NFL Playoff Picture 2024: Updated AFC and NFC Standings, bracket, tiebreakers for Week 14

The Bills have clinched the AFC East, the Lions and Chiefs have clinched playoff berth, and 11 more playoff spots are up for grabs. Here’s how the NFL playoff picture looks after Thursday of Week 14:

NFC Playoff Picture

DIVISION LEADERS

1. Detroit Lions (12-1): Big Thursday night win against the Packers.

2. Philadelphia Eagles (10-2): A 2.5-game lead in the NFC East is probably insurmountable. But can they catch the Lions for the 1 seed?

3. Seattle Seahawks (7-5): Took a big step toward winning the NFC West by winning on Sunday while the Cardinals and 49ers both lost.

4. Atlanta Falcons (6-6): Own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Buccaneers in the NFC South.

WILD CARDS

5. Minnesota Vikings (10-2): Lost at home to the Lions will hurt their chances, but a Week 18 rematch in Detroit looms.

6. Green Bay Packers (9-4): Getting swept by the Lions pretty much takes them out of NFC North contention.

7. Washington Commanders (8-5): Big win over the Titans reversed their recent slide.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6): Own the tiebreakers over the Cardinals and Rams.

9. Arizona Cardinals (6-6): Have a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Rams.

10. Los Angeles Rams (6-6): Stayed alive with a win over the Saints.

11. San Francisco 49ers (5-7): Preseason NFC favorites are unlikely to make the playoffs.

12. Dallas Cowboys (5-7): Thanksgiving win kept them alive.

13. New Orleans Saints (4-8): Two games out in the NFC South.

14. Chicago Bears (4-8): New interim head coach Thomas Brown takes over a team that’s deep in last place in the NFC North.

15. Carolina Panthers (3-9): Playing much better football of late.

16. New York Giants (2-10): Mathematically eliminated.

AFC Playoff Picture

DIVISION LEADERS

1. Kansas City Chiefs (11-1): Clinched a playoff berth, but a head-to-head loss to the Bills could cost them in the race for the No. 1 seed.

2. Buffalo Bills (10-2): Clinched the AFC East, and now they’re rooting for the Chiefs to lose a game.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3): A 1.5-game lead and the tiebreaker edge in the AFC North.

4. Houston Texans (8-5): They’re not playing well, but they should win the AFC South by default.

WILD CARDS

5. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4): Tough road win in Atlanta.

6. Baltimore Ravens (8-5): Running out of time to catch the Steelers.

7. Denver Broncos (8-5): Bo Nix has led them into the wild card race.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

8. Indianapolis Colts (6-7): Catching the Texans in the AFC South will be a long shot.

9. Miami Dolphins (5-7): Losing to the Packers on Thanksgiving hurt any hopes they had of making a late-season run.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (4-8): May not get to the playoffs even if they run the table.

11. Cleveland Browns (3-9): Deshaun Watson dug a hole that Jameis Winston won’t be able to dig the Browns out of.

12. New York Jets (3-9): The Aaron Rodgers experience is a disaster.

13. Tennessee Titans (3-9): A big upset over the Texans on Sunday.

14. New England Patriots (3-10): Mathematically eliminated.

15. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10): Mathematically eliminated.

16. Las Vegas Raiders (2-10): Mathematically eliminated.

Clinching Scenarios

The following Week 14 playoff scenarios were distributed by the NFL:

AFC

CLINCHED:

Buffalo Bills (10-2) – AFC East

Kansas City Chiefs (11-1) – playoff berth

Kansas City Chiefs (11-1) vs. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4); Sunday night, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC

Kansas City clinches AFC West division title with:

1. KC win

NFC

CLINCHED:

Detroit Lions (12-1) – playoff berth

Minnesota Vikings (10-2) vs. Atlanta Falcons (6-6); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

Minnesota clinches a playoff berth with:

1. MIN win + SEA-ARI tie

2. MIN win + ARI loss + LAR loss or tie

3. MIN tie + TB loss + ARI loss + LAR loss

4. MIN tie + TB loss + ARI tie + LAR loss + PHI win or tie

Philadelphia Eagles (10-2) vs. Carolina Panthers (3-9); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

Philadelphia clinches a playoff berth with:

1. PHI win + ATL loss or tie + SEA-ARI tie

2. PHI win + ATL loss or tie + ARI loss + LAR loss or tie

3. PHI win + ATL loss or tie + ARI loss + DET win or tie

4. PHI win + TB loss or tie + SEA-ARI tie

5. PHI win + TB loss or tie + ARI loss + LAR loss or tie

6. PHI win + TB loss or tie + ARI loss + DET win or tie

7. PHI tie + ATL loss + SEA-ARI tie

8. PHI tie + ATL loss + ARI loss + LAR loss or tie

9. PHI tie + TB loss + SEA-ARI tie

10. PHI tie + TB loss + ARI loss + LAR loss or tie