NFL playoff picture, draft order entering Sunday’s Week 17: Rams closer to NFC West crown, Chargers get wild-card spot, Bengals stay alive

On By Littum

There is plenty of maneuvering at the position in the final two weeks of the 2024 NFL regular season. Let’s start with the final game of Saturday’s NFL tripleheader and its postseason implications.

The Los Angeles Rams can wrap up the NFC West on the strength of a tiebreaker win against the Seattle Seahawks after beating the Arizona Cardinals, 13-9, on Saturday night. The Rams can accomplish that with 2.5 or more wins in Week 17 by Minnesota (vs. Green Bay), Buffalo (vs. New York Jets), San Francisco (vs. Detroit Monday night), Washington (vs. Atlanta) or Cleveland (against Miami).

The other three NFC divisions remain in play, but the playoff picture will become clearer after Sunday.

Meanwhile in the AFC, six of the seven playoff spots are up for grabs, with the Kansas City Chiefs clinching the conference’s overall top seed with a 29-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday. The Los Angeles Chargers joined the postseason party with a 40-7 victory over the New England Patriots on Saturday afternoon. And the Cincinnati Bengals avoided elimination by defeating the Denver Broncos in overtime on Saturday night.

The Broncos missed a chance to clinch a playoff spot with a win or tie at the Bengals. It would have been their first time in the postseason since winning Super Bowl 50. They will finish the regular season against the Chiefs, who have little to play for with the No. 1 seed already secured.

The NFC North title is up for grabs and down to the Lions and Vikings. The 13-2 Lions will get the first shot at the division crown if the Vikings lose to the Packers on Sunday afternoon and Detroit defeats San Francisco on Monday night.

Another division that could crown a champion is the NFC East if the Philadelphia Eagles win or tie the Dallas Cowboys or Washington loses or ties Atlanta on Sunday night.

The Commanders cannot win the NFC East unless they win and the Eagles lose, but they can secure their return to the playoffs for the first time since winning the division in 2020 if they win or tie the Falcons or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lose or tie the Carolina Panthers.

Speaking of the Falcons, they could win the NFC South if they beat the Commanders and the Panthers win over the Buccaneers.

Here’s a look at where things stand for the playoffs as we head into the weekend of the Week 17 schedule for the NFL season.

Going into Dec. 29, here’s how the playoff race looks in the NFC. Brave teams have clinched a playoff spot.

1. Detroit Lions (13-2)

2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3) vs. 7. Washington Commanders (10-5)

3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6) vs. 6. Green Bay Packers (11-4)

4. Atlanta Falcons (8-7) vs. 5. Minnesota Vikings (13-2)

On the bubble

8. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)

AFC playoff picture

Going into Dec. 29, here’s how the playoff race looks in the AFC. Brave teams have clinched a playoff spot.

1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)

2. Buffalo Bills (12-3) vs. 7. Denver Broncos (9-6)

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) vs. 6. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)

4. Houston Texans (9-7) vs. 3. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)

On the bubble

8. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)

9. Indianapolis Colts (7-8)

10. Miami Dolphins (7-8)

Entry December 29 here is where things stand in NFC. Brave teams have clinched a playoff spot. Italicized teams have been eliminated from the playoffs.

NFC East

1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)

2. Washington Commanders (10-5)

3. Dallas Cowboys (7-8)

4. New York Giants (2-13)

NFC North

1. Detroit Lions (13-2)

2. Minnesota Vikings (13-2)

3. Green Bay Packers (11-4)

4. Chicago Bears (4-12)

NFC South

1. Atlanta Falcons (8-7)

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)

3. New Orleans Saints (5-10)

4. Carolina Panthers (4-11)

NFC West

1. Los Angeles Rams (10-6)

2. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)

3. Arizona Cardinals (7-9)

4. San Francisco 49ers (6-9)

Entering December 29 here is where things stand in the AFC. Brave teams have clinched a playoff spot. Italicized teams have been eliminated from the playoffs.

AFC East

1. Buffalo Bills (12-3)

2. Miami Dolphins (7-8)

3. New York Jets (4-11)

4. New England Patriots (3-13)

AFC North

1. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)

3. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)

4. Cleveland Browns (3-12)

AFC South

1. Houston Texans (9-7)

2. Indianapolis Colts (7-8)

3. Tennessee Titans (3-12)

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12)

AFC West

1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)

2. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)

3. Denver Broncos (9-7)

4. Las Vegas Raiders (3-12)

Movement is still pending with two weeks left in the regular season. Right now, the New York Giants currently have the No. 1 in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Here’s what the top of the draft order looks like as we head into Week 17.

1. New York Giants (2-13)

2. New England Patriots (3-13)

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12)

4. Tennessee Titans (3-12)

5. Cleveland Browns (3-12)

6. Las Vegas Raiders (3-12)

7. Chicago Bears (4-12)

8. Carolina Panthers (4-11)

9. New York Jets (4-11)

10. New Orleans Saints (5-10)

11. San Francisco 49ers (6-9)

12. Arizona Cardinals (7-9)

13. Miami Dolphins (7-8)

14. Indianapolis Colts (7-8)

15. Dallas Cowboys (7-8)

16. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)

17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)

18. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)

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19. Atlanta Falcons (8-7)

20. Houston Texans (9-7)

21. Denver Broncos (9-7)

22. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)

23. Los Angeles Rams (9-6)

24. Washington Commanders (10-5)

25. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)

26. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)

27. Green Bay Packers (11-4)

28. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)

29. Buffalo Bills (12-3)

30. Minnesota Vikings (13-2)

31. Detroit Lions (13-2)

32. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)