After a busy stretch of impactful games around the holiday, the NFL playoff picture has a much different look.
Entering the week, the Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings both slotted in as postseason-bound teams. However, the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks have replaced them in the current standings.
And we’re not done yet.
Week 16’s slate concludes with three matchups on Christmas Day. After the Kansas City Chiefs host the Las Vegas Raiders, the New York Giants face the Philadelphia Eagles. The showdown between the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers wraps up the day.
AFC East
Miami Dolphins (11-4)
Buffalo Bills (9-6)
New York Jets (6-9)
New England Patriots (4-11)
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens (11-3)
Cleveland Browns (10-5)
Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7)
Cincinnati Bengals (8-7)
AFC South
Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7)
Indianapolis Colts (8-7)
Houston Texans (8-7)
Tennessee Titans (5-10)
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs (9-5)
Denver Broncos (7-8)
Las Vegas Raiders (6-8)
Los Angeles Chargers (5-10)
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles (10-4)
Dallas Cowboys (10-5)
New York Giants (5-9)
Washington Commanders (4-11)
NFC North
Detroit Lions (11-4)
Minnesota Vikings (7-8)
Green Bay Packers (7-8)
Chicago Bears (6-9)
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)
Atlanta Falcons (7-8)
New Orleans Saints (7-8)
Carolina Panthers (2-13)
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers (11-3)
Los Angeles Rams (8-7)
Seattle Seahawks (8-7)
Arizona Cardinals (3-12)
Division Leaders
1. Baltimore Ravens (11-3, clinched playoff berth)
2. Miami Dolphins (11-4, clinched playoff berth)
3. Kansas City Chiefs (9-5)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7)
Wild-Card Leaders
5. Cleveland Browns (10-5)
6. Buffalo Bills (9-6)
7. Indianapolis Colts (8-7)
In the Hunt
8. Houston Texans (8-7)
9. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7)
10. Cincinnati Bengals (8-7)
11. Denver Broncos (7-8)
12. Las Vegas Raiders (6-8)
Buffalo Leaps the AFC South
About a month ago, the Buffalo Bills surprisingly lost a Monday night matchup to the Denver Broncos. The loss dropped the Bills to a disappointing 5-5 and put their postseason hopes in jeopardy.
Fast-forward to today, and the outlook isn’t so bleak.
Saturday night, Buffalo edged the Los Angeles Chargers 24-22 to win a third straight game and improve to 9-6. Then on Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans all lost—and allowed the Bills to leap uncontested into a wild-card position.
Buffalo hosts the four-win New England Patriots in Week 17. Take that matchup, and there’s even a chance the Bills—with a little help elsewhere—can even clinch a postseason berth next weekend.
Division Leaders
1. San Francisco 49ers (11-3, clinched NFC West)
2. Detroit Lions (11-4, clinched NFC North)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-4, clinched playoff berth)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)
Wild-Card Leaders
5. Dallas Cowboys (10-5, clinched playoff berth)
6. Los Angles Rams (8-7)
7. Seattle Seahawks (8-7)
In the Hunt
8. Minnesota Vikings (7-8)
9. Atlanta Falcons (7-8)
10. Green Bay Packers (7-8)
11. New Orleans Saints (7-8)
12. Chicago Bears (6-9)
13. New York Giants (5-9)
Seattle Clips Tennessee, Jumps the Vikings
If the Seahawks ultimately make the playoffs, Week 16 is an ideal reminder of how victories don’t have to be pretty.
On the road against five-win Tennessee, Seattle ceded a gut-wrenching 15-play touchdown drive that took 8:49 off the clock in the fourth quarter. The offense took possession with 3:21 left while trailing 17-13.
Geno Smith ultimately found a way.
Sure, the Hawks needed 14 snaps of their own. Seven completions and a timely pass interference later, however, Smith hit Colby Parkinson for a game-winning five-yard touchdown in the final minute. Seattle pulled out a nerve-testing, invaluable 20-17 triumph.
Thanks to Minnesota’s loss against Detroit, the Seahawks edged up into the NFC’s seventh seed.
