Deadspin | NFL Playoff Picture: NFC practically set, Jaguars be a part of race for No. 1 in AFC

With two weeks remaining within the common season, the NFC playoff discipline is sort of set. Drama has intensified within the AFC, the place the Jacksonville Jaguars are within the race for the No. 1 seed and first-round bye after an attention-grabbing win at Denver on Sunday.

Week 16 wraps Monday night time at Indianapolis, the place the Colts’ desperation is palpable and the 49ers have all of the motivation they should bump their document to 11-4. That dangling carrot is the NFC’s prime seed, which is attainable for San Francisco with the Chicago Bears (11-4) and Seattle Seahawks (12-3) left to play within the closing two weeks.

The Seahawks, Bears, Eagles, Rams and 49ers all have tickets to the NFC postseason get together however the pecking order can stack a number of methods relying on outcomes over the subsequent two weeks. Undecided are the NFC South entry — Tampa Bay dropped a stride behind the Panthers with a 23-20 loss at Carolina on Sunday — and the ultimate wild-card spot.

The wild-card spot remains to be Green Bay’s to lose. But it is difficult for the Packers, who’ve two hurting quarterbacks and a recreation with the Baltimore Ravens (7-8) to arrange for this week.

The Panthers (8-7) and Bucs (7-8) are set for one of many few potential win-and-in situations in Week 18. It will probably be a de facto division title recreation at Tampa until the Dolphins journey up Baker Mayfield and the Bucs this week. Tampa is trending within the improper path with a 1-6 document since a Week 9 bye.

Here is the total playoff image by convention because it stands Monday earlier than the 49ers and Colts face off on “Monday Night Football.”

–AFC Playoff Picture

1. Denver Broncos (12-3)

Status: Clinched playoff spot; First place, AFC West

Up Next: at Kansas City Chiefs (Thursday, Dec. 25); vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: The Chargers received the primary matchup, 23-20, in Week 3. Should Denver lose and end with the identical document because the Chargers, the Broncos may go from the No. 1 seed within the AFC to touring to the No. 4 seed — at the moment the Pittsburgh Steelers — within the wild-card playoffs.

2. New England Patriots (12-3)

Status: Clinched playoff spot; First place, AFC East

Up Next: at New York Jets (Dec. 28); vs. Miami Dolphins (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: Finishing with two extra wins and a 14-3 document wouldn’t guarantee the Patriots the No. 1 seed, however it could assure they will fall no decrease than No. 2 within the convention.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4)

Status: First place, AFC South

Up Next: at Indianapolis Colts (Dec. 28); vs. Tennessee Titans (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: The Houston Texans, who cut up two video games with Jacksonville, can nonetheless win the AFC South.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)

Status: First place, AFC North

Up Next: at Cleveland Browns (Dec. 28); vs. Baltimore Ravens (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: An announcement win at Detroit offers the Steelers an opportunity to clinch the division at Cleveland on Sunday, however maintain the noisemakers and confetti. Pittsburgh misplaced at Cleveland final season (24-19), in 2023 (13-10) and 2022 (29-17), final beating the Browns on the street on Halloween 2021.

5. Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)

Status: Second place, AFC West

Up Next: vs. Houston Texans (Saturday, Dec. 27); at Denver Broncos (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: With seven wins up to now eight video games, the Chargers usually are not but assured a playoff spot however may nonetheless land any of the AFC’s seven seed positions.

6. Buffalo Bills (11-4)

Status: Second place, AFC East

Up Next: vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Dec. 28); vs. New York Jets (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: The Bills are 28-4 at residence over the previous 4 seasons.

7. Houston Texans (10-5)

Status: Second place, AFC South

Up Next: at Los Angeles Chargers (Saturday, Dec. 27); vs. Indianapolis Colts (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: The Texans are 13-4 in AFC South video games because the begin of the 2023 season and have received 4 consecutive video games in opposition to the Colts.

–AFC, subsequent in line

8. Indianapolis Colts (8-6): Hope leaves the constructing if the Colts lose to the 49ers on Monday night time.

9. Baltimore Ravens (7-8): Unable to catch Houston, the Ravens are rooting in opposition to the Steelers at Cleveland. A Pittsburgh win eliminates Baltimore from the postseason.

–NFC Playoff Picture

1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3)

Status: Clinched playoff spot; First place, AFC West

Up Next: at Carolina Panthers (Dec. 28); at San Francisco 49ers (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: Alarmed by ending the season with consecutive street video games? Seattle is 13-2 in away video games since 2024.

2. Chicago Bears (11-4)

Status: Clinched playoff spot; First place, NFC North

Up Next: at San Francisco 49ers (Dec. 28); vs. Detroit Lions (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: The Bears are 9-1 exterior the NFC North and 2-3 in division video games this season.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5)

Status: Clinched NFC East, playoff spot

Up Next: at Buffalo Bills (Dec. 28); vs. Washington Commanders (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: Philadelphia can transfer as much as No. 2 if the Seahawks and Bears lose their closing two video games.

4. Carolina Panthers (8-7)

Status: First place, NFC South

Up Next: vs. Seattle Seahawks (Dec. 28); at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: The Panthers and Rams are each 6-4 in opposition to convention opponents, tied for the worst among the many NFC’s present playoff seeds.

5. Los Angeles Rams (11-4)

Status: Clinched playoff spot; Second place, NFC West

Up Next: at Atlanta Falcons (Monday, Dec. 29); vs. Arizona Cardinals (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: The Rams play the primetime Week 17 finale on Monday night time and are 0-2 in non-Sunday video games this season.

6. San Francisco 49ers (10-4)

Status: Clinched playoff spot; Third place, NFC West

Up Next: Monday at Indianapolis Colts; vs. Chicago Bears (Sunday, Dec. 28); vs. Seattle Seahawks (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: Ready for primetime? We’re about to search out out. The 49ers play Monday night time, face the Bears on “Sunday Night Football” and may very well be flexed into a 3rd highlight recreation — to be decided — to shut the season in opposition to Seattle.

7. Green Bay Packers (9-5-1)

Status: Second place, NFC North

Up Next: vs. Baltimore Ravens (Saturday, Dec. 27); vs. Minnesota Vikings (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: If Minnesota beats Detroit on Christmas Day, the Packers clinch a wild-card spot. They can nonetheless get within the postseason discipline with out profitable both of their closing two video games.

–NFC, subsequent in line

8. Detroit Lions (8-7): All of a sudden nearer to fourth place within the NFC North than the playoffs after their loss to the Steelers.

9. Minnesota Vikings (7-8): Beating the Lions and Packers to finish the season will not be prone to be sufficient to push the Vikings into the playoffs.

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8): No margin for error because the Bucs pull for a Panthers loss, then host Carolina within the Week 18 finale.

–Field Level Media