NFL Playoff Standings 2018: Team-by-Team Records and AFC, NFC Scenarios

The NFL season comes to a close right as the year 2017 says goodbye, and several teams are still playing for something on the regular season's final weekend.

Just three teams outside the playoff picture are capable of forcing their way into the postseason, but they will all need to catch some breaks to make it happen. 

The teams at the top of the heap have something to play for as well. There is still opportunity to win a division or take over a first-round bye. 

Here's a look at the playoff standings heading into Week 17, followed by a rundown of what's at stake for the teams looking to cement their postseason status. 

If you want to play around with all the playoff permutations on your own, check out ESPN.com's NFL Playoff Machine.

AFC Playoff Standings

1. New England Patriots (12-3) 

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-3) 

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4)

4. Kansas City Chiefs (9-6)

5. Baltimore Ravens (9-6)

6. Tennessee Titans (8-7)

In The Hunt

7. Los Angeles Chargers (8-7)

8. Buffalo Bills (8-8)

       

In the AFC, the New England Patriots reign supreme, but their record is tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Patriots can clinch home-field advantage throughout the postseason with a win or a Steelers loss, but the Steelers can rip that from them if the Patriots (somehow) lose to the New York Jets and Pittsburgh (likely) defeats the Cleveland Browns. 

Either way, both of these teams have secured a first-round bye; all that can change is which team has home-field advantage guaranteed for two games.

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs are locked into the third and fourth seeds, respectively. The Tennessee Titans were probably hoping the Jaguars would be resting their starters when they meet in Week 17, as the former are in the thick of a wild-card chase.

Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press

However, Jacksonville head coach Doug Marrone has said he is going to go for the win and play his top guys, per ESPN.com's Michael DiRocco:

"Make no mistake about it, just so there is not a lot of talk during the week: When the players come in [Wednesday], we are talking about how we are going to play to win and do everything we possibly can to win this game, period. I am not even thinking about what happens beyond that, and that is the way we are going to go about our business this week."

While Marrone says he is playing his starters, it's possible he could pull them early if a couple go down with injuries or he gets a big enough lead. The Titans can't afford to bank on that, so they will have to play their best to get into the postseason.

The Titans control their own destiny and can get in with a win over the Jaguars. With the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers and Baltimore Ravens all still in the mix, they won't want to jeopardize their standing with a loss, even though they could still get in if that happens.

The Ravens can also secure a spot so long as they take care of business against the Cincinnati Bengals, but a loss from the Titans or Bills will also keep them afloat.

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

The Chargers are certainly hoping Marrone keeps his word and pushes Jacksonville to go for the "W." They need to beat the Oakland Raiders in Week 17 and see the Titans lose. Beyond that, they also need either the Bills to lose or the Titans to win. If all that happens, the Chargers will have gone from an 0-4 start and a plethora of kicking changes to the postseason. 

As for the Buffalo Bills, they need to take care of business against the lowly Miami Dolphins and see at least one of the other three teams in this wild-card gauntlet lose. 

NFC Playoff Standings 

1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-2)

2. Minnesota Vikings (12-3)

3. Los Angeles Rams (11-4)

4. New Orleans Saints (11-4)

5. Carolina Panthers (11-4)

6. Atlanta Falcons (9-6)

In The Hunt

7. Seattle Seahawks (9-6)

When it comes to the wild-card picture in the NFC, the situation is much, much simpler than in the opposite conference.

The Seattle Seahawks are on the outside looking in, but they can bump the Atlanta Falcons from the sixth and final seed if they beat the Arizona Cardinals and the Falcons fail to beat the Carolina Panthers.

The Falcons can keep their spot by beating the Panthers. This will be no easy feat, however, as the Panthers have plenty to play for in Week 17. 

Bill Feig/Associated Press

The Panthers have a chance to move out of a wild-card spot by clinching the NFC South. To do that, they need to win and watch the New Orleans Saints lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They can also sprint all the way from No. 5 to No. 2 and a coveted first-round bye if they win, the Saints lose, the San Francisco 49ers down the St. Louis Rams and the Chicago Bears pull off an upset against the Minnesota Vikings. 

The Saints can of course stop that dream scenario right in its tracks and clinch the NFC South title by defeating the Bucs. The Saints will also hold on to their title if the Panthers falter against the Falcons. 

The Los Angeles Rams can't do any better than the No. 3 seed, but if they lose, they open themselves up to a drop to the No. 4 spot assuming the teams behind them come out on top. The Minnesota Vikings can't rise any higher than No. 2, and would need quite the domino effect of wins and losses from other teams to not stay in that spot. 

Michael Perez/Associated Press

The Philadelphia Eagles, going for a rare 14-win season, are all alone in the No. 1 seed. Despite losing star quarterback Carson Wentz for the season to injury a couple of weeks ago, they have maintained their winning ways.

While they are still the team to beat come playoff time, the Eagles are vulnerable with backup Nick Foles at the helm in an NFC that has some razor-thin margins between the teams at the top of the conference.