NFL Playoffs 2018-19: Predicting Post-Week 16 AFC, NFC Standings

The latest plot twists in the NFL playoff races took place Saturday.

In the first two games of Week 16, the Tennessee Titans stayed alive in the AFC wild-card race, and the Baltimore Ravens made their presence known as one of the contenders in the AFC.

Baltimore's win over the Los Angeles Chargers set up the Kansas City Chiefs with a clear path to the No. 1 seed in the AFC, while Tennessee's victory over the Washington Redskins put Jay Gruden's team in a hole in the NFC wild-card hunt.

Sunday's 13 games will give us a better idea of what each conference playoff picture looks like, but even before the games kick off, we have a feel for where certain teams will land.

Post-Week 16 Standings Predictions

AFC

1. Kansas City

2. New England

3. Houston 

4. Baltimore

5. Los Angeles Chargers

6. Indianapolis 

The shakeup in the AFC standings will be triggered by teams fighting for places in the NFC.

Houston isn't guaranteed a victory against a Philadelphia Eagles side hunting for the No. 6 seed in the NFC, and a Texans loss is possible since they haven't played their best football over the last two weeks.

In Week 14, Bill O'Brien's team fell by three points at home to the Indianapolis Colts, and it needed a fourth-quarter game-winning drive to avoid an upset at the hands of the New York Jets in Week 15.

Adam Hunger/Associated Press

Houston drops to the No. 3 seed after Sunday because the New England Patriots possess a head-to-head tiebreaker from their 27-20 Week 1 victory.

The other game of note in the AFC playoff hunt takes pace in New Orleans, with the Pittsburgh Steelers visiting the No. 1 seed in the NFC, the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints will be hoping to lock up home-field advantage, and the Steelers won't be able to keep up with Drew Brees and Co., which will result in Mike Tomlin's squad dropping out of the playoff positions.

At 9-6, the Ravens would lead the AFC North with a better winning percentage than the 8-6-1 Pittsburgh team—as would the Colts after they beat the New York Giants at home.

With the victory over the Giants, the Colts would leapfrog the Titans because of their head-to-head win from Week 11.

Such a set of results would set up a wild Week 17, when the Colts and Titans square off for the No. 6 seed and the Steelers linger in the background, with their tie causing all sorts of permutations in the days leading up to December 30.

NFC 

1. New Orleans

2. Los Angeles Rams

3. Chicago

4. Dallas

5. Seattle

6. Minnesota 

The situation in the NFC is less complicated than the one in the AFC.

With a win over the Steelers, the Saints secure home-field advantage since the Los Angeles Rams can't eclipse them.

The Rams, who lost to the Saints in Week 9, need to beat the Arizona Cardinals in order to avoid losing the No. 2 seed on a head-to-head tiebreaker to the Chicago Bears.

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

With a road victory over the San Francisco 49ers, the Bears will stay alive for a first-round bye, but they will need to beat the Minnesota Vikings and have the Rams fall to the Niners in Week 17.

The Dallas Cowboys clinch the NFC East with a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which makes Philadelphia and Washington fight for the No. 6 seed.

As for the final wild-card spots, the Minnesota Vikings head into Week 17 with one foot in the postseason by beating the Detroit Lions.

However, the Vikings end the regular season with a showdown with the Bears, who will be playing for a first-round bye, and the NFC North winner will try to knock out the Vikings to avoid playing them on three occasions.

By knocking off Houston in their home finale, the Eagles head into their Week 17 clash with the Redskins with an opportunity to slide into the No. 6 seed, but they will need help from the Bears.

Directly above the fight for the final wild-card position sit the Seattle Seahawks, who need one win against either the Kansas City Chiefs or the Arizona Cardinals to secure their postseason spot.

Barring a total collapse by the Seahawks, they will be in line for a road trip to either Chicago or Dallas in the Wild Card Round.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.