NFL Playoff Picture Week 15: AFC and NFC Standings, Updated Predictions

With wins on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs (11-2) and New Orleans Saints (11-2) joined the Los Angeles Rams (11-2) as teams who have clinched a playoff spot.

So with just three games left in the regular season, there are still nine playoff spots to be filled. Some are more wide-open than others, but until there's an "x" next to your name in the standings, anything can happen.

Here's a look at the updated NFL playoff picture after Sunday's action:

Now let's take a closer look at each of the playoff spots that are still up for grabs.

NFC

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Along with the aforementioned Rams and Saints, the Chicago Bears (9-4) and Dallas Cowboys (8-5) are also essentially locked into postseason spots.

FiveThirtyEight.com gives both teams a better-than 99 percent chance of making the playoffs.

The Bears have a comfortable lead over the Vikings in the NFC North, while the Cowboys have a two-game lead of their own over the Eagles and Redskins in the NFC East.

That leaves the two wild-card spots as the battle to watch.

Here's a look at that battle:

• Seattle Seahawks (7-5)
• Minnesota Vikings (6-5-1)
• Philadelphia Eagles (6-7)
• Washington Redskins (6-7)
• Carolina Panthers (6-7)
• Green Bay Packers (5-7-1)

The Seahawks and Vikings will face off on Monday night, which means one of those teams will take a significant step toward securing a postseason berth.

As you would expect given their records, the Seahawks (94 percent) and Vikings (70 percent) are given favorable odds to claim those two spots, followed by the Eagles (14 percent).

NFC postseason predictions: 1. Rams, 2. Saints, 3. Bears, 4. Cowboys, WC1. Seahawks, WC2. Vikings

AFC

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While the Chiefs are the only team that has punched their ticket on the AFC side, both the Los Angeles Chargers (10-3) and New England Patriots (9-4) have been tabbed with the "better-than 99 percent chance" distinction as well.

The Chiefs and Chargers share a division, meaning the AFC West title and one of the AFC wild-card spots is locked up both those two teams, while the Patriots hold a two-game lead over the Dolphins in the AFC East.

Not far behind, the Houston Texans (9-4) also have a two-game lead over the Colts and Titans in the AFC South, which is enough to earn them a 96 percent chance of reaching the postseason. The Texans count a pair of 4-9 teams in the Jets and Jaguars among their final three opponents.

That leaves the AFC North and the final wild-card spot as the two battles to watch.

The Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5-1) hold a slim half-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens (7-6) for AFC North supremacy, and the Steelers have the tougher road ahead:

• Steelers: vs. Patriots (9-4), at Saints (11-2), vs. Bengals (5-8)
• Ravens: vs. Buccaneers (5-7), at Chargers (10-3), vs. Browns (5-7-1)

Still, the Steelers (62 percent) have slightly better odds of reaching the playoffs than the Ravens (55 percent) entering Week 15.

As for the No. 2 wild-card slot, the updated standings are as follows:

• Baltimore Ravens (7-6)
• Miami Dolphins (7-6)
• Indianapolis Colts (7-6)
• Tennessee Titans (7-6)
• Denver Broncos (6-7)
• Cleveland Browns (5-7-1)

The Titans (35 percent) have the best odds of unseating the Ravens (55 percent), followed by the Colts (27 percent) and Dolphins (20 percent).

That said, the Ravens' chances are obviously inflated by the fact that they can still win their division, while the other three teams are counting on a wild-card berth.

AFC postseason predictions: 1. Chiefs, 2. Patriots, 3. Texans, 4. Ravens, WC1. Chargers, WC2. Steelers