NFL Playoff Picture Week 15: Latest AFC, NFC Wild-Card Scenarios and Predictions

The Philadelphia Eagles may have been the first team in the NFL to clinch a playoff berth this season, but the San Francisco 49ers were the first to become a division champion. On Thursday night, the 49ers defeated the Seattle Seahawks to secure their second NFC West title in four years.

Another division champion could be crowned Saturday, as the Minnesota Vikings will look to clinch the NFC North title with a win over the Indianapolis Colts. The Vikings have controlled that division race all season, and it should only be a matter of time before they wrap it up. There's a good chance that will happen Saturday.

Other teams that can clinch in Week 15 include the Kansas City Chiefs, who could capture their seventh consecutive AFC West title, as well as the Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys, who are both looking to secure playoff berths.

Here's a look at the full NFL postseason picture heading into the rest of the week's action, followed by predictions for the wild-card races in both conferences.

AFC

Bye: No. 1 Buffalo Bills (10-3)

No. 2 Kansas City Chiefs (10-3) vs. No. 7 New England Patriots (7-6)

No. 3 Baltimore Ravens (9-4) vs. No. 6 Miami Dolphins (8-5)

No. 4 Tennessee Titans (7-6) vs. No. 5 Cincinnati Bengals (9-4)

In the hunt: Los Angeles Chargers (7-6), New York Jets (7-6), Jacksonville Jaguars (5-8), Las Vegas Raiders (5-8), Cleveland Browns (5-8), Pittsburgh Steelers (5-8), Indianapolis Colts (4-8-1).

NFC

Bye: No. 1 Philadelphia Eagles (12-1)

No. 2 Minnesota Vikings (10-3) vs. No. 7 New York Giants (7-5-1)

No. 3 San Francisco 49ers (10-4) vs. No. 6 Washington Commanders (7-5-1)

No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) vs. No. 5 Dallas Cowboys (10-3)

In the hunt: Seattle Seahawks (7-7), Detroit Lions (6-7), Green Bay Packers (5-8), Carolina Panthers (5-8), Atlanta Falcons (5-8), Arizona Cardinals (4-9), New Orleans Saints (4-9), Los Angeles Rams (4-9).

It's highly likely that either the Ravens or Bengals will end up as the No. 5 seed in the AFC. Over the final four weeks of the regular season, the teams will be battling it out for the AFC North title, with the second-place finisher probably securing the top wild-card berth.

Baltimore's next three games will be against teams with losing records, which should help it establish momentum heading into its Week 18 matchup in Cincinnati. The Bengals have a tougher schedule, as they have road contests against the Buccaneers and Patriots the next two weeks, then a home matchup vs. the Bills in Week 17.

So, the Ravens should win the AFC North, although they'll need to rely on their running game and defense to carry them while quarterback Lamar Jackson recovers from a knee injury. But the Bengals are strong enough to be the top wild-card team.

The Chargers are also in a good position to secure a wild-card berth, even if they're currently the first team out of a playoff spot in the AFC. They have a winnable home game against the Titans on Sunday, then close out the regular season with three games against sub-.500 opponents.

If Cincinnati and Los Angeles end up at No. 5 and No. 6, respectively, then there will only be one wild-card berth available for the AFC East trio of Miami, New England and New York. And of those three, the Dolphins are the clear strongest team (even if they've lost two straight to fall to 8-5).

Three of Miami's final four games are divisional games, so it can control its own destiny. The Dolphins have too much firepower on offense (such as top wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle) to not win enough games down the stretch to get into the playoffs for the first time since the 2016 season.

Wild-Card Prediction: 5. Bengals; 6. Chargers; 7. Dolphins

Entering Week 15, the three NFC wild-card berths were all held by teams from the NFC East. However, it's unlikely that the entire division gets into the playoffs, especially with the high stakes for Sunday night's matchup between the New York Giants and Washington Commanders.

But let's start with the Cowboys, who are 10-3 and in second in the NFC East behind the Eagles. It's unlikely that Dallas catches Philadelphia, which continues to roll. However, the Cowboys should have no trouble securing the No. 5 seed, as they've proved to be one of the top teams in the league this season.

The winner of this week's New York-Washington contest will have the inside track to obtaining a wild-card berth. And the prediction here is the Commanders (who are 6-1-1 over their past eight games) will beat the Giants (who are 1-4-1 over their past six games). The division rivals tied in Week 13, and this time, Washington has the home-field advantage.

Then, the Giants will try to hold on to the No. 7 seed. But that will be challenging, as two of their final three games are against the Vikings and Eagles. That could allow either the Seahawks or Lions to move up the standings and into a postseason spot.

Even though Seattle has lost four of its past five games and faces Kansas City in Week 16, it finishes the regular season with matchups against the Jets and Rams. So as long as the Seahawks get some help, they could sneak into the playoffs with a couple late wins.

Prediction: 5. Cowboys; 6. Commanders; 7. Seahawks