NFL Analysis
11/27/23
5 min read
2023 NFL Playoff Bracket: Latest Matchups after Week 12
The AFC playoff picture was in constant flux in Week 12, and when the dust settled, the Baltimore Ravens took over the top spot, while the Indianapolis Colts found themselves moving into the seventh seed.
The Philadelphia Eagles cemented their place at the top of the NFC, while the race for the final two spots tightened up a bit.
2023 NFL Playoff Picture
AFC First-Round Matchups
7. Indianapolis at 2. Kansas City
6. Cleveland at 3. Jacksonville
5. Pittsburgh at 4. Miami
Bye: Baltimore
AFC Playoff Contenders
1. Baltimore Ravens (9-3, 1st in North)
Playoff Prospects: The Baltimore Ravens will have to overcome the loss of TE Mark Andrews and a very difficult home stretch to retain the top spot.
Remaining schedule: BYE, vs. LAR, at JAX, at SF, vs. MIA, vs. PIT
2. Kansas City Chiefs (8-3, 1st in West)
Playoff Prospects: It took a 14-0 deficit to awaken the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense, but once the alarm clock went off the Chiefs rolled in Las Vegas. K.C. has a very manageable finishing schedule.
Remaining schedule: at GB, vs. BUF, at NE, vs. LV, vs. CIN, at LAC
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-3, 1st in South)
Playoff Prospects: The Jacksonville Jaguars’ gritty Week 12 victory at Houston not only had massive AFC South implications, but it bodes well for the postseason. QB Trevor Lawrence gives them a chance in any game.
Remaining schedule: vs. CIN, at CLE, vs. BAL, at TB, vs. CAR, at TEN
4. Miami Dolphins (8-3, 1st East)
Playoff Prospects: The knock on the Miami Dolphins is they can’t beat elite teams. Well, their powerful offense and improving defense can disprove that notion in the final three games.
Remaining schedule: at WAS, vs. TEN, vs. NYJ, vs. DAL, at BAL, vs. BUF
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-4, 2nd North)
Playoff Prospects: Wait, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a balanced, effective offense? They took some steps toward that in a Week 12 victory at Cincinnati.
Remaining schedule: vs. ARZ, vs. NE, at IND, vs. CIN, at SEA, at BAL
6. Cleveland Browns (7-4, 3rd North)
Playoff Prospects: Sunday’s loss at Denver could come back to haunt the Cleveland Browns, who lost a second quarterback to injury. The Browns’ normally dominant defense wasn’t itself in Week 12.
Remaining schedule: at LAR, vs. JAX, vs. CHI, at HOU, vs. NYJ, at CIN
7. Indianapolis Colts (6-5, 2nd South)
Playoff Prospects: The surprising Indianapolis Colts could ride a potent running game, powered by Jonathan Taylor and Zack Moss, right into a playoff spot.
Remaining schedule: at TEN, at CIN, vs. PIT, at ATL, vs. LV, vs. HOU
In the Hunt
8. Houston Texans (6-5, 3rd South)
Remaining schedule: vs. DEN, at NYJ, at TEN, vs. CLE, vs. TEN, at IND
9. Denver Broncos (6-5, 2nd in West)
Remaining schedule: at HOU, at LAC, at DET, vs. NE, vs. LAC, at LV
10. Buffalo Bills (6-6, 2nd in East)
Remaining schedule: BYE, at KC, vs. DAL, at LAC, vs. NE, at MIA
11. Cincinnati Bengals (5-6, 4th in North)
Remaining schedule: at JAX, vs. IND, vs. MIN, at PIT, at KC, vs. CLE
12. Las Vegas Raiders (5-7, 3rd in West)
Remaining schedule: BYE, vs. MIN, vs. LAC, at KC, at IND, vs. DEN
13. Los Angeles Chargers (4-7, 4th in West)
Remaining schedule: vs. BAL, at NE, vs. DEN, at LV, vs. BUF, at DEN, vs. KC
NFC Playoff Picture
NFC First-Round Matchups
7. Minnesota at 2. San Francisco
6. Seattle at 3. Detroit
5. Dallas at 4. Atlanta
Bye: Philadelphia
NFC Playoff Contenders
1. Philadelphia Eagles (10-1, 1st East)
Playoff Prospects: The Philadelphia Eagles rallied for an overtime win against Buffalo. Next up, a rematch of the NFC Championship Game against San Francisco.
Remaining schedule: vs. SF, at DAL, at SEA, vs. NYG, vs. ARZ, at NYG
2. San Francisco 49ers (8-3, 1st West)
Playoff Prospects: The San Francisco 49ers have so much talent on both sides of the ball. Will that translate to a win at Philadelphia in Week 13? And will that matchup serve as an NFC Championship game preview?
Remaining schedule: at PHI, vs. SEA, at ARZ, vs. BAL, at WAS, vs. LAR
3. Detroit Lions (8-3, 1st North)
Playoff Prospects: The Detroit Lions stumbled badly on Thanksgiving Day but if their offensive line can keep pressure off QB Jared Goff they could be a team to be reckoned with in January.
Remaining schedule: at NO, at CHI, vs. DEN, at MIN, at DAL, vs. MIN
4. Atlanta Falcons (5-6, 1st South)
Playoff Prospects: The Atlanta Falcons got their running game back in gear in Week 12 to take the pole position in the NFC South.
Remaining schedule: at NYJ, vs. TB, at CAR, vs. IND, at CHI, at NO
5. Dallas Cowboys (8-3, 2nd East)
Playoff Prospects: The Dallas Cowboys are a Jekyll/Hyde team. They can be elite some weeks, especially at home and against inferior opponents, and average some others. With several challenging games left on the schedule, there's time yet for Dallas to show their true colors.
Remaining schedule: vs. SEA, vs. PHI, at BUF, at MIA, vs. DET, at WAS
6. Seattle Seahawks (6-5, 2nd West)
Playoff Prospects: Humbled at home on Thanksgiving, the Seattle Seahawks face a brutal three-game stretch of games with a couple of teams hot on their heels. If they can survive that gauntlet and remain in the hunt, they will be a fearsome, battle-tested squad ready to play spoiler.
Remaining schedule: at DAL, at SF, vs. PHI, at TEN, vs. PIT, at ARZ
7. Minnesota Vikings (6-6, 2nd North)
Playoff Prospects: Losing QB Kirk Cousins was a blow for the Minnesota Vikings. His replacement, Joshua Dobbs, will determine what this team's ceiling is. Monday night's sloppy effort against the Bears puts the Vikings in a more precarious position.
Remaining schedule: BYE, at LV, at CIN, vs. DET, vs. GB, at DET
In the Hunt
8. Green Bay Packers (5-6, 3rd North)
Remaining schedule: vs. KC, at NYG, vs. TB, at CAR, at MIN, vs. CHI
9. Los Angeles Rams (5-6, 3rd West)
Remaining schedule: vs. CLE, at BAL, vs. WAS, vs. NO, at NYG, at SF
10. New Orleans Saints (5-6, 2nd South)
Remaining schedule: vs. DET, vs. CAR, vs. NYG, at LAR, at TB, vs. ATL
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7, 3rd South)
Remaining schedule: vs. CAR, at ATL, at GB, vs. JAX, vs. NO, at CAR
