NFL Playoff Picture Week 14: Breaking Down AFC and NFC Postseason Outlook

The NFL season entered its final month of the season where it is make-or-break time for many teams that are trying to lock down a spot in the postseason.

Only the Los Angeles Rams officially clinched a playoff spot thus far, courtesy of their 36-10 win over the Lions on Sunday.

With four games remaining on the schedule, plus the Redskins and Eagles still to play on Monday Night Football to close Week 13, there is still much left to be decided in both the NFC and AFC. 

Let's see how the playoff picture is shaping up as we enter the home stretch of the 2018 season.

AFC Playoff Picture

Here's how the playoff seeding in the AFC looks heading into Week 14:

1. Kansas City Chiefs (10-2)

2. New England Patriots (9-3)

3. Houston Texans (9-3)

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-4-1)

5. Los Angeles Chargers (9-3)

6. Baltimore Ravens (7-5)

In the hunt: Miami Dolphins (6-6), Indianapolis Colts (6-6), Denver Broncos (6-6), Tennessee Titans (6-6).

The Kansas City Chiefs remain on top in the AFC as they held off a scare from the Raiders, making Oakland the first team to be officially eliminated from the postseason. 

The Patriots continued to keep pace behind the Chiefs, defeating the Vikings 24-10, but the story in the AFC continues to be the red-hot Houston Texans. 

Their 29-13 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday marked the Texans' ninth straight victory after starting the season 0-3 and put them into a tie with the Patriots for the No. 2 seed. However, New England holds the tie-breaker because of its 27-20 victory over the Texans in Week 1.

The Chargers' 33-30 win over the Steelers on Sunday night also makes things a little more interesting in the AFC. The win puts them just one game behind the Chiefs in the AFC West and the two are scheduled to play each other in a Thursday night matchup on Dec. 13, which could have monumental consequences on the playoff picture.

Meanwhile, the loss for the Steelers narrows their lead on the Ravens to just one game in the AFC North after Baltimore held the Atlanta Falcons to just 135 yards of total offense in a 26-16 win to improve to 7-5. 

As for the teams on the outside, the Colts took a giant step backward in their playoff quest as they had a five-game winning streak end with an ugly 6-0 loss to the Jaguars to fall to 6-6. 

The Colts have a matchup with their red-hot division rival Texans next week that could swing their playoff hopes one way or the other. 

The Dolphins, Broncos and Titans all won their respective games to improve to 6-6 with the Dolphins holding the conference tie-breaker among the four teams as they all remain a game out of the final playoff spot. 

NFC Playoff Picture

Here's how the playoff seeding in the NFC looks heading into Week 14:

1. Los Angeles Rams (11-1)

2. New Orleans Saints (10-2)

3. Chicago Bears (8-4)

4. Dallas Cowboys (7-5)

5. Seattle Seahawks (7-5)

6. Washington Redskins (6-5)

In the hunt: Minnesota Vikings (6-5-1), Carolina Panthers (6-6), Philadelphia Eagles (5-6)

The bottom of the NFC playoff picture could still change with the Redskins and Eagles still slated to play on Monday Night Football but the top of the conference belongs to the Los Angeles Rams, who moved back into the No. 1 seed thanks to the Saints' first loss since Week 1 on Thursday night against the Cowboys.

The bigger story out of that game may have been the Cowboys, though. 

Dallas appears to be hitting its stride at just the right time, winning its fourth consecutive game to improve to 7-5 and continue to stay in first place in an extremely close NFC East where they hold a tie-breaker over the Redskins should they beat the Eagles on Monday. 

An Eagles win, however, would jump them ahead of Washington and set up a showdown with Dallas in Week 14 where another Philadelphia victory could knock the Cowboys back out of the NFC East lead. 

Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks were big winners on Sunday by moving into the No. 5 spot with a 43-16 win over the San Francisco 49ers while the Vikings and Panthers both lost, leaving them on the outside looking in. 

The Seahawks and Vikings will face each other in a pivotal Week 14 matchup while the Panthers try to dig themselves out of a four-game losing streak on the road against the Browns. 

No NFC teams were officially eliminated from the playoffs.