NFL Playoff Picture 2023: Updated AFC and NFC Standings, Clinching Scenarios for Week 17

With two weeks left in the regular season, seven teams have clinched playoff berths and seven playoff spots remain up for grabs. Here’s how the NFL playoff picture looks after the Browns beat the Jets on Thursday night of Week 17:

NFC Playoff Picture

DIVISION LEADERS
1. 49ers (11-4): Clinched the NFC West, have the conference record tiebreaker over the Eagles and Lions.

2. Eagles (11-4): Clinched a playoff berth, have the strength of victory tiebreaker over the Lions.

3. Lions (11-4): Clinched the NFC North.

4. Buccaneers (8-7): The NFC South is theirs for the taking.

WILD CARDS
5. Cowboys (10-5): Clinched a playoff berth.

6. Rams (8-7): Own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Seahawks.

7. Seahawks (8-7): Two winnable games remaining on the schedule.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
8. Vikings (7-8): Own the tiebreakers over the Falcons and Packers.

9. Falcons (7-8): Own the head-to-head tiebreakers over the Saints and Packers.

10. Packers (7-8): Own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Saints.

11. Saints (7-8): Clinging to their playoff hopes.

12. Bears (6-9): Playing well down the stretch, with four wins in their last six games.

13. Giants (5-10): Mathematically eliminated.

14. Commanders (4-11): Mathematically eliminated.

15. Cardinals (3-12): Mathematically eliminated.

16. Panthers (2-13): Mathematically eliminated.

AFC Playoff Picture

DIVISION LEADERS
1. Ravens (12-3): Clinched a playoff berth.

2. Dolphins (11-4): Clinched a playoff berth.

3. Chiefs (9-6): Missed a chance to clinch the AFC West.

4. Jaguars (8-7): Own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Colts and Texans in the AFC South.

WILD CARDS
5. Browns (11-5): Clinched a playoff berth.

6. Bills (9-6): Likely to be the AFC wild card that no division winner wants to face.

7. Colts (8-7): Own the tiebreakers over the Steelers, Bengals and Texans.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
8. Texans (8-7): Own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Steelers.

9. Steelers (8-7): Own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Bengals.

10. Bengals (8-7): A dud of a performance against the Steelers was a major blow to their playoff hopes.

11. Raiders (7-8): Still alive in the playoff race.

12. Broncos (7-8): The loss to the Patriots just about stamped out any playoff hopes.

13. Jets (6-10): Mathematically eliminated.

14. Titans (5-10): Mathematically eliminated.

15. Chargers (5-10): Mathematically eliminated.

16. Patriots (4-11): Mathematically eliminated.

Week 17 Clinching Scenarios

Here are the official clinching scenarios distributed by the NFL:

AFC

CLINCHED: Baltimore Ravens (12-3) – playoff berth, Miami Dolphins (11-4) – playoff berth, Cleveland Browns (11-5) – playoff berth.

BALTIMORE RAVENS (12-3) vs. Miami (11-4); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

Baltimore clinches AFC North division title with:

1. BAL win or tie

Baltimore clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and homefield advantage with:

1. BAL win

BUFFALO BILLS (9-6) vs. New England (4-11); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

Buffalo clinches playoff berth with:

1. BUF win + PIT loss or tie + CIN loss or tie OR

2. BUF win + PIT loss or tie + JAX loss or tie OR

3. BUF win + PIT loss or tie + HOU loss or tie + IND loss or tie OR

4. BUF win + CIN loss or tie + JAX loss or tie OR

5. BUF win + CIN loss or tie + HOU loss or tie + IND loss or tie OR

6. BUF tie + PIT loss + CIN loss + JAX loss OR

7. BUF tie + PIT loss + CIN loss + HOU loss or tie OR

8. BUF tie + PIT loss + CIN loss + IND loss or tie OR

9. BUF tie + PIT loss + JAX loss + HOU loss or tie OR

10. BUF tie + PIT loss + JAX loss + IND loss or tie OR

11. BUF tie + PIT loss + HOU loss + IND loss OR

12. BUF tie + CIN loss + JAX loss + HOU loss or tie OR

13. BUF tie + CIN loss + JAX loss + IND loss or tie OR

14. BUF tie + CIN loss + HOU loss + IND loss

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (8-7) vs. Carolina (2-13); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

Jacksonville clinches playoff berth and AFC South division title with:

1. JAX win + IND loss + HOU loss

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (9-6) vs. Cincinnati (8-7); Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS

Kansas City clinches playoff berth and AFC West division title with:

1. KC win or tie OR

2. LV loss or tie + DEN loss or tie

MIAMI DOLPHINS (11-4) at Baltimore (12-3); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

Miami clinches AFC East division title with:

1. MIA win or tie OR

2. BUF loss or tie

NFC

CLINCHED: Detroit Lions (11-4) – NFC North division title, San Francisco 49ers (11-4) – NFC West division title, Dallas Cowboys (10-5) – playoff berth, Philadelphia Eagles (11-4) — playoff berth

LOS ANGELES RAMS (8-7) at New York Giants (5-10); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

L.A. Rams clinch playoff berth with:

1. LAR win + SEA loss OR

2. LAR win + GB-MIN tie

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (11-4) vs. Arizona (3-12); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

Philadelphia clinches NFC East Division title with:

1. PHI win + DAL loss or tie OR

2. PHI tie + DAL loss

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (11-4) at Washington (4-11); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

San Francisco clinches NFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and homefield advantage with:

1. SF win + DET loss + PHI loss

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (8-7) vs. Pittsburgh (8-7); Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX

Seattle clinches playoff berth with:

1. SEA win + GB-MIN tie

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (8-7) vs. New Orleans (7-8); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

Tampa Bay clinches playoff berth and NFC South division title with:

1. TB win OR

2. TB tie + ATL loss