NFL Playoff Picture: Week 18 Clinching Scenarios
Analysis 1/6/23
The AFC playoff field is set, which leaves only one NFC postseason berth up for grabs. Here’s what the playoff fields look like with just one regular-season game left.
Key: x-clinched playoff berth, y-clinched division, z-clinched first-round bye
AFC Playoff Picture
AFC Wild-Card Playoff Schedule (Day/Times TBD)
- Bye: (1) Kansas City Chiefs
- (7) Miami Dolphins at (2) Buffalo Bills
- (6) Baltimore Ravens at (3) Cincinnati Bengals
- (5) L.A. Chargers at (4) Jacksonville Jaguars
Final AFC Playoff Seedings
1. zyx-Kansas City Chiefs (14-3)
Week 18: The Chiefs clinched home-field advantage with their win over the Raiders.
2. yx-Buffalo Bills (13-3)
Week 18: The Bill beat the Patriots and are locked into the No. 2 seed.
3. yx-Cincinnati Bengals (12-4)
Week 18: The Bengals beat the Ravens and are locked into the No. 3 seed.
4. yx-Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8)
Week 18: Jacksonville clinched the AFC South and No. 4 seed by beating Tennessee.
5. x-Los Angeles Chargers (10-7)
Week 18: With nothing to play for, the Chargers lost to the Broncos and now enter the playoffs as the No. 5 seed.
6. x-Baltimore Ravens (10-7)
Week 18: The Ravens’ loss to the Bengals locked them into the No. 6 seed.
7. x-Miami Dolphins (9-8)
Week 18: Miami clinched the final AFC playoff berth by beating the Jets and having New England lose to the Bills.
Eliminated
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-8)
9. New England Patriots (8-9)
10. New York Jets (7-10)
11. Tennessee Titans (7-10)
12. Cleveland Browns (7-10)
13. Las Vegas Raiders (6-11)
14. Denver Broncos (5-12)
15. Indianapolis Colts (4-12-1)
16. Houston Texans (3-13-1)
NFC Playoff Picture
NFC Wild-Card Playoff Schedule (Day/Times TBD)
- Bye: (1) Philadelphia Eagles
- (7) Seattle/Green Bay at (2) San Francisco 49ers
- (6) N.Y. Giants at (3) Minnesota Vikings
- (5) Dallas Cowboys at (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Current NFC Playoff Seedings
1. zyx-Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
Week 18: By beating the Giants, the Eagles locked up the NFC East and the conference’s No. 1 playoff seed.
2. yx-San Francisco 49ers (13-4)
Week 18: San Francisco’s win over the Cardinals (and Philadelphia’s win over the Giants) locked the 49ers into the No. 2 seed.
3. yx-Minnesota Vikings (13-4)
Week 18: The Vikings beat the Bears and are locked into the No. 3 seed in the NFC.
4. yx-Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
Week 18: With nothing to play for and locked into the No. 4 seed, the Buccaneers lost to the Falcons and enter the playoffs with the lone sub-.500 record.
5. x-Dallas Cowboys (12-5)
Week 18: Dallas’ loss to Washington locked the Cowboys into the No. 5 seed.
6. x-New York Giants (9-7-1)
Week 18: The Giants lost to the Eagles but were already locked into the No. 6 seed.
7. Seattle Seahawks (9-8)
Week 18: Seattle stayed alive in the playoff hunt by beating the Rams. The Seahawks now need the Lions to beat the Packers Sunday night to get in.
In the Hunt
8. Green Bay Packers (8-8)
Opponent: vs. Lions (8-8) | 8:20 ET Sunday
Clinching scenario: Green Bay can clinch a playoff berth with: GB win.
Eliminated
9. Detroit Lions (8-8)
10. Washington Commanders (8-8-1)
11. Carolina Panthers (7-10)
12. New Orleans Saints (7-10)
13. Atlanta Falcons (7-10)
14. Los Angeles Rams (5-12)
15. Arizona Cardinals (4-13)
16. Chicago Bears (3-14)