We track all of the results and latest standings in the NFL Playoff picture as Week 16 folds.
Week 16 of the 2024 NFL season is underway, with the standings in both the AFC and NFC becoming much more clear. The AFC playoff picture could have all seven teams set for the postseason decided by the end of the weekend, eliminating the other nine teams and leaving just a seeding battle to be decided. The NFC playoff picture is not quite that far along, but it is not far behind either.
Throughout the weekend, we will keep up with everything that is happening with our live playoff picture tracker. We updated the standings, along with any clinching or elimination scenarios that may be in play, as the games end. Who can lock themselves into the playoffs? Who can see their attention turn to the NFL Draft? We track everything throughout the week.
Last update: Dec. 22 – 10:37 a.m. Eastern
2024 NFL Playoff Standings
AFC Playoff Picture (through Week 16 Saturday):
1 – Kansas City Chiefs (14-1, AFC West champion)+*
2 – Buffalo Bills (11-3, AFC East champion)+
3 – Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5, AFC North leader)^*
4 – Houston Texans (9-6, AFC South champion)+*
5 – Baltimore Ravens (10-5, Wild Card 1 position)^*
6 – Los Angeles Chargers (9-6, Wild Card 2 position)*
7 – Denver Broncos (9-6, Wild Card 3 position)*
Indianapolis Colts (6-8)
Miami Dolphins (6-8)
Cincinnati Bengals (6-8)
Eliminated from playoffs:
New York Jets (4-10)
Cleveland Browns (3-11)
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11)
Tennessee Titans (3-11)
New England Patriots (3-11)
Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)
^ Playoffs clinched
+ Division championship clinched
*Week 16 game played
Tie breaks:
- Steelers over Ravens based on AFC record
- Chargers over Broncos based on head-to-head sweep
- Colts over Dolphins based on head-to-head record; Three-way tie: Colts and Dolphins over Bengals based on AFC Record
- Dolphins over Bengals based on AFC record
- Browns over Jaguars based on head-to-head record; Divisional tie break: Jaguars over Titans based on head-to-head record; Three-way tie: Browns and Jaguars over Patriots based on AFC record
- Jaguars over Patriots based on AFC record; Divisional tie break: Jaguars over Titans based on head-to-head record
- Titans over Patriots based on head-to-head record
NFL Playoff Picture (through Week 16 Saturday)
1 – Detroit Lions (12-2, NFC North leader)^
2 – Philadelphia Eagles (12-2, NFC East leader)^
3 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6, NFC South leader)
4 – Los Angeles Rams (8-6, NFC West leader)
5 – Minnesota Vikings (12-2, Wild Card 1 position)^
6 – Green Bay Packers (10-4 Wild Card 2 position)
7 – Washington Commanders (9-5, Wild Card 3 position)
Seattle Seahawks (8-6)
Atlanta Falcons (7-7)
Arizona Cardinals (7-7)
San Francisco 49ers (6-8)
Dallas Cowboys (6-8)
New Orleans Saints (5-9)
Eliminated from playoffs:
Chicago Bears (4-10)
Carolina Panthers (3-11)
New York Giants (2-12)
^ Playoffs clinched
+ Division championship clinched
*Week 16 game played
Tie breaks:
- Lions over Eagles based on NFC record; Divisional tiebreak: Lions over Vikings based on head-to-head record
- Buccaneers over Rams based on NFC record; Divisional tiebreak: Rams over Seahawks based on head-to-head record
- Rams over Seahawks based on head-to-head record
- Falcons over Cardinals based on NFC record
- 49ers over Cowboys based on head-to-head record
Clinching Scenarios (Week 16)
AFC Clinching Scenarios
Kansas City Chiefs clinch number one seed if:
- Chiefs win and Bills lose/tie OR
-
Chiefs tieand Bills lose
[CLINCHED] Baltimore Ravens clinch playoff berth if:
- Ravens win/tie OR
- Dolphins lose/tie and Colts lose/tie
Denver Broncos clinch playoff berth if:
-
Broncos win/tieOR - Dolphins lose/tie and Bengals lose/tie and Colts lose/tie
Los Angeles Chargers clinch playoff berth if:
- Chargers win and Dolphins lose/tie and Colts lose/tie OR
-
Chargers tieand Dolphins lose and Colts lose and Bengals lose/tie
NFC Clinching Scenarios
Philadelphia Eagles clinch NFC East division if:
- Eagles win/tie
Washington Commanders clinch playoff berth if:
- Commanders win and Falcons lose/tie and Seahawks lose/tie OR
- Commanders win and Falcons lose/tie and Rams lose/tie OR
- Commanders tie and Falcons lose and Seahawks lose and Rams lose/tie and Cardinals lose/tie OR
- Commanders tie and Falcons lose and Seahawks tie and Rams lose and Cardinals lose/tie
Green Bay Packers clinch playoff berth if:
- Packers win/tie OR
- Falcons lose/tie and Seahawks lose/tie OR
- Falcons lose/tie and Rams lose/tie
Elimination Scenarios (Week 16)
AFC Elimination Scenarios
Miami Dolphins eliminated from playoffs if:
- Dolphins lose and Chargers win/tie OR
- Dolphins tie and Chargers win
Baltimore Ravens eliminated from AFC North title if:
- Ravens lose
Cincinnati Bengals eliminated from playoffs if:
- Bengals lose OR
- Bengals tie and Chargers win/tie
Indianapolis Colts eliminated from playoffs if:
- Colts lose and Chargers win/tie OR
- Colts tie and Chargers win
NFC Elimination Scenarios
Dallas Cowboys eliminated from playoffs if:
- Cowboys lose/tie OR
- Commanders win/tie
Washington Commanders eliminated from NFC East title if:
- Commanders lose
Green Bay Packers eliminated from NFC North title if:
- Packers lose/tie OR
- Lions win/tie OR
- Vikings win/tie
New Orleans Saints eliminated from playoffs if:
- Saints lose/tie OR
- Buccaneers win/tie OR
- Falcons win
Arizona Cardinals eliminated from playoffs if:
- Cardinals loss and Rams win OR
- Cardinals loss and Rams tie and Seahawks win/tie OR
- Cardinals tie and Rams win and Seahawks win and Commanders win/tie
- (Note: A Cardinals tie/Rams win/Seahawks win combination would eliminate Arizona from the NFC West title)
San Francisco 49ers eliminated from playoffs if:
- 49ers lose/tie OR
- Seahawks win and Rams win OR
- Seahawks win and Rams tie and Cardinals win OR
- Seahawks win/tie and Commanders win/tie OR
- Rams win/tie and Commanders win/tie OR
- Cardinals win and Commanders win/tie OR
- Seahawks win/tie and Falcons win and Buccaneers win OR
- Rams win/tie and Falcons win and Buccaneers win OR
- Cardinals win and Falcons win and Buccaneers win
- (Note: A 49ers loss or a win/tie from the Rams or Seahawks or a win by the Cardinals eliminates the 49ers from the NFC West title)