs created some breathing room with Saturday's win over the Los Angeles Chargers. According to ESPN Stats & Info, the result put a serious dent in Los Angeles' playoff hopes:

The Chiefs finish up against the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos, so they're a relatively safe bet to remain in first place over the final two weeks. That would leave the crowded AFC wild-card race the Chargers' best route into the playoffs.

The New York Jets and Cincinnati were both mathematically eliminated from the postseason race with defeats on Sunday, while the Dolphins suffered a major blow by losing 24-16 to the Buffalo Bills. At 6-8, the Dolphins need a lot of help to climb into the top six.

Among the AFC's wild-card hopefuls, the Baltimore Ravens are arguably in the best position—even more so than the two teams ahead of them, the Bills and the Titans.

Baltimore plays the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16 and concludes the regular season with the Bengals—losers of three in a row and likely with a lame-duck head coach. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Sunday that Marvin Lewis is leaving in the offseason.

The Bills have a tricky game with the Patriots in Week 16, and Tennessee's remaining slate isn't any easier. For those reasons, Baltimore has a pretty straightforward road into the AFC Wild Card Round.

As is the case in the AFC, 10 NFC teams are technically in contention for the playoffs. The Green Bay Packers (7-7), however, are all but out after losing 31-24 to the Carolina Panthers. The Dallas Cowboys avoided a similar fate by defeating the Oakland Raiders 20-17, but their playoff standing isn't looking a whole lot better at 8-6.

Making matters more difficult for teams in the NFC, only one wild-card spot appears to be truly up for grabs.

The Panthers and New Orleans Saints are tied for the best record in the NFC South (10-4). The Saints own the tiebreaker after beating the Panthers twice this season.

Carolina can content itself by considering its comfortable standing in the playoff picture as a whole.

Even assuming the Atlanta Falcons beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night, the Panthers would still have a two-game edge on the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks—the first two teams out in the NFC postseason hunt.

Carolina may have a nice cushion, but the same can't be said of its division rival.

The Falcons finish the regular season against the Saints in Week 16 and the Panthers in Week 17. The Lions, meanwhile, have the Packers and Bengals, and the Seahawks get the Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals. Of the three teams, Atlanta has the toughest two-game stretch.

Atlanta could potentially lose its final two games, thus creating a great opportunity for any one of Detroit, Seattle or Dallas. Granted, that might not be enough since the Falcons own the head-to-head tiebreaker against all three teams.

A win over the Buccaneers will go a long way toward helping the Atlanta defend its NFC title.