At 11-4, the Kansas City Chiefs have won the AFC West, clinched a playoff spot, and hold the inside track for the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye. But much of the NFL playoff picture remains unclear with just two weeks to go in the regular season.
The Chiefs are the only AFC team to clinch a postseason berth, with a dozen teams fighting for the remaining six spots in the postseason.
AFC divisional races remain tight
After a shaky start to the season, Kansas City now rates as the +400 favorite to win the Super Bowl at FanDuel Sportsbook.
| Super Bowl Odds (via FanDuel Sportsbook) | |
| Kansas City Chiefs: +400 | Green Bay Packers: +450 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers: +700 | Buffalo Bills: +850 |
| Dallas Cowboys: +900 | Los Angeles Rams: +950 |
| New England Patriots: +1700 | Tennessee Titans: +1800 |
| Indianapolis Colts: +1800 | Arizona Cardinals: +2000 |
The Tennessee Titans (10-5) are also in excellent shape after a win over the 49ers on Sunday. But the rest of the AFC features 10 teams within two games of each other, resulting in one of the muddiest playoff pictures seen in years.
The Buffalo Bills (9-6) now hold the lead in the AFC East after beating the New England Patriots (9-6), with the Miami Dolphins (8-7) also suddenly in the mix. Meanwhile, the AFC North remains up for grabs: while the Cincinnati Bengals (9-6) lead the division, the Ravens (8-7), Steelers (7-7-1), and even the Browns (7-8) are all still in the race and could theoretically make the playoffs.
NFC field tightens after Week 16
Comparatively, the NFC playoff picture looks orderly. After Week 16, five teams have clinched playoff spots, leaving just two positions available on the NFC side of the expanded field.
The Green Bay Packers (12-3) hold the top seed and have clinched the NFC North title. Green Bay rates as a +450 Super Bowl pick. The Dallas Cowboys (11-4) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-4) have also won their divisions, while the Rams (11-4) lead the NFC West. The Arizona Cardinals (10-5) have also guaranteed themselves a spot in the postseason.
That leaves six teams fighting for two spots. At the moment, the San Francisco 49ers (8-7) and the Philadelphia Eagles (8-7) currently hold those spots, but the Vikings, Falcons, and Saints are all just one game back at 7-8. Even Washington remains alive at 6-9, though it’s difficult to imagine a scenario in which it reaches the postseason at this point.
Here’s a breakdown of the current NFL playoff picture, including a full list of who is still alive in each conference.
AFC playoff picture
No. 1 seed (first-round bye): Kansas City Chiefs (11-4)
- No. 2 Tennessee Titans (10-5) vs. No. 7 Miami Dolphins (8-7)
- No. 3 Cincinnati Bengals (9-6) vs. No. 6 New England Patriots (9-6)
- No. 4 Buffalo Bills (9-6) vs. No. 5 Indianapolis Colts (9-6)
Still alive
- Los Angeles Chargers (8-7)
- Las Vegas Raiders (8-7)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7-1)
- Cleveland Browns (7-8)
- Denver Broncos (7-8)
NFC playoff picture
No. 1 seed (first-round bye): Green Bay Packers (12-3)
- No. 2 Dallas Cowboys (11-4) vs. No. 7 Philadelphia Eagles (8-7)
- No. 3 Los Angeles Rams (11-4) vs. No. 6 San Francisco 49ers (8-7)
- No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-4) vs. No. 5 Arizona Cardinals (10-5)
Still alive
- Minnesota Vikings (7-8)
- Atlanta Falcons (7-8)
- New Orleans Saints (7-8)
- Washington Football Team (6-9)
