NFL Playoff Situations 2024-25: AFC, NFC Week 16 Bracket Image and Predictions

The 2024 NFL common season is creeping nearer to the end line, and the playoff standings mirror that proximity.

Six completely different groups have secured their postseason tickets, and several other others will be ok with their probabilities of doing so earlier than later.

After laying out the most recent standings, we’ll spotlight the races to watch in every convention.

The Chiefs, Payments and Texans have all wrapped up their division titles and claimed one of many top-four seeds that comes with it. The Steelers may do the identical subsequent week in the event that they’re in a position to triumph on their journey to Baltimore.

If not, the Ravens may nonetheless handle to pry the AFC North crown away from their rivals. Baltimore thinned the hole between the groups Sunday, throttling the Giants whereas the Steelers got here up empty in opposition to the Eagles.

Kansas Metropolis holds a two-game edge on Buffalo for the No. 1 seed, however that benefit may be a bit extra tenuous than it sounds. The Payments claimed the head-to-head tiebreaker by knocking off the Chiefs in Week 11, and their quarterback, Josh Allen, is working to carry his lead within the MVP race whereas Patrick Mahomes of Kansas Metropolis is unsure to swimsuit up subsequent week after struggling a proper ankle damage.

The Broncos are sitting fairly after stretching their successful streak to 4 video games and seeing each Indianapolis and Miami slip up on Sunday. The Chargers maintain a reasonably comfy edge on that pair (and Cincinnati), too, however issues will not really feel as comfy if L.A. cannot fend off Denver on Thursday night time.

This would possibly not make for a enjoyable prediction, however it feels just like the AFC’s present bracket would be the identical one we’ll see when the common season is completed.

The Lions are human in spite of everything.

It took a superhuman effort from Josh Allen, however Detroit’s 11-game successful streak lastly snapped on Sunday, maybe leaving the door open for Philadelphia to say the highest seed.

The Eagles, winners of 10 straight, haven’t got the tiebreaker since their convention report is worse, however the distinction is just one sport, and the Lions nonetheless should face the Vikings of their finale.

Talking of Minnesota, this membership may nonetheless seize maintain of the NFC North crown by successful out. There’s even a means for Inexperienced Bay to nonetheless muscle its means into the combination as a part of a wild end, although that is much less prone to materialize given the variety of issues that must break within the Packers’ favor.

Exterior of this group, issues are technically extensive open within the NFC, the place solely two playoff spots have been secured, no division titles have been handed out and simply three groups have been eradicated from playoff competition. In actuality, issues really feel extra solidified than that.

The Buccaneers’ rout of the Chargers gave Tampa a firmer grasp of the NFC South lead, and there is not a fantastic purpose to consider Atlanta, losers of 4 straight, or New Orleans, 3-9 since Week 3, will launch again into the race.

It may be all eyes on the NFC West, then, as Los Angeles simply pulled forward of Seattle and controls its future. Ought to the Rams falter, although, the Seahawks are proper there, and the Cardinals stay inside hanging distance. The 49ers are mathematically within the combine, too, however they may be too banged-up for that to matter.

Our crystal ball sees the Eagles wrestling away the highest seed from the Lions, however that is it so far as modifications go. There may be some temptation to name for a Seahawks’ emergence within the NFC West, however that is an inconceivable prediction to make with out understanding the severity of Geno Smith’s knee damage.