The NFL playoff picture is coming into shape, as most teams have six regular season games left. There is a ton of parity in the NFL this year, so we currently have some very wild playoff pictures at the moment, but a lot can change.
As we all predicted, the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions, two 15-win teams from 2024, are currently on the outside looking it, and teams like the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears current lead their respective divisions.
It is just not shaping up in a way that many of us predicted. Now that Week 11 is about over, we can take a small dive into the complete NFL playoff picture. Let's get into that here.
Complete NFL Playoff Picture following wild Week 11 action
AFC Playoff Picture
Bye: (1) Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos have won eight games in a row and are now 9-2 on the season. The Chiefs drop to 5-5 in Week 11 thanks to another Wil Lutz walk-off field goal, and the Broncos truly do feel legitimate. They would have the bye week and homefield advantage at the moment.
(7) Jacksonville Jaguars @ (2) New England Patriots
The frisky Jaguars can stay in most games, but they aren't fielding a ton of talent and are clearly benefitting from a high-end head coaching job from Liam Coen. The Jags could win the AFC South in 2026 if they take that next step.
(6) Los Angeles Chargers @ (3) Indianapolis Colts
The Los Angeles Chargers just aren't a very good team. They are continually banged up and lack depth at key positions. They would be in Indianapolis and face the Colts in the Wild Card Round. Indy beat them earlier this year, so I do believe that same result would hold.
(5) Buffalo Bills @ (4) Pittsburgh Steelers
Neither Buffalo nor Pittsburgh is a threatening team this year. Both defenses are shaky, at best, so this could end up being a shootout if this result held.
NFC Playoff Picture
Bye: (1) Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles keep stacking the ugly wins, but the ugly wins are still wins. Philly is currently 8-2 and owners of the first overall seed in the NFC playoffs. I do not get the sense that they are the best team in the conference, though, and with the way the offense has played this year, I am not sure they'd be able to make a Super Bowl run for the third time since the 2022 season.
(7) San Francisco 49ers @ (2) Los Angeles Rams
The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams have both beaten each other this year, so this could be an interesting game, especially if the 49ers can get healthy going into the postseason. Brock Purdy is back in the lineup for San Fran, so that's a great start.
What's also neat is that Mac Jones was quite good in Purdy's absence. On the other sideline, the LA Rams might truly be the best team in the NFL right now, as they are extremely balanced overall, and Matthew Stafford is playing his tail off.
(6) Green Bay Packers @ (3) Chicago Bears
The NFC North would be won by the Chicago Bears if the regular season ended today. They are a game clear of the Detroit Lions, and the six-win Packers would be visiting Chicago in this frisky Wild Card matchup. I do believe the Bears are a year too early to make a run, but you have to be encouraged if you're a Bears' fan.
The Packers are nothing more than a good team this year - they don't really do anything that jumps off the page.
(5) Seattle Seahawks @ (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Sam Darnold threw four interceptions in Week 11, so that was a thing, and the Buccaneers lost to the Buffalo Bills. Seattle and Tampa Bay are two good teams, but neither feels like a Super Bowl squad at this point, as Seattle might have a QB issue in terms of showing up in big games, and the Bucs' defense has been a liability.