NFL Standings 2022-23: Week 16 Records, Playoff Scenarios, Wild-Card Picture Review
The field for the NFL playoffs is beginning to take shape. However, there's still plenty on the line over the final three weeks of the regular season, as some competitive races are occurring for division titles and wild-card berths.
While the Philadelphia Eagles were the only team that had clinched a spot in the playoffs entering Week 15, five more joined them in doing so over the past week. The Minnesota Vikings (NFC North), San Francisco 49ers (NFC West) and Kansas City Chiefs (AFC West) captured division titles, and the Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys clinched postseason berths.
That leaves five division championships (including the NFC East title, which could be won by either the Eagles or the Cowboys) and eight playoff spots still up for grabs.
Here's a look at the full NFL standings heading into Week 16, along with the playoff pictures for both the AFC and NFC.
Full NFL Standings
AFC East
Buffalo Bills (11-3, clinched playoff berth)
Miami Dolphins (8-6)
New England Patriots (7-7)
New York Jets (7-7)
AFC North
Cincinnati Bengals (10-4)
Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
Cleveland Browns (6-8)
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-8)
AFC South
Tennessee Titans (7-7)
Jacksonville Jaguars (6-8)
Indianapolis Colts (4-9-1)
Houston Texans (1-12-1, eliminated from playoff contention)
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs (11-3, clinched AFC West)
Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)
Las Vegas Raiders (6-8)
Denver Broncos (4-10, eliminated from playoff contention)
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles (13-1, clinched playoff berth)
Dallas Cowboys (10-4, clinched playoff berth)
New York Giants (8-5-1)
Washington Commanders (7-6-1)
NFC North
Minnesota Vikings (11-3, clinched NFC North)
Detroit Lions (7-7)
Green Bay Packers (6-8)
Chicago Bears (3-11, eliminated from playoff contention)
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-8)
Carolina Panthers (5-9)
New Orleans Saints (5-9)
Atlanta Falcons (5-9)
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers (10-4, clinched NFC West)
Seattle Seahawks (7-7)
Arizona Cardinals (4-10, eliminated from playoff contention)
Los Angeles Rams (4-10, eliminated from playoff contention)
AFC Playoff Picture
Bye: No. 1 Buffalo Bills (11-3, clinched playoff berth)
No. 2 Kansas City Chiefs (11-3, clinched AFC West) vs. No. 7 Miami Dolphins (8-6)
No. 3 Cincinnati Bengals (10-4) vs. No. 6 Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)
No. 4 Tennessee Titans (7-7) vs. No. 5 Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
The Bengals may have moved into first place in the AFC North on Sunday, but that didn't do much to change that division race. The Ravens still control their own destiny, as they could win out and beat Cincinnati in Week 18, which would give Baltimore the tiebreaker because it would have swept the season series between the two rivals.
It's not a guarantee that will happen for the Ravens, though, especially if quarterback Lamar Jackson continues to miss time with a knee injury. But they have home matchups against the Falcons and Steelers over the next two weeks, which should allow them to keep pace with the Bengals (if not pull back ahead of them).
The Chargers can't win the AFC West (which was already clinched by the Chiefs), but they are heavy favorites to land a wild-card berth. Their final three regular-season games are against the Colts (4-9-1), Rams (4-10) and Broncos (4-10), so they could easily win out.
After clinching a playoff berth over the weekend, the Bills are on track to secure the AFC East title, as they have a three-game lead over the second-place Dolphins. But the other three teams in that division are all still in the thick of the wild-card race.
Miami has a one-game advantage over New England and New York for the No. 7 seed, but the Patriots and Jets (both 7-7) could still finish strong and move into a playoff spot. There are four 6-8 squads behind them in the standings, but those teams would need much more help to somehow end up in the postseason.
However, it's worth noting that the Jaguars (6-8) are only one game back of the Titans for the AFC South lead. Also, Jacksonville beat Tennessee in Week 14 and could sweep the season series in Week 18. That could bump the Titans down into a wild-card spot (or possibly out of the playoffs all together).
NFC Playoff Picture
Bye: No. 1 Philadelphia Eagles (13-1, clinched playoff berth)
No. 2 Minnesota Vikings (11-3, clinched NFC North) vs. No. 7 Washington Commanders (7-6-1)
No. 3 San Francisco 49ers (10-4, clinched NFC West) vs. No. 6 New York Giants (8-5-1)
No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-8) vs. No. 5 Dallas Cowboys (10-4, clinched playoff berth)
All four members of the NFC East remain in playoff positions for another week. However, the Commanders are barely hanging onto a spot after their loss to the Giants on Sunday night in a matchup that was critical to the wild-card race. New York now owns a potential tiebreaker over Washington.
The Commanders control their own destiny, but they have some difficult matchups against the 49ers (10-4), Browns (6-8) and Cowboys (10-4) to close out the regular season. If they struggle, it will open the door for the Seahawks (7-7) or Lions (7-7) to capitalize.
Detroit has won six of its past seven games to move up into the wild-card battle. Meanwhile, Seattle is trending in the opposite direction, having lost four of its past five. The Lions also have the lighter remaining schedule, as their final three games are against the Panthers (5-9), Bears (3-11) and Packers (6-8).
It seems likely that the Cowboys will end up as the No. 5 seed. They're unlikely to overtake the Eagles in the NFC East, but they also shouldn't get passed by any of the other teams in the wild-card mix. If Dallas is the top wild card, then it will surely be facing the NFC South champion to open the playoffs.
The Buccaneers have remained in first place in the NFC South despite losing three of four games coming out of their Week 11 bye. Tampa Bay may be 6-8, but the other three teams in the division (Atlanta, Carolina and New Orleans) are all 5-9.
Although the Bucs haven't been playing well, their final three games will be against the Cardinals (4-10), Panthers and Falcons. So there's a great opportunity for them to finish strong and still end up in the playoffs this season.