NFL Playoff Picture 2024: Updated AFC, NFC Wild Card Bracket Ahead of Week 18

Joe TanseyJanuary 3, 2024NFL Playoff Picture 2024: Updated AFC, NFC Wild Card Bracket Ahead of Week 180 of 2

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The AFC wild-card race has enough Week 18 permutations to make your head spin.

The Buffalo Bills’ situation is the most confounding, as they could win the AFC East and finish as the No. 2 seed, or miss out on the postseason with a loss to the Miami Dolphins and some help.

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers are also in vulnerable situations going into Week 18.

Jacksonville just needs to beat the Tennessee Titans to avoid dropping out of first place in the AFC South, while Pittsburgh must defeat the Baltimore Ravens and receive some help.

The AFC wild-card race’s one certainty is the winner of Saturday’s Indianapolis Colts-Houston Texans game will qualify for the postseason.

The NFC wild-card scenarios only get crazy if the Green Bay Packers lose to the Chicago Bears.

Matt Lafleur’s team can clinch the final NFC wild-card spot with a home win.

AFC Playoff Picture1 of 2

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Division Leaders

1. Baltimore (13-3)

2. Miami (11-5)

3. Kansas City (10-6)

4. Jacksonville (9-7)

Wild-Card Race

5. Cleveland (11-5)

6. Buffalo (10-6)

7. Indianapolis (9-7)

8. Houston (9-7)

9. Pittsburgh (9-7)

The easiest part of the AFC wild-card equation is the winner of Indianapolis-Houston gets into the postseason.

The Colts are ahead of the Texans going into Week 18, but no other results matter to that wild-card battle other than Saturday’s final in Indianapolis.

The potential chaos scenarios will only go into effect if the Steelers defeat the Ravens in Saturday’s first game.

Baltimore has an opportunity to rest its starters with the No. 1 seed already clinched, but it has to weigh whether it is smart to give Lamar Jackson and others two full weeks off before the divisional round.

If Pittsburgh wins, it puts pressure on the Bills and Jaguars to win their games on Sunday.

Jacksonville is in as the AFC South champion with a win over Tennessee. The Jags can also clinch through a tie that is combined with a Pittsburgh loss or tie.

Buffalo wins the AFC East if it defeats the Dolphins on Sunday night. A Buffalo win eliminates the Steelers because the Dolphins already clinched a playoff berth.

Pittsburgh gets in with a win over Baltimore combined with a Buffalo loss, Jacksonville loss, or a Colts-Texans tie.

If the Jags lose, the winner of the Colts-Texans game will be the AFC South champion and their wild-card position will be under threat by the Steelers.

NFC Playoff Picture2 of 2

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Division Leaders

1. San Francisco (12-4)

2. Dallas (11-5)

3. Detroit (11-5)

4. Tampa Bay (8-8)

Wild-Card Race

5. Philadelphia (11-5)

6. Los Angeles Rams (9-7)

7. Green Bay (8-8)

8. Seattle (8-8)

9. New Orleans (8-8)

10. Minnesota (8-8)

12. Atlanta (7-9)

All eyes are on the Packers in the NFC wild-card race.

A Green Bay home win over Chicago puts it into the postseason as the third wild-card team.

Green Bay could jump to the No. 6 seed if it wins and the Los Angeles Rams lose to the San Francisco 49ers. The Rams will be sixth with a win.

The Seattle Seahawks are first in line to take advantage of a potential Green Bay stumble.

Seattle must defeat the Arizona Cardinals and have Green Bay lose to sneak into the postseason.

The New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings each need all of the teams in front of them to lose to get in as wild-card teams.

New Orleans is still alive for the NFC South title, but to earn that, it needs the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to lose to the Carolina Panthers.

The Philadelphia Eagles will likely be the No. 5 seed. They need a win over the New York Giants and a Dallas Cowboys loss to the Washington Commanders to win the NFC East title.

The second-place team in the NFC East is guaranteed to visit the NFC South champion on wild-card weekend.