The NFL Playoff Picture has taken shape, and as of now, two teams in the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams have clinched playoff spots after Week 15 wins. In the coming weeks, division-clinching scenarios and other playoff scenarios will develop.
This has been a year filled with parity, so the playoff picture is surely going to take the rest of the regular season to shake out, and the playoffs could be more competitive than ever. Now that Week 15 is about over, we can take a gander at the current playoff picture.
So, let's do that here approaching Monday Night Football.
Updated NFL Playoff Picture approaching Monday Night Football
AFC Playoff Picture
Bye: (1) Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos have now won 11 games in a row and have the best record in the league, standing alone at 12-2. Denver would earn the by and homefield advantage of the playoffs began today.
(7) Houston Texans @ (2) New England Patriots
The New England Patriots blew a 21-point lead against the Buffalo Bills, so I am not sure the Pats would be able to beat the Houston Texans, a surging team with a juggernaut of a defense.
(6) Buffalo Bills @ (3) Jacksonville Jaguars
The Buffalo Bills are back in the AFC East race but are still in second place at the moment. The AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars have been a great story this year. Trevor Lawrence is heating up, and the Jags might just be good enough to win a playoff game here in 2025.
(5) Los Angeles Chargers @ (4) Pittsburgh Steelers
Neither Los Angeles nor Pittsburgh is good enough to win a playoff game, but some team would have to win here!
LA has massive offensive line concerns, and Pittsburgh is just an average team through and through.
NFC Playoff Picture
Bye: (1) Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams might have the MVP of the NFL in Matthew Stafford and keep stacking wins, currently holding that top seed.
(7) Green Bay Packers @ (2) Chicago Bears
With no Micah Parsons, the Green Bay Packers' season has totally changed. They would be in Chicago to face the Bears, which is also where they are going to be in Week 16.
(6) San Francisco 49ers @ (3) Philadelphia Eagles
The San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles are two good-not-great teams. Neither team has enough juice to make a Super Bowl run this year, but this could be a very good game. I would actually give the nod to San Francisco, as they are pretty much maxing out the players and situation they have right now.
(5) Seattle Seahawks @ (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This would be a blowout - the Tampa Bay Buccaneers simply aren't good this year, but the Seattle Seahawks could be a top-5 team in football.