Current Picture of the NFL Playoffs 2024/25: If they started Today

Hard as it may seem to believe, there are now just 2 weeks remaining in the NFL regular season.

Some teams are breathing easily after already clinching a playoff spot, but there are plenty more that are barely clinging to life with time running out.

Current Picture of the NFL Playoffs Analysis

The playoff picture is as clear as it has been all season long and it will become even more so after the Week 17 games have been played.

There will almost certainly be another batch of teams joining those that have already been eliminated once this weekend is over.

The Week 17 games actually begin a little earlier than usual, with games to be played on Christmas Day, which in turn might have a ripple effect heading into the Sunday games.

With all of that said, let’s take a look at the current playoff standing in both conferences.

AFC: Playoff Picture

Let’s start at the top and work our way down in both conferences, beginning with the AFC. There are no real surprises at the top of the AFC with the Kansas City Chiefs holding the #1 seed after going 14-1. They will clinch the #1 spot and the opening round bye with 1 more win, which they will almost certainly get, although their Christmas Day game against the Steelers is going to be a tough one.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills have clinched the division and will almost certainly maintain the #2 seed, as 1 more win over the final couple of games will secure that for them. The 2nd seed also means a trip to the Wild Card Round, but they should have a manageable game to deal with, which we will get into in a moment.

Pittsburgh Steelers

It is the Steelers in the #3 spot right now. While they have clinched their playoff spot, there is no guarantee that they will maintain this position, as they have the Baltimore Ravens breathing down their neck in the AFC North. If the Steelers can somehow knock off the Chiefs, you would like them to beat the Bengals in their final regular season game, clinching the division in the process.

Houston Texans

The Texans have already clinched the South, but they also look to be stuck in the #4 spot. They need the Steelers and Raven to tank in the final couple of weeks, which I just don’t see happening, so I believe it will be the Texans as the #4 seed.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens have a good shot at making the move from their current #5 seed into the #3 slot. They will play the Texans this weekend and then close out against the Browns. That Houston game is tough, but the Browns game should be a win.

The final two spots are being contested by 5 teams, but I think the outcome is pretty clear. The LA Chargers and Denver Broncos both just need 1 more win each to book their rickets into the postseason, which is exactly what I think will happen.

Okay, so if the season were over today, this is how the playoff games would look in the Wild Card Round:

• Kansas City Chiefs – BYE
• Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills
• LA Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers
• Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans

There are some very good matchups in there, but whether things actually stay that way remains to be seen.

Updated look at the AFC Playoff Picture pic.twitter.com/SSBOGjiyve

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 23, 2024

NFC: Playoff Picture

Just as we did with our look at the AFC standings, we are going to work our way down from top to bottom in the NFC. We have a 2-way battle for the #1 seed, but it looks as though the Detroit Lions are going to be getting the opening round bye. That said, they still need to close out the division, which they may have to wait until the final week to do, but we will get into that in just a moment.

Philadelphia Eagles

Sitting in the #2 spot is the Eagles, who saw their chances of the #1 seed take a serious hit with a loss to the Washington Commander this past weekend. Given that the Lions and Vikings will meet in the final week of the season, the match doesn’t really work for the Eagles, which means they are going to be stuck in the #2 seed and heading to the Wild Card Round.

LA Rams

The Rams have very quietly worked their way into the #3 seed, but they still have some work to do to stay there, as the battle for the NFC West is a tight one, with the Seattle Seahawks still hanging around. One more win for the Rams should be enough, and with the Seahawks being one of the teams they still need to face, the Rams are very much in control of their own destiny.

Atlanta Falcons

We have another tight battle going on down in the #4 spot, which is currently held by the Falcons. The Falcons are on top of the NFC South with an 8-7 record, holding the tiebreaker over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have the exact same record. The Falcons have the Commanders next, which is a tough one, before closing out in what should be a winning game against the Panthers.

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings have 13 wins, yet they find themselves down in the #5 spot, which is absolutely astonishing. They can still make the leap into the #1 seed, but they do need to win out and hope that the Lions stumble along the way. The fact that they play Detroit in the final game of the season suggests that we are potentially looking at a winner takes it all scenario in that game.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers have 11 wins, but they are down in 3rd in the North, which means they are going to need to settle for the #6 seed, but make no mistake about it, they are a dangerous proposition heading into the postseason.

Washington Commanders

The #7 seed will be taken by the Commanders, so what we are essentially looking at in the NFC is the two divisions that are still up for grabs, all of which will be decided in the next 2 weeks.

Here is how the playoffs would look in the NFC if they started tomorrow:

• Detroit Lions – BYE
• Washington Commander at Philadelphia Eagles
• Green Bay Packers at LA Rams
• Minnesota Vikings at Atlanta Falcons

I think there is a very good chance that this is going to change, so watch this space.

The NFC playoff picture is RED hot. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/uSjnP0ISfN

— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) December 23, 2024

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