NFL playoff picture: Week 11 results shake up the standings

On By Littum

With huge games in both the NFC and AFC playoff pictures, the standings could certainly see a big shift in Week 11.

Headlining the early window was a divisional battle with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers took the lead in the AFC North, while the Ravens led the Wild Card race after Pittsburgh’s win.

The late afternoon window on Sunday features an absolutely massive matchup in the AFC, with the first place Kansas City Chiefs visiting the division leading Buffalo Bills, who were second entering the week. The Bills can’t get past the Chiefs with a win, but it puts the top seed and bye within their reach.

A bunch more playoff teams are later on Sunday with Atlanta Falcons vs Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers and Sunday night’s Cincinnati Bengals vs Los Angeles Chargers.

The Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles kicked off Week 11 on Thursday night. The Eagles wore down the Commanders to get to 8-2, just a half game behind the Detroit Lions at the top of the NFC. Meanwhile, Washington still holds a playoff spot at 7-4.

The Dallas Cowboys are irrelevant here, but the Houston Texans also play on Monday night.

Here are the current NFL playoff standings through Sunday, and we’ll keep updating as the games go final.

Note: In the standings below, only the relevant tiebreakers are listed.

AFC position in week 11

1. Kansas City Chiefs (9-0)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2, 5-1 AFC)
3. Buffalo Bills (8-2, 6-2 AFC)
4. Houston Texas (6-4)
5. Los Angeles Chargers (6-3)
6. Baltimore Ravens (7-4)
7. Denver Broncos (5-5)
8. Indianapolis Colts (5-6)
9. Miami Dolphins (4-6, 3-4 AFC)
10. Cincinnati Bengals (4-6, 2-4 AFC)
11. New York Jets (3-8, 2-1 vs. regular NE opponents)
12. New England Patriots (3-8, 0-3 vs. regular NYJ opponents)
13. Cleveland Browns (2-8, 2-3 AFC)
14. Tennessee Titans (2-8, 2-4 AFC)
15. Las Vegas Raiders (2-8, 2-6 AFC)
16. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9)

NFC position in week 11

1. Detroit Lions (9-1)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (8-2)
3. Atlanta Falcons (6-4, 6-2 NFC)
4. Arizona Cardinals (6-4, 3-3 NFC)
5. Minnesota Vikings (8-2)
6. Green Bay Packers (7-3)
7. Washington’s commanders (7-4)
8. San Francisco 49ers (5-4)
9. Los Angeles Rams (5-5)
10. Seattle Seahawks (4-5)
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6, 4-3 NFC)
12. Chicago Bears (4-6, 2-3 NFC)
13. New Orleans Saints (4-7)
14. Dallas Cowboys (3-6)
15. Carolina Panthers (3-7)
16. New York Giants (2-8)

Week 11 NFL playoff photo takeaways

The shakeup in the NFC East division race from Week 10 continues

The Commanders lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10, flipping Washington and Philly in the standings. The Eagles move from sixth to second in the conference, while the Commanders fall all the way from second to sixth. The result on Thursday night only further cemented the change.

Lions are the team to beat in the NFC

No one expected the Jaguars to struggle much in Week 11, but the Lions still impressed by crushing them. The Eagles and Vikings are close, so Detroit needs to keep winning, but they are clearly the best team in the conference.

The Packers escape and end the Bears’ playoff chances

The Bears nearly shocked the Packers in Chicago, but Green Bay blocked the potential game-winning field goal attempt. Chicago falls to 4-6, and while they aren’t eliminated, their playoff chances are on the wane after a solid start. On the other hand, Green Bay kept pace with the Lions and Vikings, and remains in one of the wild card spots.

Steelmen take care of business

The Steelers hosted the Ravens and did just enough to take care of their business. Some key late stops held up an 18-16 win that gave them an early lead in the tiebreaker. The Steelers also hold the conference record tiebreaker edge on the Bills, so Pittsburgh is currently No. 2 in the AFC pending the outcome of Chiefs-Bills.

The standings in the NFL division

AFC East position

  1. Buffalo Bills, 8-2
  2. Miami Dolphins, 4-6
  3. New York Jets, 3-8
  4. New England Patriots, 3-8

AFC North standings

  1. Pittsburgh Steelers, 8-2
  2. Baltimore Ravens, 7-4
  3. Cincinnati Bengals, 4-6
  4. Cleveland Browns, 2-8

AFC South position

  1. Houston Texans, 6-4
  2. Indianapolis Colts, 5-6
  3. Tennessee Titans, 2-8
  4. Jacksonville Jaguars, 2-9

AFC West standings

  1. Kansas City Chiefs, 9-0
  2. Los Angeles Chargers, 6-3
  3. Denver Broncos, 5-5
  4. Las Vegas Raiders, 2-8

NFC East standings

  1. Philadelphia Eagles, 8-2
  2. Washington Commanders, 7-4
  3. Dallas Cowboys, 3-5
  4. New York Giants, 2-8

NFC North standings

  1. Detroit Lions, 9-1
  2. Minnesota Vikings, 8-2
  3. Green Bay Packers, 7-3
  4. Chicago Bears, 4-6

NFC South position

  1. Atlanta Falcons, 6-4
  2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4-6
  3. New Orleans Saints, 4-7
  4. Carolina Panthers, 3-7

NFC West standings

  1. Arizona Cardinals, 6-4
  2. San Francisco 49ers, 5-4
  3. Los Angeles Rams, 5-5
  4. Seattle Seahawks, 4-5