The NFL regular season is coming to an end, with playoff scenarios still to be decided. We take a look at what each game’s results do to the playoff picture.
We have reached the end of the 2024 NFL regular season, with just the final weekend’s 16 games before the playoffs begin. These games are huge, however, as tournament seeding and playoff berths are seemingly on the line in every game. Who will find their way into the playoffs and who will miss out?
The AFC playoff picture has three teams battling for the final wild card position along with a division title still to be claimed. In the NFC playoff picture, two division titles have to be claimed – one with the teams deciding who will be the top seed in the conference and who will settle for a wild card spot while the other is a win the division or miss the playoffs scenario.
We bring back our live playoff tracker for this weekend, updating it as games reach their final whistle. Who will see their playoff hopes dashed and who will move on to try to work their way into a Super Bowl appearance?
Last update: January 4 – 1:45 p.m. Eastern
2024 NFL Playoff Standings
AFC Playoff Picture (through Week 17):
1 – Kansas City Chiefs (15-1, AFC West champion)+=
2 – Buffalo Bills (13-3, AFC East champion)+
3 – Baltimore Ravens (11-5, AFC North leader)^
4 – Houston Texans (9-7, AFC South champion)+
5 – Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6, Wild Card 1 position)^
6 – Los Angeles Chargers (10-6, Wild Card 2 position)^
7 – Denver Broncos (9-7, Wild Card 3 position)
Miami Dolphins (8-8)
Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
Eliminated from playoffs:
Indianapolis Colts (7-9)
New York Jets (4-11)
Cleveland Browns (3-12)
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12)
Tennessee Titans (3-12)
Las Vegas Raiders (3-12)
New England Patriots (3-12)
^ Playoffs clinched
+ Division championship clinched
= Homefield advantage clinched (Top seed, bye week)
*Week 18 game played
Tie breaks:
- Steelers over Chargers based on head-to-head results
- Dolphins over Bengals based on AFC record
- Jets over Raiders based on AFC record; Three-way tie: Jets and Raiders over Jaguars based on head-to-head sweep
- Raiders over Jaguars based on head-to-head results
- Browns over Titans based on strength-of-victory; Three-way tie: Browns and Titans over Patriots based on AFC record
- Titans over Patriots based on head-to-head results
NFC Playoff Picture (through Week 17)
1 – Detroit Lions (14-2, NFC North leader)^
2 – Philadelphia Eagles (13-3, NFC East champion)+
3 – Los Angeles Rams (10-6, NFC West champion)+
4 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7, NFC South leader)
5 – Minnesota Vikings (14-2, Wild Card 1 position)^
6 – Washington Commanders (11-5, Wild Card 2 position)
7 – Green Bay Packers (11-5, Wild Card 3 position)
Atlanta Falcons (8-8)
Note: The Buccaneers and Falcons are eliminated from wildcard contention. Whichever team does not win the NFC South will miss the playoffs.
Eliminated from playoffs:
Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
Dallas Cowboys (7-9)
Arizona Cardinals (7-9)
San Francisco 49ers (6-10)
New Orleans Saints (5-11)
Chicago Bears (4-12)
Carolina Panthers (4-12)
New York Giants (3-13)
^ Playoffs clinched
+ Division championship clinched
*Week 18 game played
Tie breaks
- Lions over Vikings based on head-to-head results
- Commanders over Packers based on NFC record
- Cowboys over Cardinals based on NFC record
- Bears over Panthers based on head-to-head results
NFL Week 18 Schedule and Scores
Saturday, January 4
4:30 p.m. Eastern
Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens
8 p.m. Eastern
Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday, January 5
1 p.m. Eastern
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons
Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts
Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans
4:25 p.m. Eastern
San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos
Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets
8:20 p.m. Eastern
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions
Clinching Scenarios (Week 18)
AFC Clinching Scenarios
AFC North Division Championship
Baltimore Ravens clinch division if:
- Ravens win/tie OR
- Steelers lose/tie
Steelers clinch division if:
- Steelers win and Ravens lose
AFC Wildcard Positions
Denver Broncos clinch playoff berth if:
- Broncos win/tie OR
- Dolphins lose/tie and Bengals lose/tie
Miami Dolphins clinch playoff berth if:
- Dolphins win and Broncos lose
Bengals clinch playoff berth if:
- Bengals win and Broncos lose and Dolphins lose/tie
AFC Seeding
- 1st Seed [clinched]: Kansas City Chiefs
- 2nd Seed [clinched]: Buffalo Bills
- 3rd Seed: Baltimore Ravens or Pittsburgh Steelers
- 4th Seed [clinched]: Houston Texans
- 5th Seed: Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, or Los Angeles Chargers
- 6th Seed: Los Angeles Chargers or Pittsburgh Steelers
- 7th Seed: Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, or Cincinnati Bengals
NFC Clinching Scenarios
NFC North Division Championship
Detroit Lions clinch division if:
- Lions win/tie
Minnesota Vikings clinch division if:
- Vikings win
NFC South Division Championship
Buccaneers clinch division if:
- Buccaneers win/tie OR
- Falcons lose/tie
Atlanta Falcons clinch division if:
- Falcons win and Buccaneers lose
NFC Wildcard Positions
All wildcard berths have been clinched with seeding to be determined.
NFC Seeding
- 1st Seed: Detroit Lions or Minnesota Vikings
- 2nd Seed [clinched]: Philadelphia Eagles
- 3rd Seed: Los Angeles Rams or Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- 4th Seed: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, or Atlanta Falcons
- 5th Seed: Minnesota Vikings or Detroit Lions
- 6th Seed: Washington Commanders or Green Bay Packers
- 7th Seed: Green Bay Packers or Washington Commanders
