NFL Week 17 playoff picture: Packers earn berth after Vikings eliminate Lions; Broncos chasing AFC’s top seed
Week 17 is going to devour an enormous impact on the playoff image in both the AFC and the NFC.
Getting into the Christmas Day tripleheader, there had been already five groups which devour clinched playoff berths in every conference, with peaceable four full spots in the playoffs up for grabs. That number modified to 3 when the Green Bay Packers earned a berth thanks to the Minnesota Vikings’ procure over the Detroit Lions. Additionally, we peaceable devour loads to head when it comes to the seeding in every conference, including who might well perhaps well perhaps be the No. 1 seeds.
The nightcap of the Christmas tripleheader had playoff implications as well to the Denver Broncos bolstered their protect on the cease seed in the AFC by defeating the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
On Saturday, the Baltimore Ravens are making an are attempting to protect their hopes alive by beating the Green Bay Packers, who themselves peaceable devour an outside shot of successful the NFC North in the event that they’re going to beat Baltimore. Additionally, the Houston Texans are making an are attempting to wrap up their playoff creep while the Los Angeles Chargers are making an are attempting to protect prance in both the wild card flee and the AFC West.
On Sunday, the Steelers can wrap up the AFC North with a procure or can devour the division locked up sooner than they steal the subject if the Ravens lose to the Packers. The Jaguars can knock the Colts out of the playoffs. The Buccaneers can set some tension on the Panthers, who themselves can throw a wrench into the Seahawks’ plans for the cease seed in the NFC. Both the Eagles and Funds are already in the playoffs nevertheless can peaceable hump up in the seedings. And the Bears and 49ers are making an are attempting to jockey for positioning in the NFC and protect their No. 1 seed hopes alive. Then we fetch to the Rams on Monday night time, who devour loads to play for when it comes to both the NFC West and the wild card flee.
As we continue to visual show unit primarily the most modern movements in the playoff standings, here is an up-to-date peep at where things stand.
AFC standings
- x-Denver Broncos (13-3)
- x-New England Patriots (12-3)
- x-Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)
- x-Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)
- x-Buffalo Funds (11-4)
- Houston Texans (10-5)
x-clinched playoff berth
1. Denver Broncos (13-3)
Final time desk: vs. Chargers
Denver bought assist to its successful ways with a key victory over the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs on Christmas night time. With the procure, the Broncos stay the No. 1 seed in the conference and shut in on the AFC West crown. A loss by the Chargers in opposition to the Texans on Saturday clinches the division for the Broncos.
2. New England Patriots (12-3)
Final time desk: at Jets, vs. Dolphins
The Patriots secured their web shriek in the playoffs after rallying for an 11-level deficit in opposition to the Ravens to hump to 12-3 on the season. The victory now not ultimate clinched their web shriek in the postseason, nevertheless it persisted to protect the Funds at palms length for first subject in the AFC East.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4)
Final time desk: at Colts, vs. Titans
The Jaguars made an announcement in Week 16 that they appear to be a severe player in the AFC playoff flee after beating the Broncos at streetlevel. That extends Jacksonville’s successful trip to 6 video games, because the Jaguars seem like peaking at the coolest time.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)
Final time desk: at Browns, vs. Ravens
The Steelers devour won three straight and continue to present themselves breathing room in the AFC North playoff flee, especially after taking down the Lions. On high of that, the Ravens fell to the Patriots, this potential that the suitable potential Baltimore can leapfrog them is in the event that they procure out and Pittsburgh loses out.
5. Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)
Final time desk: vs. Texans, at Broncos
The Chargers devour now won four straight video games after taking down the Cowboys in Dallas on Sunday. Currently, they are the cease wild card in the AFC, nevertheless devour some stiff competitors in the assist of them. That entails the Houston Texans, who they’re going to peek in Week 17 at SoFi Stadium.
6. Buffalo Funds (11-4)
Final time desk: vs. Eagles, vs. Jets
It became a bit closer than they’ll also devour most traditional, nevertheless the Funds came away with a procure in Cleveland to push them to 11-4 on the season. That keeps them on the heels of the Patriots in the AFC East flee and firmly in wild card pickle. Week 16 became the last time Buffalo will be at streetlevel true by means of the 2025 well-liked season, as they’re going to wrap up the year at Highmark Stadium.
7. Houston Texans (10-5)
Final time desk: at Chargers, vs. Colts
After starting up the year 0-3, the Texans devour won seven straight video games to position themselves in a cosy pickle contained in the playoff image. Houston extended that successful trip with a victory over the Raiders at residence that became noteworthy closer than anticipated, nevertheless they are knocking on the door of clinching.
In the hunt
The Ravens (7-8) noticed an enormous dent fetch set into their playoff hopes with their loss to the Patriots in Week 16. Baltimore’s ultimate route to the playoffs is by means of the AFC North, which it would procure if Pittsburgh loses out and it wins out.
NFC standings
- x-Seattle Seahawks (12-3)
- x-Chicago Bears (11-4)
- z-Philadelphia Eagles (10-5)
- Carolina Panthers (8-7)
- x-San Francisco 49ers (11-4)
- x-Los Angeles Rams (11-4)
- x-Green Bay Packers (9-5-1)
x-clinched playoff berth; z-clinched division
1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3)
Final time desk: at Panthers, at 49ers
Seattle pulled off a remarkable making an are attempting, near-from-in the assist of procure over the Rams on “Thursday Night Football,” elevating itself to the No. 1 seed in the conference in the activity. If the Seahawks procure out in opposition to the Panthers and Niners, they’re going to clinch the cease web shriek in the NFC and a bye in primarily the most well-known spherical of the playoffs.
2. Chicago Bears (11-4)
Final time desk: at 49ers, vs. Lions
The Bears are coming off a resplendent comeback procure over the Packers in Week 16, and so they stay making an are attempting for the NFC’s No. 1 seed. On legend of the Pittsburgh Steelers taking down the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Chicago has formally clinched a playoff berth, nevertheless the division is peaceable yet to be clinched.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5)
Final time desk: at Funds, vs. Commanders
Philadelphia punched its playoff designate on Saturday night time with a commanding victory over the Washington Commanders. The defending Broad Bowl champions become primarily the most well-known team to procure assist-to-assist NFC East crowns since 2004.
4. Carolina Panthers (8-7)
Final time desk: vs. Seahawks, at Buccaneers
Carolina has jumped as a lot as the No. 4 seed after leaping over the Buccaneers for the NFC South lead thanks to a head-to-head victory in Week 16. While this does vault the Panthers atop the division for the moment, there is peaceable loads that will perhaps well happen between now and the end of the well-liked season, especially with one other matchup on deck for Week 18 in Tampa.
5. San Francisco 49ers (11-4)
Final time desk: vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks
The 49ers are quietly lurking in the NFC playoff flee and clinched a postseason berth after the Lions fell to the Steelers. San Francisco jumped the Rams into the No. 5 web shriek after walloping the Colts on “Monday Night Football,” and it be positioned to climb even increased true by means of the last two weeks.
If the 49ers beat the Bears and Seahawks to shut out the season, they’re going to stable the No. 1 seed and the conference’s lone first-spherical bye.
6. Los Angeles Rams (11-4)
Final time desk: at Falcons, vs. Cardinals
The Rams are peaceable a playoff lock thanks to their procure in Week 15, nevertheless their probabilities of successful the NFC West and claiming the No. 1 seed in the conference were dramatically reduced by their loss to the Seahawks on Thursday night time. They want Seattle to lose as a minimal one more game, nevertheless moreover can now not devour the 49ers procure out. In any other case, San Francisco might well perhaps well perhaps be the cease seed in the conference by advantage of getting the ultimate division document amongst the three groups.
7. Green Bay Packers (9-5-1)
Final time desk: vs. Ravens, at Vikings
Green Bay noticed a substantial tumble from grace coming into Week 16. After coming into Week 15 because the No. 2 seed and main the NFC North, the Packers dropped the total potential to the No. 7 seed following a loss to the Denver Broncos. That defeat allowed Chicago to jump sooner than Green Bay for first subject in the division.
Issues bought even worse in Week 16. No longer ultimate did Green Bay stop a double-digit lead in the last two minutes — sooner or later falling in time beyond law to the Bears — nevertheless it moreover lost Jordan Need to a concussion. But with a playoff web shriek now stable, the Packers can kind out making an are attempting to procure the NFC North.
In the hunt
The Buccaneers (7-8) devour fallen out of first subject in the NFC South after falling to the Panthers on Sunday. The appropriate route for Baker Mayfield and Co. to impact the playoffs at this level is to procure the division, so there might well be zero margin for error over these last two weeks. They’re going to want to contend with enterprise next week in Miami in opposition to the Dolphins sooner than web hosting the Panthers in what most steadily is a procure-and-in dispute in Week 18.
