%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20id%3D%22Layer_1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20width%3D%2239px%22%20height%3D%2240px%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%2039%2040%22%20enable-background%3D%22new%200%200%2039%2040%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cpath%20fill%3D%22%23FFFFFF%22%20d%3D%22M38.5%2C7H28.2v26h10.3V7z%22%2F%3E%0A%3Cpath%20fill-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20clip-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20fill%3D%22%23FFFFFF%22%20d%3D%22M26.1%2C25.5c0%2C5.8-4.1%2C7.5-12.9%2C7.5C3.9%2C33%2C0%2C31.2%2C0%2C25.2v-1.1h11.6%0A%09v2.4c0%2C0.7%2C0.1%2C1.4%2C1.2%2C1.4c1%2C0%2C1.2-0.4%2C1.2-1.3v-0.9c0-1.6-0.9-1.6-3.5-2.2C2.2%2C21.7%2C0%2C19.7%2C0%2C15.3v-0.9C0%2C9.3%2C5.5%2C7%2C12.9%2C7%0A%09c10.2%2C0%2C12.8%2C2.6%2C12.8%2C7.4v1.8h-11v-2.9c0-0.6-0.4-1.1-1.2-1.1c-0.6%2C0-1.2%2C0.4-1.2%2C1.1v0.9c0%2C1.5%2C0.9%2C2%2C3.3%2C2.5%0A%09c8%2C1.6%2C10.5%2C3.3%2C10.5%2C7.5V25.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Updated NFL Playoff Picture After Chiefs, Ravens Wins on Christmas
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Buffalo Bills | News, Scores, Schedules & Standings
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Houston Texans
- Baltimore Ravens
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Denver Broncos
- Indianapolis Colts
- Miami Dolphins
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Detroit Lions
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Los Angeles Rams
- Atlanta Falcons
- Minnesota Vikings
- Green Bay Packers
- Washington Commanders
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Seattle Seahawks
This post will be updated live as games go final, but includes conditional possibilities based on the results of Christmas Day games, barring ties.
In the spring months when the NFL schedule is mapped out, it's a nearly impossible task to predict what teams will be relevant to the playoff picture late in the season. This year's schedule aficianados—and surely, helpful schedule optimizing algorithms—did great with their selection of the four teams scheduled for Christmas Day.
All four teams—the Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans—are relevant to the NFL playoff picture in the AFC. Here's how the playoff picture looks as of Wednesday's outcomes.
Later this week, several teams can clinch playoff positioning.
Get Sports Illustrated's Year in Review issue. dark. Order Now. SIP January Year In Review
How the NFL Playoff Picture Looks With Chiefs, Ravens Win
After the Chiefs beat the Steelers 29–10, they clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC, earning themselves home field advantage and a first-round bye in the playoffs.
At stake for the Ravens on Christmas was seeding. They moved above their division rivals, the Steelers with a win today after Pittsburgh lost to Kansas City earlier in the day.
Seed | Team | Record | Playoff Status | Playoff Likelihood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kansas City Chiefs | 15–1 | Clinched No. 1 seed | 100% |
2 | Buffalo Bills | 12–3 | Clinched Division | 100% |
3 | Baltimore Ravens | 11-5 | Clinched playoff spot | 100% |
4 | Houston Texans | 9–7 | Clinched Division | 100% |
5 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 10-6 | Clinched playoff spot | 100% |
6 | Los Angeles Chargers | 9–6 | Clinch playoff spot with win OR Colts loss + Dolphins loss | 94% |
7 | Denver Broncos | 9–6 | Clinch playoff spot with win | 76% |
8 | Indianapolis Colts | 7–8 | No clinching scenario this week | 14% |
9 | Miami Dolphins | 7–8 | No clinching scenario this week | 9% |
10 | Cincinnati Bengals | 7–8 | No clinching scenario this week | 7% |
NFC Playoff Picture
With no NFC teams playing on Christmas, there will be no Wednesday change to the playoff picture. Here's how things look:
Seed | Team | Record | Playoff Status | Playoff Likelihood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Detroit Lions | 13–2 | Clinched Division | 100% |
2 | Philadelphia Eagles | 12–3 | Clinched Playoff Spot | 100% |
3 | Los Angeles Rams | 9–6 | Clinched Playoff Spot | 86% |
4 | Atlanta Falcons | 8–7 | Clinch NFC South with win + TB loss | 58% |
5 | Minnesota Vikings | 13–2 | Clinched playoff spot | 100% |
6 | Green Bay Packers | 11–4 | Clinched Wild Card | 100% |
7 | Washington Commanders | 10–5 | Clinch berth with win or TB loss | 95% |
8 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 8–7 | No clinching scenario this week | 48% |
9 | Seattle Seahawks | 8–7 | No clinching scenario this week | 14% |
More of the Latest Around the NFL
feed
Josh Wilson is the news director of the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in 2024, he worked for FanSided in a variety of roles, most recently as senior managing editor of the brand’s flagship site. He has also served as a general manager of Sportscasting, the sports arm of a start-up sports media company, where he oversaw the site’s editorial and business strategy. Wilson has a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from SUNY Cortland and a master’s in accountancy from the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois. He loves a good nonfiction book and enjoys learning and practicing Polish. Wilson lives in Chicago but was raised in upstate New York. He spent most of his life in the Northeast and briefly lived in Poland, where he ate an unhealthy amount of pastries for six months.