NFL Playoff Standings and Clinch Scenarios
Week 16 of the NFL season is upon us, and many teams are squarely in the hunt for a bert in the postseason. The Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens and San Diego Chargers are all fighting for the No. 6 seed in the AFC, while the Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots are fighting for the No. 2 seed and a critical first-round bye.
The playoffs are beginning to take shape with three teams having clinched playoff berths with three weeks remaining. Week 15 will provide several other teams with opportunities to clinch playoff berths, including the Bengals, who will be looking to accomplish that feat at hove vs. the Minnesota Vikings.
But they’ll need the Dolphins to lose to the Buffalo Bills clinch a playoff berth, and the Ravens need to lose to the Patriots for them to clinch the AFC North.
There’s still a lot to be determined as far as playoff matchups and who even makes it to the postseason. Here is the most up-to-date playoff standings:
AFC
SEED
TEAM
DIVISION
RECORD
1
(x) Denver
West
11-3-0
2
New England
East
10-4-0
3
Cincinnati
North
9-5-0
4
(y) Indianapolis
South
9-5-0
5
(x) Kansas City
West
11-3-0
6
Baltimore
North
8-6-0
STILL ALIVE
SEED
TEAM
DIVISION
RECORD
7
Miami
East
8-6-0
8
San Diego
West
7-7-0
9
Pittsburgh
North
6-8-0
ELIMINATED
SEED
TEAM
DIVISION
RECORD
10
N.Y. Jets
East
6-8-0
11
Tennessee
South
5-9-0
12
Buffalo
East
5-9-0
13
Oakland
West
4-10-0
14
Jacksonville
South
4-10-0
15
Cleveland
North
4-10-0
16
Houston
South
2-12-0
NFC
SEED
TEAM
DIVISION
RECORD
1
(x) Seattle
West
12-2-0
2
New Orleans
South
10-4-0
3
Philadelphia
East
8-6-0
4
Chicago
North
8-6-0
5
Carolina
South
10-4-0
6
San Francisco
West
10-4-0
STILL ALIVE
SEED
TEAM
DIVISION
RECORD
7
Arizona
West
9-5-0
8
Green Bay
North
7-6-1
9
Detroit
North
7-7-0
10
Dallas
East
7-7-0
ELIMINATED
SEED
TEAM
DIVISION
RECORD
11
St. Louis
West
6-8-0
12
N.Y. Giants
East
5-9-0
13
Minnesota
North
4-9-1
14
Tampa Bay
South
4-10-0
15
Atlanta
South
4-10-0
16
Washington
East
3-11-0