Week 15 is over, and the NFL playoff race is heating up. Surprising contenders and intriguing potential matchups are beginning to fill out the bracket, giving fans a taste of what this year’s path to Super Bowl 60 could look like.
With so much still to be decided, the NFL playoff picture is shifting weekly, but let’s take a peek at where things stand now. Here’s a look at the current NFL postseason bracket, plus a look at which teams are rising and falling in PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor.
Week 15 NFL Standings and Playoff Picture
AFC Playoff Picture
- Denver Broncos, 12-2
2. New England Patriots, 11-3
3. Jacksonville Jaguars, 10-4
4. Pittsburgh Steelers, 8-6
5. Los Angeles Chargers, 10-4
6. Buffalo Bills, 10-4
7. Houston Texans, 9-5
In the Hunt
8. Indianapolis Colts, 8-6
9. Baltimore Ravens, 7-7
10. Miami Dolphins, 6-8
Eliminated
11. Kansas City Chiefs, 6-8
12. Cincinnati Bengals, 4-10
13. New York Jets, 3-11
14. Cleveland Browns, 3-11
15. Tennessee Titans, 2-12
16. Las Vegas Raiders, 2-12
NFC Playoff Picture
- Los Angeles Rams, 11-3
2. Chicago Bears, 10-4
3. Philadelphia Eagles, 9-5
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7-7
5. Seattle Seahawks, 11-3
6. San Francisco 49ers, 10-4
7. Green Bay Packers, 9-4-1
In the Hunt
8. Detroit Lions, 8-6
9. Carolina Panthers, 7-7
10. Dallas Cowboys, 6-7-1
Eliminated
11. Minnesota Vikings, 6-8
12. Atlanta Falcons, 5-9
13. New Orleans Saints, 4-10
14. Washington Commanders, 4-10
15. Arizona Cardinals, 3-11
16. New York Giants, 2-12
NFL Teams on the Rise
Baltimore Ravens
It’s been a roller-coaster season for the Ravens, but they are still in the playoff hunt. After a blowout 24-0 win over the Bengals in Week 15, John Harbaugh’s squad improved to 7-7 on the season. Entering the matchup, Baltimore had a 22.2% chance of reaching the postseason and winning the AFC North. After the win, those odds increased to 34.7%.
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Unfortunately for the Ravens, the Steelers won on Monday Night Football against the Dolphins, which hurts their postseason hopes. After Pittsburgh’s win, Baltimore now has a 27.5% chance of winning the division and making the playoffs, according to PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers blew out the Dolphins on Monday Night Football, and it was a huge win for their playoff hopes. Had they lost to the Dolphins on Monday, their playoff odds would’ve dipped to 57%.
However, with their Week 15 win, the Steelers now have a 73.9% chance of making the playoffs and a 72.5% chance of winning the division. After dropping five of seven gmes from Weeks 7-13, Pittsburgh has bounced back with back-to-back wins over Baltimore and Miami.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers’ Week 15 victory was two-fold. On one hand, they significantly improved their chances of clinching a playoff spot. Entering the week, Los Angeles had a 78.2% chance to make the playoffs and an 11.9% chance to win the AFC West. After beating the Chiefs, its chances improved to 89.3% of reaching the postseason and 19.3% of winning the division. The win also officially eliminated the Chiefs from playoff contention.
Chicago Bears
You have to give it up for Ben Johnson. Not many could’ve predicted that he would have this much success in his first season in Chicago. The Bears improved to 10-4 on the season with a blowout win over the Browns this week. The Packers, who entered the game in first place in the NFC North, lost to the Broncos. Chicago has reclaimed the top spot and now has an 88.1% chance of making the playoffs and a 57.2% chance of winning the division.
NFL Teams on the Decline
Kansas City Chiefs
Who could’ve predicted that Kansas City would be 6-8 heading into Week 16? Well, that’s where things stand after the Chiefs suffered a crushing 16-13 defeat at the hands of the Chargers. Adding salt to the wound, Kansas City is now out of playoff contention, effectively ending its streak of 10 straight postseason appearances and nine straight AFC West titles.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers are trending in the wrong direction, and their loss to the Falcons on Thursday only made matters worse. Tampa Bay entered Week 15 with a 60.3% chance of making the playoffs. With the loss, those odds dropped to 45.3%. The Panthers are in first place in the NFC South, and if they beat the Saints, the Buccaneers’ chances of reaching the postseason will drop even further to 27.4%.
Detroit Lions
The Lions are currently on the outside of the NFC playoff picture, looking in. They got a tough draw with the Rams in Week 15, and they came up short 41-34. With the loss, Detroit is now 8-6 and in eighth place in the conference. Dan Campbell and company currently have a 22.7% chance of reaching the postseason and a 3.5% chance of winning the NFC North.
Indianapolis Colts
After a scorching hot 8-2 start to the season, the Colts have come crashing back down to Earth. Shane Steichen’s squad has now dropped four straight games after an 18-16 loss to the Seahawks. Now at 8-6, Indianapolis has an uphill battle to climb back into the playoff picture, especially while playing without Daniel Jones and Sauce Gardner.
After the loss to Seattle, the Colts now have an 18.7% chance of making the playoffs and a 3.6% chance of winning the AFC South.
