Every week for the duration of the 2025 regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the NFL’s ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting after Sunday afternoon’s late games and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable. And, when the holidays roll around, we’ll be watching then, too).
What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 4.
Here’s where things stand with Week 12 underway:
AFC playoff picture
1. Denver Broncos (9-2), AFC West leaders: Sunday’s win over Kansas City gave them a chokehold on the AFC West throne the Chiefs have sat upon since 2016. It also moved the Broncos past the Patriots for the conference’s top spot − Denver’s record in AFC games (6-2) currently a half-game better than New England’s. A week off is nice … but it could also drop the Broncos back to the third seed due to their Week 2 loss at Indianapolis. Remaining schedule: BYE, at Commanders, at Raiders, vs. Packers, vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs, vs. Chargers
2. New England Patriots (9-2), AFC East leaders: Win at Cincinnati on Sunday, and the Pats become the first team to 10 wins this season and would reclaim first place in the conference. They’re in prime position to win the division for the first time since Tom Brady led them to first place in 2019 and maybe their first No. 1 playoff seed since 2017. Remaining schedule: at Bengals, vs. Giants, BYE, vs. Bills, at Ravens, at Jets, vs. Dolphins
3. Indianapolis Colts (8-2), AFC South leaders: The schedule was Charmin soft before their bye, but you can’t control whom you play. The second-half lineup, starting at Arrowhead, seems much less forgiving. So, too, are the Texans, who are mounting a fresh divisional charge. Remaining schedule: at Chiefs, vs. Texans, at Jaguars, at Seahawks, vs. 49ers, vs. Jaguars, at Texans
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4), AFC North leaders: Only one game up on Baltimore for the division lead, which only means a 41% chance the Steelers reach postseason, per Next Gen Stats. Remaining schedule: at Bears, vs. Bills, at Ravens, vs. Dolphins, at Lions, at Browns, vs. Ravens
5. Los Angeles Chargers (7-4), wild card No. 1: The week off arrives right on time for a literally battered team that was figuratively bludgeoned its last time out. Buffalo’s loss Thursday moved Bolts up a spot. Remaining schedule: BYE, vs. Raiders, vs. Eagles, at Chiefs, at Cowboys, vs. Texans, at Broncos
6. Buffalo Bills (7-4), wild card No. 2: QB Josh Allen took a beating − as did the Bills’ hopes of catching the Patriots in the AFC East race. Now 4-3 in conference games, Buffalo fell behind the Chargers in the wild-card seeding, too. Remaining schedule: at Steelers, vs. Bengals, at Patriots, at Browns, vs. Eagles, vs. Jets
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4), wild card No. 3: Wins over the Chiefs and Chargers could serve them well when it’s time to sort out tiebreakers. Winning at Arizona? Not so much … though the Jags can’t afford many slip-ups, either. Lose on Sunday, and the Texans displace Jacksonville as the No. 7 seed. Remaining schedule: at Cardinals, at Titans, vs. Colts, vs. Jets, at Broncos, vs. Colts, at Titans
8. Houston Texans (6-5), in the hunt: They’ve won four of five, including three in a row without injured QB C.J. Stroud. If they want to win the AFC South for a third straight year, the Texans likely need to sweep the Colts while continuing their surge … but the pieces are falling into place for a late charge to the top. Remaining schedule: at Colts, at Chiefs, vs. Cardinals, vs. Raiders, at Chargers, vs. Colts
9. Kansas City Chiefs (5-5), in the hunt: Their nine-year run atop the AFC West appears practically over following their loss in Denver. Still plenty of time to recover otherwise for a team that’s never missed the AFC championship game since Patrick Mahomes became the QB1 in 2018. Remaining schedule: vs. Colts, at Cowboys, vs. Texans, vs. Chargers, at Titans, vs. Broncos, at Raiders
10. Baltimore Ravens (5-5), in the hunt: They’ve won four in a row in their return to relevance. But their best hope to reach the postseason is to win a third consecutive AFC North crown given they’ve already lost to K.C. and Houston. Their upcoming three-game homestand seems … sweepable? Remaining schedule: vs. Jets, vs. Bengals, vs. Steelers, at Bengals, vs. Patriots, at Packers, at Steelers
NFC playoff picture
1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-2), NFC East leaders: Win at Dallas on Sunday, and they’re virtually assured of being the division’s first back-to-back champs in 21 years − the Eagles last doing it in 2004. A Week 3 escape from the Rams, which included a blocked field goal returned for a TD on the final play, currently confers the No. 1 seed to Philly. Remaining schedule: at Cowboys, vs. Bears, at Chargers, vs. Raiders, at Commanders, at Bills, vs. Commanders
2. Los Angeles Rams (8-2), NFC West leaders: While they’re a tiebreaker back of Philly, the Rams also have scant breathing room between themselves and the Seahawks, whom they survived Sunday, and the 49ers in the division. LA plays as many NFC South teams as NFC West rivals down the stretch. Remaining schedule: vs. Buccaneers, at Panthers, at Cardinals, vs. Lions, at Seahawks, at Falcons, vs. Cardinals
3. Chicago Bears (7-3), NFC North leaders: They’ve won seven of eight since an 0-2 start to stunningly take over first place in the division. Up next? Numerous opportunities to beat their first opponent currently with a winning record. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Eagles, at Packers, vs. Browns, vs. Packers, at 49ers, vs. Lions
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4), NFC South leaders: Their divisional lead is down to a half game over Carolina, but the Bucs’ schedule will get quite manageable on the other side of ‘Sunday Night Football.’ Remaining schedule: at Rams, vs. Cardinals, vs. Saints, vs. Falcons, at Panthers, at Dolphins, vs. Panthers
5. Seattle Seahawks (7-3), wild card No. 1: All three of the ‘Hawks’ losses are against NFC opponents, including two in the division − defeats that won’t serve them well in the tiebreaker department. Remaining schedule: at Titans, vs. Vikings, at Falcons, vs. Colts, vs. Rams, at Panthers, at 49ers
6. Green Bay Packers (6-3-1), wild card No. 2: They got awfully banged up in Sunday’s victory over the Giants yet eventually advanced one rung in the NFC seedings. Remaining schedule: vs. Vikings, at Lions, vs. Bears, at Broncos, at Bears, vs. Ravens, at Vikings
7. San Francisco 49ers (7-4), wild card No. 3: Detroit’s latest setback moves a third NFC West team into the projected seven-team NFC playoff field. And maybe the Niners can start building some momentum with QB1 Brock Purdy back in the lineup. Monday night’s game against Carolina comes with high stakes. Remaining schedule: vs. Panthers, at Browns, BYE, vs. Titans, at Colts, vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks
8. Detroit Lions (6-4), in the hunt: The offense crashed back to earth Sunday night in Philly as Detroit crashed out of the playoff picture … for now. Had they won in Philly, the Lions would have been the No. 2 seed − illustrative of how tightly packed the conference currently is. Remaining schedule: vs. Giants, vs. Packers, vs. Cowboys, at Rams, vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at Bears
9. Carolina Panthers (6-5), in the hunt: In addition to breathing downs the Bucs’ backs, they’re only a game back of the Niners for the final wild-card spot in the NFC. Winners of six of nine, the Panthers only have one win against a team (Green Bay) currently above .500. Remaining schedule: at 49ers, vs. Rams, BYE, at Saints, vs. Buccaneers, vs. Seahawks, at Buccaneers
10. Dallas Cowboys (4-5-1), in the hunt: Monday’s mauling of the Raiders gave this team a needed lift, both emotionally and in the standings − Dallas moving back into the playoff periphery … but it could have a tough time remaining there given the lineup it’s about to face. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, vs. Chiefs, at Lions, vs. Vikings, vs. Chargers, at Commanders, at Giants
NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention in 2025
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