this is how the NFL playoff picture appears with Week 18 underway:
x – clinched berth
y – clinched division
z – clinched first-spherical bye and residence-area benefit
* – consists of particular NFL provision
adjust to every recreation: latest NFL Scores and Schedules
AFC
yz* – 1. Kansas metropolis Chiefs (14-three), AFC West champions: They’re amongst a quantity of teams impacted by the NFL’s choice Thursday night to cancel Week 17’s funds-Bengals recreation inside the aftermath of Buffalo S Damar Hamlin’s on-area collapse and subsequent hospitalization. Kansas metropolis did safe the No. 1 seed by crushing the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday, nonetheless the Chiefs are solely assured to maintain at Arrowhead Stadium all by January if the funds lose Sunday. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and his opponents committee laid out some options – permitted by league golf equipment Friday – which might doubtlessly shift the AFC championship recreation to a impartial website as a consequence of the funds would have had the inside monitor to the No. 1 seed by worthwhile their scrapped Week 17 contest. Buffalo ought to nonetheless face the Chiefs with an glorious Bowl fifty seven berth at stake, the question is the place? subsequent week: Bye
y* – 2. Buffalo funds (12-three), AFC East champions: They gained at Kansas metropolis in Week 6 and earned the seemingly pivotal head-to-head tiebreaker, so Goodell’s decision ensures Hamlin’s collapse will not ship the funds to okay.C. for a third consecutive postseason if they preserve tempo with Chiefs – that means Buffalo should win Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Patriots
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y* – three. Cincinnati Bengals (eleven-4), AFC North champions: The cancellation of their recreation with Buffalo provides reigning AFC champs consecutive division crowns … with a twist. If Cincinnati does not defeat Baltimore – that means a Ravens season sweep – and the Chargers win, the situation of a Bengals-Ravens wild-card recreation (at Baltimore or at Cincinnati) could be decided by a coin flip. The rationale for that is that the Ravens’ path to the AFC North crown was worn out by the cancellation of the funds-Bengals recreation. Kansas metropolis’s win Saturday voided the potential of a impartial-website Chiefs-Bengals AFC championship recreation. Remaining schedule: vs. Ravens
y – 4. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-eight), AFC South champions: They gained their first division title since 2017, additionally the final 12 months the Jags reached postseason, by eliminating the Tennessee Titans on Saturday in a de facto division title recreation. subsequent week: vs. Chargers or Ravens
x – 5. la Chargers (10-6), wild card No. 1: Playoff individuals for the major time in 4 years, all that is left to be decided is which divisional champion the Bolts will go to in opening spherical. Now fifth inside the convention as a consequence of their doc in AFC video games is extra healthful than Baltimore’s, LA will not be seeded worse than sixth. A win at Denver invites the potential of a Bengals-Ravens wild-card recreation and website decided by coin flip, although the Bolts have little incentive to play their key gamers in Week 18. Remaining schedule: at Broncos
x* – 6. Baltimore Ravens (10-6), wild card No. 2: they will not win the AFC North in consequence of cancellation of the funds-Bengals recreation. however they will get a wild-card residence recreation at M&T financial institution Stadium in opposition to the Bengals by worthwhile at Cincinnati on Sunday after which worthwhile a coin flip if the Chargers additionally prevail. Ravens hit the highway in opposition to the AFC South champion with a win plus Bolts loss. Remaining schedule: at Bengals
7. New England Patriots (eight-eight), wild card No. three: Not solely staved off elimination by beating Miami in Week 17, Pats will now advance to postseason by worthwhile in Western ny this Sunday. they will additionally advance with a loss if the Dolphins and Steelers lose. Remaining schedule: at funds
eight. Miami Dolphins (eight-eight), out of playoff area: 5-recreation slide, QB Tua Tagovailoa’s latest concussion and backup Teddy Bridgewater’s hand harm go away their postseason hopes in extreme jeopardy. nonetheless a win coupled with a mannequin new England loss will advance Miami. Remaining schedule: vs. Jets
9. Pittsburgh Steelers (eight-eight), out of playoff area: in the event that they beat Cleveland – and Pats and Dolphins each lose – then Pittsburgh will qualify as AFC’s closing wild card. Remaining schedule: vs. Browns
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NFC
x – 1. Philadelphia Eagles (thirteen-three), NFC East leaders: They’re zero-for-2 with out injured QB Jalen Hurts, failing twice to wrap up NFC’s No. 1 seed, and will even be with out him as quickly as extra Sunday. however Philly can nonetheless clinch residence area and a major-spherical bye by beating a wild-card Giants group ticketed for the sixth seed and with little purpose to not relaxation its excellent gamers. Remaining schedule: vs. Giants
y – 2. San Francisco 49ers (12-4), NFC West champions: they’ve an alternative on the NFC’s prime spot due to their 9-2 doc in intraconference video games. Niners will want a win Sunday coupled with a Philadelphia loss to overhaul the Eagles. Remaining schedule: vs. Cardinals
y – three. Minnesota Vikings (12-4), NFC North champions: Their embarrassing Week 17 loss at inexperienced Bay took Vikes out of working for No. 1 seed. the very biggest they will do is getting again to No. 2 by beating Chicago coupled with a Niners defeat. Remaining schedule: at Bears
y – 4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (eight-eight), NFC South champions: again-to-again division champs for the major time in group historic previous, Bucs are locked into fourth seed but apparently plan to play QB Tom Brady and completely different starters Sunday. Their recreation means little aside from an alternative to proceed sharpening an inconsistent offense and ending the common season above .500. Remaining schedule: at Falcons
x – 5. Dallas Cowboys (12-4), wild card No. 1: in the event that they win and Eagles do not, America’s group swoops to the NFC East throne. as effectively as, the Cowboys have a path to the No. 1 seed in the event that they beat Washington whereas Philadelphia and San Francisco each stumble Sunday. Remaining schedule: at Commanders
x – 6. ny Giants (9-6-1), wild card No. 2: huge Blue is again in postseason for the major time since 2016. Now Giants wait to see who finishes third and hosts them in wild-card spherical. Remaining schedule: at Eagles
7. Seattle Seahawks (eight-eight), wild card No. three: they might at present be slotted seventh, courtesy of their forty eight-forty five Week 4 win at Detroit, however ‘Hawks do not administration their postseason fortunes. They advance with a win and loss by inexperienced Bay. Remaining schedule: vs. Rams
eight. Detroit Lions (eight-eight), out of playoff area: They want a win at inexperienced Bay and a Seahawks defeat to attain postseason for the major time in six years. they’ve the longest odds of the NFC teams vying for the closing convention berth … and ought to additionally be membership whoever finishes second would least want to host. Remaining schedule: at Packers
9. inexperienced Bay Packers (eight-eight), out of playoff area: They’ve gotten an unbelievable deal of out of doorways assist previous few weeks, however largest assist has come internally courtesy of their 4-recreation worthwhile streak. in the event that they beat Detroit, Pack will most seemingly be inside the playoffs for the fourth time in 4 years under coach Matt LaFleur as a consequence of their doc in NFC video games could be 7-5 – greater than the Seahawks, whom inexperienced Bay did not play in 2022. Remaining schedule: vs. Lions
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adjust to USA right now sports activities’ Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis.
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