NFL Playoff Picture - Week 16: Postseason seeds, projected draft order
NFL Playoff Picture is a weekly look at the teams jockeying to secure their shot to make it to Super Bowl LVIII.
AFC| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ravens (x) | North | 12-3 |
| 2 | Dolphins (x) | East | 11-4 |
| 3 | Chiefs | West | 9-6 |
| 4 | Jaguars | South | 8-7 |
| 5 | Browns | North | 10-5 |
| 6 | Bills | East | 9-6 |
| 7 | Colts | South | 8-7 |
x = clinched playoff berth
y = clinched division title
z = clinched first-round bye
The Baltimore Ravens strengthened their grip on the AFC's No. 1 seed with a win over the San Francisco 49ers on Monday. The Ravens can clinch the top seed and a first-round bye with a victory over the No. 2 Miami Dolphins in Week 17.
Many around the NFL thought Miami couldn't beat good teams. But the Dolphins proved the doubters wrong Sunday by edging the Dallas Cowboys en route to claiming their biggest triumph of the season. Not only did Miami clinch a playoff berth and keep its lead atop the AFC East, but Mike McDaniel's outfit also remained in contention for the No. 1 seed in the conference.
Also in the East, the Buffalo Bills maintained momentum by extending their winning streak to three games with a narrow win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday. Buffalo's season looked lost just a month ago, but the team is now in position to make the playoffs for a fifth straight year. If the Bills - winners of four of their last five - beat the New England Patriots and the Dolphins lose to the Ravens, Buffalo will enter its Week 18 game versus Miami with a chance to steal the division.
It was a bad week for the AFC South, as all of the division's clubs lost. The Jacksonville Jaguars suffered a 30-12 defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and saw Trevor Lawrence exit the matchup with a shoulder injury. There's a three-way tie in the South, but Jacksonville owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans. The Colts beat the Texans earlier this season, but they'll square off again in a Week 18 clash that could be a must-win for the two rivals.
In the hunt| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Texans | South | 8-7 |
| 9 | Steelers | North | 8-7 |
| 10 | Bengals | North | 8-7 |
| 11 | Raiders | West | 7-8 |
| 12 | Broncos | West | 7-8 |
Week 16 also featured a pair of matchups with big implications in the AFC wild-card race. In Houston, Joe Flacco and Amari Cooper shined to lead the Cleveland Browns past the Texans and tighten their hold on a playoff spot. The Pittsburgh Steelers turned to quarterback Mason Rudolph and stayed in the hunt after taking down the Cincinnati Bengals. It was a huge win for a Pittsburgh team that had lost three in a row entering this week.
The Denver Broncos suffered a devastating loss to the lowly Patriots and have now lost three of four after winning five straight in the middle of the season. They sank to the 12th seed after the Raiders stole a road game in Kansas City.
NFC| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 49ers (y) | West | 11-4 |
| 2 | Eagles (x) | East | 11-4 |
| 3 | Lions (y) | North | 11-4 |
| 4 | Buccaneers | South | 8-7 |
| 5 | Cowboys (x) | East | 10-5 |
| 6 | Rams | West | 8-7 |
| 7 | Seahawks | West | 8-7 |
x = clinched playoff berth
y = clinched division title
z = clinched first-round bye
The 49ers could've gained separation atop the NFC by beating the Ravens. Instead, they stayed tied with the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions at 11-4. San Francisco still holds the top seed by virtue of tiebreakers.
The Lions' sensational season continues. Detroit topped the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday to finally win its division. It's the first-ever NFC North title for the Lions, whose previous division title dated back to 1993 when the team was playing in the NFC Central.
How about the Buccaneers?! Tampa Bay put on a show Sunday en route to blowing out the Jacksonville Jaguars. Former No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield - who's completed over 70% of his passes and tossed 664 yards and six touchdowns in his last two games - has helped the Bucs win four straight, putting them on track to win their third South title in a row.
The NFC West would send three teams to the playoffs if the season ended today. In addition to the 49ers - who have already won the division - the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks are also in the mix. The Rams claimed a big win Thursday over the New Orleans Saints, while the Seahawks earned a last-minute comeback win for a second straight week to return to the playoff picture. Los Angeles has already beaten Seattle twice this season.
In the hunt| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Vikings | North | 7-8 |
| 9 | Falcons | South | 7-8 |
| 10 | Packers | North | 7-8 |
| 11 | Saints | South | 7-8 |
Four 7-8 teams remain in the hunt in the NFC wild-card race. The Vikings fell out of the playoff picture after losing to the Lions, and the New Orleans Saints' chances took a big hit with Thursday's loss to the Rams. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers remained alive with Week 16 triumphs over the Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers, respectively.
Big head-to-head matchups are on tap, as the Packers visit the Vikings in Week 17, and the Saints host the Falcons in Week 18. Green Bay has a 30% chance of making the playoffs, according to The New York Times. The Packers are followed by Minnesota (26%), New Orleans (13%), and Atlanta (12%).
Projected NFL draft order| Pick | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Bears (via Panthers) |
| 2 | Cardinals |
| 3 | Commanders |
| 4 | Patriots |
| 5 | Giants |
| 6 | Chargers |
| 7 | Titans |
| 8 | Bears |
| 9 | Jets |
| 10 | Falcons |
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