NFL Playoff Picture: Updated bracket heading into the wild-card round
The NFL playoff bracket is officially set for the road to Super Bowl 60.
As always, Week 18 delivered drama as teams vied for playoff positioning. Some of the storylines include the Broncos and Seahawks clinching the AFC and NFC No. 1 seeds respectively, while the Steelers snuck into the playoffs because of a missed field goal.
Here’s how everything shook out in Week 18.
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NFL playoff bracket
AFC
1. Denver Broncos (bye)
2. New England Patriots vs. 7. Los Angeles Chargers
3. Jacksonville Jaguars vs. 6. Buffalo Bills
4. Pittsburgh Steelers vs. 5. Houston Texans
NFC
1. Seattle Seahawks (bye)
2. Chicago Bears vs. 7. Green Bay Packers
3. Philadelphia Eagles vs. 6. San Francisco 49ers
4. Carolina Panthers vs. 5. Los Angeles Rams
AFC Standings
Division Leaders
Denver Broncos (14-3; clinched AFC West, No. 1 seed)
New England Patriots (14-3; clinched AFC East, No. 2 seed)
Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4; clinched AFC South, No. 3 seed)
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7; clinched AFC North, No. 4 seed)
Jacksonville locked up the AFC South with a 41-7 blowout win over Tennessee in Week 18, denying the Texans’ bid to claim the division.
There was a lot on the line in the Broncos-Chargers game, but L.A.’s decision to rest several starters led to Denver winning and clinching the top seed in the AFC.
Denver’s win meant New England was fighting for the 2-seed. That was no problem for the Patriots who crushed Miami 38-10, earning home field advantage until the AFC Championship Game.
The game of the week was always going to be Steelers-Ravens, with the winner going to the playoffs and the loser going home. A shocking missed field goal staved off Baltimore in a 26-24 Pittsburgh victory.
Wild-Card
Houston Texans (12-5, No. 5 seed)
Buffalo Bills (12-5, No. 6 seed)
Los Angeles Chargers (11-6, No. 7 seed)
Houston missed out on a home playoff date because of the Jaguars’ win, but the Texans’ victory over Indianapolis sets themselves up for a winnable matchup against the Steelers.
Buffalo already gave up the division heading into Week 18, but they did themselves a favour by blowing out the Jets 35-8. The Bills will now face Jacksonville instead of New England.
The Chargers’ loss to the Broncos could come back to haunt them. L.A. now has the unenviable task of crossing the country to face the Patriots in Foxborough.
Eliminated
Indianapolis Colts (8-9)
Baltimore Ravens (8-9
Miami Dolphins (7-10)
Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
Cleveland Browns (5-12)
New York Jets (3-14)
Tennessee Titans (3-14)
Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
Baltimore was the only AFC team officially eliminated on Sunday and questions are already beginning regarding the future of quarterback Lamar Jackson.
NFC Standings
Division Leaders
Seattle Seahawks (14-3; clinched NFC West, No. 1 seed)
Chicago Bears (11-6; clinched NFC North, No. 2 seed)
Philadelphia Eagles (11-6; clinched NFC East, No. 3 seed)
Carolina Panthers (8-9; clinched NFC South, No. 4 seed)
Seattle had already locked up top seed in the NFC, but still finished the regular season with a 13-6 win over the 49ers.
The Eagles opted to rest their starters in a 24-17 loss against Washington. That result gave Chicago the 2-seed despite the Bears losing to Detroit.
The terrible NFC South came down to a game between two non-playoff teams. Atlanta’s 19-17 win over the Saints ensured 8-9 Carolina would win the division and claim the 4-seed via tiebreaker between the Panthers, Buccaneers and Falcons.
Wild-Card
Los Angeles Rams (12-5, No. 5 seed)
San Francisco 49ers (12-5, No. 6 seed)
Green Bay Packers (9-7-1, No. 7 seed)
The Rams blew their chance to win the NFC West a couple weeks ago, but they put that behind them with a 37-20 Week 18 win over the Cardinals, which gave L.A. the 5-seed over San Francisco.
Don’t read too much into Green Bay’s 16-3 loss in Minnesota. The Packers were already locked into the 7-seed so they elected to rest their starters ahead of what will be an incredible wild-card matchup against the Bears.
Eliminated
Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
Detroit Lions (9-8)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
Atlanta Falcons (8-9)
Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
New Orleans Saints (6-11)
Washington Commanders (5-12)
New York Giants (4-13)
Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
Tampa Bay came through with a huge 16-14 win over Carolina in Week 18, but their joy was short lived as they became the last NFC team eliminated when the Falcons beat the Saints.
