2023 NFL playoff permutations: Here’s what you need to know

By CNN Newsource

Published December 20, 2023 5:37 AM

By Ben Morse, CNN

(CNN) — Jobs are being won or lost, and futures are decided upon. It can only mean one thing: the NFL playoffs are just around the corner.

With three weeks of the 2023 regular season remaining, just four of the 14 playoff spots across the two conferences have been sewn up, meaning a lot of teams are vying for a ticket to the postseason.

Here’s all the permutations you need to know about.

American Football Conference (AFC)

The Baltimore Ravens are the only team in the AFC to have already wrapped up their playoff spot after Week 15.

Following their 23-7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Ravens are in pole position to earn the No. 1 seed in the conference with a record of 11-3 and ensure homefield advantage throughout the playoffs as a result.

Below them, everything is still up for grabs, with quarterback injuries adding an element of jeopardy to the AFC race.

The Miami Dolphins sit second in the conference at 10-4 and first in the AFC East division. The team would claim a spot in the postseason with a victory in Week 16 against the Dallas Cowboys but would clinch the division title if the Buffalo Bills lose or tie.

The Kansas City Chiefs – the reigning Super Bowl champions – sit third in the AFC with a 9-5 record, reflecting a thoroughly frustrating season; the defense has looked elite but offensive miscues and a lack of explosiveness have blighted the team’s progress this year.

Even so, in an underwhelming AFC West, the Chiefs can clinch the division title with a Week 16 victory and book their spot in the playoffs as a result. However, Kansas City will need a major slip up from both Baltimore and Miami if it has any hopes of the No. 1 seed.

Below the Chiefs comes a host of teams all sitting on an 8-6 record – apart from the Cleveland Browns on 9-5 – vying for spots in the postseason.

The Jaguars, the Browns, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts occupy the final four remaining spots in the bracket, with the Houston Texans and the Bills on the outside.

Cleveland, Cincinnati and Indianapolis have all battled season-ending injuries to their starting quarterbacks. The Browns are on their fourth quarterback of the year but will have to keep winning to book a spot in a competitive AFC.

Jacksonville has lost three straight games, to allow the Colts – manned by backup quarterback Gardner Minshew – to race back into contention but the Jaguars hold the tie-breaker over their AFC South rivals after beating them twice this season already.

As long as they match Indy’s results for the rest of the season, the Jaguars will book their spot in the playoffs.

The Browns have undergone a late-season surge under Joe Flacco’s leadership and, although the AFC North division title looks out of reach thanks to Baltimore’s continued excellence, they remain well in with a shout of reaching the playoffs.

With a one-game lead over most of their AFC competitors, two wins from the final remaining three weeks should see the Browns into the postseason.

The Bengals and the Colts both face a stiff task with backups leading the way to remain in the playoff hunt, particularly with the Texans and the Bills lurking, ready to pounce on any mistake.

The Bills themselves are arguably the hottest team in the NFL at the moment off the back of an impressive victory over the Dallas Cowboys last time out but, following a slow start to the season, sit on the outside of the playoff standings in ninth place with three games remaining.

With three weeks remaining of the NFL regular season, the bottom of the AFC playoff picture is all to play for as the drama heats up with the culmination of the season approaching.

National Football Conference (NFC)

Three teams from the NFC have already booked their spot in the playoffs this season.

The San Francisco 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles all have their postseason berths secured with three weeks remaining.

The 49ers look the strongest bet to wrap up the No. 1 seed and homefield advantage with a one-game lead in the standings, and the imperious form they are showing at the moment in contrast to both Dallas’ and Philadelphia’s up-and-down finishes to the year.

Below the three teams already in the postseason, the Detroit Lions currently own the third seed as NFC North leaders with a record of 10-4 as the team enjoys a magical season.

And the squad could go one step further shortly as a Week 16 victory would clinch the division title and a guaranteed spot in the playoffs – the first time Detroit would make the postseason since 2016.

There is a big drop off in record between the Lions and the next best franchise.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers currently occupy the fourth seed as NFC South division leaders with a 7-7 record.

The Bucs face the 7-8 New Orleans Saints in a critical Week 17 clash on New Year’s Eve in Tampa Bay which could be the decider on who makes it in and who goes home in the NFC South.

The Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams currently occupy the remaining NFC playoffs spots but are going in different directions as the end of the season approaches.

Quarterback injuries have ravaged the Vikings who have lost three of their last four and they now face the Lions twice in the final three weeks of the season.

The Rams, however, are improving with a young roster led by a veteran quarterback – Matthew Stafford – and after a big Week 16 win against the Saints, LA faces the lowly New York Giants; a playoff spot is well within their grasp.

The Seattle Seahawks and the Saints currently sit outside the playoff spots knowing they need to better the teams above them to reach the postseason.

AFC standings after Week 15

1) Baltimore Ravens – 11-3, first in AFC North (clinched playoff spot)

2) Miami Dolphins – 10-4, first in AFC East

3) Kansas City Chiefs – 9-5, first in AFC West

4) Jacksonville Jaguars – 8-6, first in AFC South

5) Cleveland Browns – 9-5, second in AFC North

6) Cincinnati Bengals – 8-6, third in AFC North

7) Indianapolis Colts – 8-6, second in AFC South

On the outside

8) Houston Texans – 8-6, third in AFC South

9) Buffalo Bills – 8-6, second in AFC East

NFC standings after Week 15

1) San Francisco 49ers – 11-3, first in NFC West (clinched playoff spot)

2) Dallas Cowboys – 10-4, first in NFC East (clinched playoff spot)

3) Detroit Lions – 10-4, first in NFC North

4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 7-7, first in NFC South

5) Philadelphia Eagles – 10-4, second in NFC East (clinched playoff spot)

6) Los Angeles Rams – 8-7, second in NFC West (played Week 16 game)

7) Minnesota Vikings – 7-7, second in NFC North

On the outside

8) Seattle Seahawks – 7-7, third in NFC West

9) New Orleans Saints – 7-8, second in NFC South (played Week 16 game)

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