The 2024 NFL regular season concludes on Sunday and the playoff picture finally becomes clear. The Baltimore Ravens clinched the AFC North with a 35-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns, while the Cincinnati Bengals stayed alive in the playoff race with a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Miami Dolphins are also still alive in the playoff race. Denver can clinch a playoff spot with a win over the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18. The Dolphins can clinch it with a loss to the Broncos and a win over the Jets, while the Bengals can clinch with the losses of the Broncos and the Dolphins.
The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings will play for the No. 1 seed to cap the regular season, with the winner getting home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs, while the loser will drop to the No. 5 seed, leaving . on the road in the wild card round.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need a win to clinch the NFC South. The Atlanta Falcons can win the division with a win and a Buccaneers loss.
Below is a breakdown of the conference standings with the Week 18 schedule underway:
Image from the AFC playoffs
| 1 |
z – bosses |
15 |
1 |
0 |
.938 |
| 2 |
and – invoices |
13 |
3 |
0 |
.813 |
| 3 | x – crows |
12 |
5 |
0 |
.706 |
| 4 | and – jeans |
9 |
7 |
0 |
.563 |
| 5 | x-chargers | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 |
| 6 | x-steelers | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 |
| 7 | Broncos | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 |
| 8 | bengali | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 |
| 9 | dolphins | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 |
| 10 | e – foals | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 |
| 11 | e – Jets | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 |
| 12 | e – raiders | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 |
| 13 | e – jaguars | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 |
| 14 | e – titans | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 |
| 15 | e – Patriots | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 |
| 16 | e – brown | 3 | 14 | 0 | .176 |
z – rest assured in the first round
and – assured division
x: guaranteed place in the playoffs
e – eliminated from the playoffs
1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)
The Chiefs clinched the number one seed and home-field advantage with their victory over the Steelers. Kansas City will have the only bye in the conference and is expected to rest its starters in Week 18.
Remaining schedule: in Broncos
2. Buffaloes (13-3)
The Bills clinched second place with their crushing victory over the Jets. They will face the seventh seed in the wild card round.
Remaining schedule: in patriots
3. Baltimore Ravens (12-5)
The Ravens clinched the AFC North with their victory over the Browns. Baltimore will be the third seed in the playoffs.
4. Houston Texans (9-7)
The Texans have already clinched the AFC South. They will be the fourth seed in the AFC and will have a home game in the wild card round of the playoffs.
Remaining schedule: on titans
5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)
The Chargers can clinch the No. 5 seed with a win over the Raiders. They will be the No. 6 seed with one loss.
Remaining schedule: in raiders
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
The Steelers need a loss to the Chargers to be the fifth seed in the playoffs. Their loss to the Bengals left them at No. 6, which is where they will finish if the Chargers win on Sunday.
7. Denver Broncos (9-7)
The Broncos are one win away from clinching a playoff spot. They need to beat the Chiefs in Week 18 to clinch a playoff spot.
Remaining schedule: against bosses
8. Cincinnati Bengals (9-8)
The Bengals are still alive in the AFC playoff race thanks to their victory over the Steelers. They will make the playoffs if the Broncos lose to the Chiefs and the Dolphins lose to the Jets.
Remaining schedule: in the Steelers
9. Miami Dolphins (8-8)
The Dolphins’ AFC playoff hopes are still alive. They need a Broncos loss and a win over the Jets in Week 18 to make the playoffs.
Remaining schedule: in Jets
Eliminated from playoff contention
Seven teams are eliminated from the playoff race in the AFC: Raiders, Patriots, Titans, Jets, Jaguars, Browns and Colts.
Image from the NFC playoffs
and – assured division
x: guaranteed place in the playoffs
e – eliminated from the playoffs
1. Detroit Lions (14-2)
The Lions will play the Vikings for the NFC North title in Week 18. The winner gets the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage, while the loser gets the No. 5 seed. The Lions currently hold the tiebreaker against head-to-head over the Vikings.
Remaining schedule: against vikings
2. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
Philadelphia won the NFC East title and second place. The Eagles will play either the Commanders or the Packers in the wild card round.
Remaining schedule: against giants
3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6)
The Rams clinched the division and can clinch third place with a win or a Buccaneers loss. Los Angeles is expected to rest its starters.
Remaining schedule: against the Seahawks
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
The Buccaneers win the NFC South with a victory over the Saints. They need to finish with a better record than the Falcons to win the division, as they lost both games to Atlanta.
Remaining schedule: against saints
5. Minnesota Vikings (14-2)
Minnesota will play for the NFC North title and the No. 1 seed next week against Detroit, with the loser getting the No. 5 seed in the playoffs. The Lions currently hold the number one spot based on their head-to-head win over the Vikings earlier this year.
Remaining schedule: in lions
6. Washington Commanders (11-5)
The Commanders clinched a playoff berth with a win over the Falcons. They have the conference record tiebreaker (8-3) over the Packers (6-5) for the No. 6 seed, and they can wrap it up with a win next week.
Remaining schedule: in jeans
7. Green Bay Packers (11-5)
The Packers clinched a playoff berth and are currently seventh in the NFC. They need a win and a Commanders loss for the #6 spot.
Remaining schedule: against bears
9. Atlanta Falcons (8-8)
The Falcons need a win and a Buccaneers loss in Week 18 to clinch the NFC West.
Remaining schedule: against panthers
Eliminated from playoff contention
The Seahawks, Cardinals, Cowboys, 49ers, Saints, Bears, Panthers and Giants have been eliminated from the playoffs.
