2024 NFL Playoff picture: Updated AFC and NFC standings, brackets, tiebreakers after Week 12

On By Littum

The NFL playoff race is heating up heading into Thanksgiving, and here’s how the playoff picture is shaping up before Monday Night Football in Week 12:

NFC Playoff picture

DIVISION MANAGERS
1. Detroit Lions (10-1): 1-game lead in NFC North.

2. Philadelphia Eagles (9-2): 2.5-game lead in NFC East.

3. Seattle Seahawks (6-5): Owns head-to-head tiebreaker over Falcons and Cardinals.

4. Atlanta Falcons (6-5): One-game lead in NFC South.

WILD CARDS
5. Minnesota Vikings (9-2): Lost at home to the Lions.

6. Green Bay Packers (8-3): Lost at home to Lions and Vikings.

7. Washington Commanders (7-5): Need to reverse their recent slide.

WITHOUT LOOKING IN
8. Arizona Cardinals (6-5): Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks was a big one.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6): Owns NFC record tiebreaker over Rams.

10. Los Angeles Rams (5-6): Owns head-to-head tiebreaker over 49ers.

11. San Francisco 49ers (5-6): Preseason NFC favorites at risk of missing the playoffs.

12. New Orleans Saints (4-7): Two games out of the division.

13. Chicago Bears (4-7): Deep in last place in the NFC North.

14. Dallas Cowboys (4-7): Thanksgiving against the Giants looks like a turkey.

15. Carolina Panthers (3-8): Playing much better football lately.

16. New York Giants (2-9): Worst team in the NFC.

AFC Playoff picture

DIVISION MANAGERS
1. Kansas City Chiefs (10-1): The reigning champions sit atop the conference.

2. Buffalo Bills (9-2): If they can catch the Chiefs in the standings, they have the head-to-head tiebreaker.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3): Beating the Ravens head-to-head was huge.

4. Houston Texans (7-5): They’re not playing well, but they should win the AFC South by default.

WILD CARDS
5. Los Angeles Chargers (7-3): Big game coming Monday night.

6. Baltimore Ravens (7-4): Big game coming Monday night.

7. Denver Broncos (7-5): Bo Nix has led them to a two-game lead in the wild card race.

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8. Miami Dolphins (5-6): With Tua Tagovailoa healthy, they play like a playoff contender.

9. Indianapolis Colts (5-7): Catching the Texans in the AFC South will be a long shot.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (4-7): Will probably run the table to make the playoffs.

11. Cleveland Browns (3-8): Deshaun Watson dug a hole that Jameis Winston won’t be able to dig the Browns out of.

12. New York Jets (3-8): The Aaron Rodgers experience is headed for disaster.

13. Tennessee Titans (3-8): A big upset over the Texans on Sunday.

14. New England Patriots (3-9): Drake Maye shows promise, but this team is far from contention.

15. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9): Doug Pederson is on the hot seat.

16. Las Vegas Raiders (2-9): Antonio Pierce is on the hot seat.