NFL Playoff Picture Week 13: Updated AFC, NFC Wildcard Scenarios and Predictions

All 14 spots of the expanded 2020 NFL playoffs are still up for grabs.

That may no longer be the case upon Week 13's completion.

Three teams can stamp their postseason tickets this weekend. It's win-and-you're-in for the Kansas City Chiefs and win-or-tie-and-you're-in for the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers. In the NFC, the New Orleans Saints will clinch their spot with a victory and a Chicago Bears loss or tie.

There are other scenarios for each team to lock down its playoff berth, but those are the simplest, most direct paths.

With crucial games on the horizon, let's update the current standings, lay out the playoff picture as it stands and determine which six squads will hold wild-card spots when it's all said and done.

NFL Standings

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

AFC East

Buffalo Bills (8-3)

Miami Dolphins (7-4)

New England Patriots (5-6)

New York Jets (0-11)

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers (11-0)

Cleveland Browns (8-3)

Baltimore Ravens (6-5)

Cincinnati Bengals (2-8-1)

AFC South

Tennessee Titans (8-3)

Indianapolis Colts (7-4)

Houston Texans (4-7)

Jacksonville Jaguars (1-10)

AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs (10-1)

Las Vegas Raiders (6-5)

Denver Broncos (4-7)

Los Angeles Chargers (3-8)

NFC East

New York Giants (4-7)

Washington Football Team (4-7)

Philadelphia Eagles (3-7-1)

Dallas Cowboys (3-8)

NFC North

Green Bay Packers (8-3)

Minnesota Vikings (5-6)

Chicago Bears (5-6)

Detroit Lions (4-7)

NFC South

New Orleans Saints (9-2)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)

Atlanta Falcons (4-7)

Carolina Panthers (4-8)

NFC West

Seattle Seahawks (8-3)

Los Angeles Rams (7-4)

Arizona Cardinals (6-5)

San Francisco 49ers (5-6)

NFL Playoff Picture

Chris Szagola/Associated Press

AFC

First-round bye: No. 1 Pittsburgh Steelers (11-0)

No. 7 Indianapolis Colts (7-4) at No. 2 Kansas City Chiefs (10-1)

No. 6 Miami Dolphins (7-4) at No. 3 Tennessee Titans (8-3)

No. 5 Cleveland Browns (8-3) at No. 4 Buffalo Bills (8-3)

First-round bye: No. 1 New Orleans Saints (9-2)

No. 7 Arizona Cardinals (6-5) at No. 2 Seattle Seahawks (8-3)

No. 6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5) at No. 3 Green Bay Packers (8-3)

No. 5 Los Angeles Rams (7-4) at No. 4 New York Giants (4-7)

Wild-Card Predictions

Jason Behnken/Associated Press

Two current wild-card clubs enjoy two-game advantages in the wins and losses columns over the No. 8 seed in their respective conferences: the Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland Browns.

Barring a complete collapse, both should make the big dance, though if you wanted to separate them, it's a bit easier buying the Browns (winners of three straight) than the Rams (losers of three of their last six).

Those are the easy calls. Now, let's trust our crystal ball to sort out the rest.

As things stand, the other four wild-card berths belong to the Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Arizona Cardinals. Of those four, the Bucs have the softest landing with the fifth-easiest remaining schedule, per Tankathon. After recharging with a Week 13 bye, Tampa closes with games against the Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons (twice).

As long as Tom Brady stays upright, Tampa should be good to go.

In the AFC, the Dolphins feel more vulnerable than the Colts. Miami, which hasn't settled its quarterback position because of Tua Tagovailoa's thumb injury, finishes its campaign with a four-game stretch against the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and Buffalo Bills. Indy, which activated interior defensive anchor DeForest Buckner on Friday, gets the Houston Texans twice and the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 17.

Absent a disaster, the Colts should be headed to the playoffs. As for the Dolphins, their playoff hopes might hinge on a Week 16 trip to Las Vegas, as the Raiders have just one fewer victory. But Miami has enough to survive and advance. Las Vegas, which has dropped two in a row, will be without leading rusher Josh Jacobs and safety Johnathan Abram on Sunday.

Trust the Dolphins to collect a critical win in Week 16 and make the final 14-team field.

So, will chalk really prevail? Not so fast, my friend. The Cardinals, who are 1-3 since their Week 8 bye, are sliding at the wrong time, and every team left on their schedule is still fighting for the playoffs (yes, even the 4-7 New York Giants and 3-7-1 Philadelphia Eagles). If Arizona keeps stumbling, Minnesota has the firepower (and schedule) to take advantage.

The Cardinals could conceivably win just one of their five remaining games, while the Vikings might have three victories baked into the schedule (Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions).

With Kirk Cousins in a groove, Dalvin Cook fighting for the rushing crown and Justin Jefferson emerging alongside Adam Thielen, Minnesota's offensive arsenal will be the reason it's participating in a wild-card contest while Arizona is forced to watch from home.