NFL Playoff Picture 2024-25: Standings, Bracket Scenarios After Ravens Beat Bengals

NFL Playoff Picture 2024-25: Standings, Bracket Scenarios After Ravens Beat Bengals0 of 2

Bleacher Report

Week 10 of the NFL season kicked off Thursday with the Baltimore Ravens winning an instant classic over the Cincinnati Bengals 35-34 despite an 11-catch, 264-yard, three-touchdown performance from wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.

Baltimore improved to 7-3, setting up a huge AFC North matchup with the 6-2 Pittsburgh Steelers, the current division leaders, on Sunday, Nov. 17.

Meanwhile, the 4-6 Bengals are now a game-and-a-half out of the AFC Wild Card picture behind the 5-4 Denver Broncos, who currently hold the conference’s last playoff spot. They face an uphill battle to make the playoffs, especially with two games against the Steelers looming. The Bengals could potentially help themselves in Week 17, when they host the Broncos in a game that may have significant playoff implications.

Looking ahead, this week features some key matchups that will help determine the final playoff brackets.

The 7-1 Detroit Lions, who top the NFC standings, a visit the AFC South-leading Houston Texans.

The Steelers will travel to face the upstart, NFC East-leading Washington Commanders, owners of a 7-2 record.

And the AFC-leading Kansas City Chiefs host the Broncos, who are perilously holding onto the final wild card spot.

Other teams who are on the outside looking into the playoff bracket have games that could very well determine if they’ll put themselves in position for a late-season push or start playing out the string.

Examples include the 3-6 New York Jets visiting the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals and the 3-5 Dallas Cowboys, who are now without quarterback Dak Prescott for at least four games due to an injured hamstring, welcoming the 6-2 Philadelphia Eagles.

For now, here’s a look at the latest AFC and NFC standings, the current playoff matchups at the moment and a few playoff bracket scenarios for each conference.

AFC Standings1 of 2

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Division Leaders

1. Kansas City Chiefs (8-0)

2. Buffalo Bills (7-2)

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)

4. Houston Texans (6-3)

Wild-Card Race

5. Baltimore Ravens (7-3)

6. Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)

7. Denver Broncos (5-4)

8. Indianapolis Colts (4-5)

9. Cincinnati Bengals (4-6)

10. New York Jets (3-6)

11. Tennessee Titans (2-6)

12. Miami Dolphins (2-6)

13. Cleveland Browns (2-7)

14. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7)

15. Las Vegas Raiders (2-7)

16. New England Patriots (2-7)

Italics: Currently in wild card playoff position.

Current Playoff Matchups

1. Kansas City Chiefs (bye through Wild Card round).

7. Denver Broncos at 2. Buffalo Bills

6. Los Angeles Chargers at 3. Pittsburgh Steelers

5. Baltimore Ravens at 4. Houston Texans

Can Any Team Catch the Chiefs?

It hasn’t always been pretty, but the 8-0 Chiefs, with an average 7.0-point margin of victory, lead the AFC. The offense has sputtered at times, but the defense has been fantastic, holding opponents to the fourth-lowest points-per-game mark in the league.

The remaining schedule is a mixed bag. On the bright side, three games against two-win teams are on the horizon (at Carolina Panthers, vs. Las Vegas Raiders, at Cleveland Browns).

On the flip side, every other game is against a team with a winning record. The toughest one is a road matchup with the 7-2 Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Nov. 17.

The Chiefs then also have two games against current division leaders within four days, as Kansas City hosts the Houston Texans on Saturday, Dec. 21 before visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day.

That isn’t easy for any team, even the undefeated back-to-back Super Bowl champions.

The Bills, seemingly, have the best chance to dethrone the Chiefs from the top of the AFC. The problem is that Buffalo has a brutal four-game stretch ahead: home versus Kansas City, and then (after a bye) home versus the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers, cross country to the Los Angeles Rams and at the 7-1 Detroit Lions.

If the Bills can somehow coax a 3-1 record in that stretch and beat the Chiefs, then they could catch Kansas City. It helps that Buffalo has two games against the New England Patriots over the final three weeks for a (presumably) easier finish.

NFC Standings2 of 2

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Division Leaders

1. Detroit Lions (7-1)

2. Washington Commanders (7-2)

3. Atlanta Falcons (6-3)

4. Arizona Cardinals (5-4)

Wild-Card Race

5. Minnesota Vikings (6-2)

6. Philadelphia Eagles (6-2)

7. Green Bay Packers (6-3)

8. Chicago Bears (4-4)

9. San Francisco 49ers (4-4)

10. Los Angeles Rams (4-4)

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5)

12. Seattle Seahawks (4-5)

13. Dallas Cowboys (3-5)

14. Carolina Panthers (2-7)

15. New Orleans Saints (2-7)

16. New York Giants (2-7)

Italics: Currently in wild card playoff position.

Current Playoff Matchups

1. Detroit Lions (bye through Wild Card round).

7. Green Bay Packers at 2. Washington Commanders

6. Philadelphia Eagles at 3. Atlanta Falcons

5. Minnesota Vikings at 4. Arizona Cardinals

Lions’ Conference To Lose, But Schedule Is Brutal

The 7-1 Detroit Lions, winners of six straight, sit atop the NFC. They’re 2-0 in the NFC North after road victories over the 6-2 Minnesota Vikings and 6-3 Green Bay Packers. They are in great position to win the NFC North, and the conference’s No. 1 seed is in sight as well.

There are a few issues, though.

First, the 7-2 Washington Commanders and the 6-2 Philadelphia Eagles, who are fighting for the NFC East, are only a loss back in the conference standings. The eventual NFC East victor could end up being the Lions’ biggest threat at getting the all-important wild-card bye. Washington in particular has the “team of destiny” feel behind rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, a budding superstar who could get some MVP consideration from voters.

Second, Detroit has some tough games up ahead. Per Tankathon, the Lions are tied for the sixth-toughest strength of schedule remaining, including games at the Houston Texans and home versus the Buffalo Bills. A road game against the 4-4 San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 30 may not be so easy either.

Still, Detroit is firing on all cylinders, with its 110-point differential ranking first in the league. The Lions are first in scoring and fifth in points against. And they got a huge reinforcement before the trade deadline in pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith from the Cleveland Browns.

It’s ultimately possible the Lions steamroll the competition en route to New Orleans to the Super Bowl. Up next is a road game at Houston on Sunday.