NFL playoff picture, clinching scenarios: Bucs assume first place in NFC South, Eagles near spot

Admin December 8, 2024

Every week for the duration of the 2024 NFL regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the league’s ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting after Sunday afternoon’s late games and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 5.

Here’s where things stand with Week 14 of the 2024 season in progress:

NFC playoff picture

x – 1. Detroit Lions (12-1), NFC North leaders: For the first time in their 95-season history, they’ve won 12 games in successive seasons – and snatching Thursday night’s nail biter over the Packers officially qualifies the Lions for the 2024 postseason. Big game with Buffalo in Week 15, but – given its interconference nature – one that shouldn’t necessarily be crucial in the tiebreaker department if Detroit and its depleted defense stumble. Remaining schedule: vs. Bills, at Bears, at 49ers, vs. Vikings

2. Philadelphia Eagles (11-2), NFC East leaders: It took a surprising effort to overcome the Panthers on Sunday, but the Eagles kept pace with Detroit and will clinch a playoff berth later today as long as the Cardinals don’t win. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Commanders, vs. Cowboys, vs. Giants

3. Seattle Seahawks (7-5), NFC West leaders: They’ve got a one-game lead in a hotly contested division likely to send just one team to postseason. Big one today in the desert, a loss dropping the ‘Hawks out of first place. Remaining schedule: at Cardinals, vs. Packers, vs. Vikings, at Bears, at Rams

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6), NFC South leaders: Their weak schedule down the stretch plus Atlanta’s ongoing collapse has finally done what many saw coming – the Bucs vaulting into first place Sunday by beating the Raiders as the Falcons crumbled in Minnesota. Atlanta’s season sweep of Tampa Bay does mean the Buccaneers, who last finished out of first place in 2020, need to remain plus one in the win column moving forward. Remaining schedule: at Chargers, at Cowboys, vs. Panthers, vs. Saints

5. Minnesota Vikings (11-2), wild card No. 1: Beating old friend Kirk Cousins and the Falcons keeps the Vikes, winners of six straight, hot on the Lions’ heels in the NFC North and conference at large. Minnesota can clinch a spot today if the Cardinals and Rams both lose. Remaining schedule: vs. Bears, at Seahawks, vs. Packers, at Lions

6. Green Bay Packers (9-4), wild card No. 2: Valiant effort at Ford Field on Thursday night, but getting swept by the Lions pretty much relegates the Pack to wild-card status. Remaining schedule: at Seahawks, vs. Saints, at Vikings, vs. Bears

7. Washington Commanders (8-5), wild card No. 3: A week off, good as it should be for the roster’s health, may not be kind to Washington’s cushion. Remaining schedule: at Saints, vs. Eagles, vs. Falcons, at Cowboys

8. Arizona Cardinals (6-6), in the hunt: They blew a golden opportunity in Week 13 but can still reclaim first place in the NFC West by beating Seattle today. Remaining schedule: vs. Seahawks, vs. Patriots, at Panthers, at Rams, vs. 49ers

9. Los Angeles Rams (6-6), in the hunt: Tough assignment against Buffalo, but one the Rams must conquer to keep pace in the NFC West. Remaining schedule: vs. Bills, at 49ers, at Jets, vs. Cardinals, vs. Seahawks

10. Atlanta Falcons (6-7), in the hunt: Their margin for error is gone and so is first place in the NFC South after their losing streak extended to four Sunday in Minnesota. The Falcons feel six spots in the conference standings. Remaining schedule: at Raiders, vs. Giants, at Commanders, vs. Panthers

11. San Francisco 49ers (5-7), in the hunt: What’s quickly become a cursed season continued during Week 13 in the Buffalo snow, where RB Christian McCaffrey hurt his knee … and maybe put the Niners’ flickering postseason aspirations on injured reserve. Remaining schedule: vs. Bears, vs. Rams, at Dolphins, vs. Lions, at Cardinals

12. Dallas Cowboys (5-7), in the hunt: Their latest win – and first at home this year – over the Giants on Thanksgiving moved them up, yet not past the 49ers, who won the teams’ Week 8 matchup. Dallas’ near-term goal? Get back to .500 and see what happens afterward. Remaining schedule: vs. Bengals, at Panthers, vs. Buccaneers, at Eagles, vs. Commanders

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AFC playoff picture

x – 1. Kansas City Chiefs (11-1), AFC West leaders: The Chiefs can win their division for the ninth consecutive season by handling the Bolts on Sunday night. The Bills’ head-to-head tiebreaker advantage still means K.C. can’t afford to backslide at all – but it can only slip so far at this point. Remaining schedule: vs. Chargers, at Browns, vs. Texans, at Steelers, at Broncos

y – 2. Buffalo Bills (10-2), AFC East champions: With that potentially pivotal tiebreaker against the Chiefs in hand, the Bills could soon steer the road to Super Bowl 59 through Western New York – and certainly have an easier path than K.C. Remaining schedule: at Rams, at Lions, vs. Patriots, vs. Jets, at Patriots

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3), AFC North leaders: They remain relevant in the discussion for home-field advantage while taking a two-game lead over the idle Ravens, whom the Steelers have already beaten once, in the division. Remaining schedule: at Eagles, at Ravens, vs. Chiefs, vs. Bengals

4. Houston Texans (8-5), AFC South leaders: Despite their struggles, they effectively own a three-game lead over Indy in the division due to Houston’s season sweep of the Colts. Remaining schedule: vs. Dolphins, at Chiefs, vs. Ravens, at Titans

5. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4), wild card No. 1: They’ll have to do a lot of “Charger-ing” to cough up a golden opportunity in Year 1 under HC Jim Harbaugh … though they will face more playoff-caliber squads the next three weeks. Remaining schedule: at Chiefs, vs. Buccaneers, vs. Broncos, at Patriots, at Raiders

6. Baltimore Ravens (8-5), wild card No. 2: Good to get a week off … though it cost them further position in the AFC North, further diminishing any shot they have at hosting a postseason game this season. Remaining schedule: at Giants, vs. Steelers, at Texans, vs. Browns

7. Denver Broncos (8-5), wild card No. 3: They’ve got a great shot at their first postseason trip since winning Super Bowl 50 nine years ago. But messing around with Indianapolis in Week 15 would get them into trouble. The Broncos trail the Ravens, who trounced Denver in Week 9. Remaining schedule: vs. Colts, at Chargers, at Bengals, vs. Chiefs

8. Indianapolis Colts (6-7), in the hunt: Win in Denver in Week 15, and they’d be one game out of a postseason slot. Remaining schedule: at Broncos, vs. Titans, at Giants, vs. Jaguars

9. Miami Dolphins (6-7), in the hunt: They barely survived the Jets to barely remain relevant on the periphery of the playoff discussion. A Week 7 loss at Indianapolis keeps Fins trailing the Colts. Remaining schedule: at Texans, vs. 49ers, at Browns, at Jets