NFL playoff picture entering Week 17Three teams can clinch divisions

Cowboys still have a chance to win the NFC East.The NFL playoff picture as of Week 17 is as follows:

x-1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-2), first-place NFC East team : The division, a first-round bye, and home-field advantage are all secured with one more victory.

Schedule remaining: against Saints, vs Giants

y-2. Minnesota Vikings (12-3) are the NFC North champions, and if the Eagles lose, the Vikings would snag the NFC's top spot. However, they must win out on the road against a pair of chilly divisional foes.

Schedule remaining: at Packers, at Bears

y-3. NFC West champion San Francisco 49ers (11-4): The Niners still have a chance to get the No. 1 seed if they win out and nobody else in the NFC achieves 14 victories thanks to their NFC-best 9-2 record in intraconference games.

Schedule remaining: at Raiders, versus Cardinals.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7), NFC South leaders: To repeat as division champions, the Buccaneers must defeat Carolina on Sunday, ugly as it may be. They're in trouble if they lose.

Schedule remaining: against Panthers; away to Falcons

x-5. Dallas Cowboys (12-4): If they win in Week 18 and the Eagles lose their final two games, America's Team takes over as NFC East champion. If the Cowboys defeat Washington and tie Minnesota for first place in the conference, they will also have a path to the No. 1 seed (Philadelphia must presumably lose its final two games).

Schedule still to come: at Commanders

6. No. 2 wild card, New York Giants (8-6-1): With one more victory, Big Blue will return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Schedule remaining: against Colts, at Eagles

7. Third-place wild card Washington Commanders (7-7-1) :Seattle, Detroit, and Green Bay, the three teams that are within a half-game of Washington, can clinch a spot if they all lose this weekend.

If the commanders win their final two games, they will also move on.

Remaining schedule: vs. Browns, vs. Cowboys

8. Seattle Seahawks (7-8), eliminated from playoff contention: They have one victory after a 6-3 start. However, there is still some optimism, and a victory in Week 4 at Detroit would be helpful.

Remaining schedule: vs. Jets, vs. Rams

9. Detroit Lions (7-8), out of playoff field: Sunday's loss at Carolina was a blow for feel-good Lions, but they can still recover with at least one win and some help.

Remaining schedule: vs. Bears, at Packers

10. Green Bay Packers (7-8), outside of the playoff field: They have received a lot of outside help lately, but their three-game winning streak has given them the most internal support. Losing to Detroit in Week 9 might end up costing them.

Remaining schedule: vs. Vikings, vs. Lions

11. Carolina Panthers (6-9) are not eligible for the playoffs: If they win their final two games, beginning on Sunday in Tampa, they will finish first in the NFC South.

Schedule remaining: at Saints, at Buccaneers

12. New Orleans Saints (6-9) are not in the playoffs despite having a record that is identical to Carolina's. This is largely because New Orleans was swept by the Buccaneers while Panthers can go 2-0 this weekend against Tampa Bay. Saints are still around WEEK 17 NFL Predictions: Bengals vs. Bills on Monday night has major implications.

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AFC

y – 1. Buffalo Bills (12-3), AFC East champions: Win at Cincinnati on Monday and they'll sew up No. 1 seed – provided Kansas City first trips Sunday. Buffalo could drop to third place in the conference if they lose to the Bengals.

Schedule remaining: at Bengals, vs. Patriots

x-2.Kansas City Chiefs (12-3), AFC West champions: With the Chiefs' Week 6 loss to the Bills impeding their ability to claim the No. 1 seed, a Buffalo loss to Cincinnati opens the door for Kansas City.

Schedule remaining: at Raiders, against. Broncos

3. Cincinnati Bengals (11-4), the top team in the AFC North: The defending conference champions would have home field advantage and a bye in the first round if they can defeat Buffalo and finish in a three-way tie with the Bills and Chiefs. winning on Monday and a Baltimore.

Remaining schedule: vs. Bills, vs. Ravens

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-8), AFC South leaders: Their divisional hopes, which will be decided the following week against Tennessee, are unrelated to their Week 17 matchup at Houston. In any case, the Jags want to use their starters on Sunday.

Schedule remaining: at Texans, vs. Titans

x-5.Baltimore Ravens (10-5) are the first-place wild card. A win Sunday or Cincinnati loss Monday ensures Ravens and Bengals will play AFC North championship game in Week 18.

Schedule remaining: at Bengals, vs. Steelers

x-6. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6): Playoff participants for the first time in four years; the divisional champion that the Bolts will travel to in the first round is still to be decided.

Remaining schedule: vs. Rams, at Broncos

7. Miami Dolphins (8-7): The Dolphins' postseason prospects are in doubt due to a four-game losing streak and Tua Tagovailoa's most recent concussion, but a victory on Sunday and a Jets loss would guarantee the team's spot.

Schedule remaining: at Patriots, versus Jets

8. The New England Patriots (7-8), who are currently outside the postseason field, have lost four of their last five games. If they lose to Miami on Sunday, they will remain at home for the winter.

Schedule remaining: at Bills, vs. Dolphins.

9. The New York Jets (7-8), who are currently out of the playoff picture, may break the league's longest playoff drought by winning two games and benefiting from one New England loss. QB Mike White is back.

Schedule remaining: at Seahawks, at Dolphins

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8), outside the playoff field: Making the playoffs still seems like a pipe dream, especially because coach Mike Tomlin's first losing season is just one loss away. However, the prospects have significantly increased after winning four of the last five games.

Schedule remaining: at Ravens, versus Browns

11. Tennessee Titans (7-9), out of the playoff field: Given that the Week 18 game against Jacksonville will determine who makes the playoffs, they essentially treated Thursday night's preseason loss to Dallas like a preseason game.

x – clinched berth

y – clinched division