2024 NFL Playoffs picture: Who has secured their spot and who is still in the hunt after Week 15

CNN
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The NFL playoffs are almost in sight and the heat is on for some teams still fighting to reach the postseason.

In Week 15, the number of teams that qualified for the playoffs increased to seven, while two more were eliminated from contention. There were also interesting developments in the battles for division titles and seedings.

So who has already bought their ticket for the postseason, who is facing the long wait and who already has their sights set on next year?

Seven teams from the two conferences have secured a spot in the playoffs after Week 15.

The reigning two-time Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs secured their 10th playoff berth with five games to go after defeating the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13 on Black Friday.

Two days later, the Buffalo Bills secured a spot. The Bills are the only team to beat the Chiefs this season, going 13-1, and therefore have a potential tiebreaker for the AFC’s No. 1 seed and home-field advantage in the postseason. However, Buffalo would have to win and hope Kansas City loses two of its final three games to secure the top spot.

With losses to the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins in Week 15, the Pittsburgh Steelers secured their spot in the playoffs despite a 27-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Colts’ loss also meant that the 9-5 Houston Texans will move into the playoffs as winners of the AFC South.

Meanwhile, an intriguing battle for the No. 1 seed in the NFC is shaping up.

The Detroit Lions, Eagles and Minnesota Vikings are currently seeded first, second and fifth and all have the same record at 12-2. Minnesota is fifth as the top four spots are reserved for division winners.

The Vikings secured their spot on Monday with a win over the Chicago Bears, while Detroit and Philadelphia secured their spots in Week 14.

This means the Lions control their own fate when it comes to seeding, but losses could mean they cede control of the AFC North to Minnesota or the lurking Green Bay Packers.

The NFC is the more fluid of the two conferences, with nine teams officially still in playoff contention.

The San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints are technically still in the hunt, but the NFL’s playoff tracker gives them less than a one percent chance of reaching the postseason.

The Packers are all but assured of reaching the postseason at 10-4, while the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks are both currently vying for the NFC West title at 8-6. The Arizona Cardinals are just one game behind both teams. At the top of the NFC South, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a one-game lead over the Atlanta Falcons.

If the season ended today, the Washington Commanders would sneak into the playoffs as the seventh seed, one game ahead of the Seahawks.

Things are a little less complicated in the AFC. The 9-5 Baltimore Ravens are about to move in and could still take the AFC North from Pittsburgh. The Denver Broncos (9-5) and Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) are currently in sixth and seventh place.

The Colts, Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals can all still make the playoffs, but all have losing records and have a 10 percent or less chance of making the playoffs, according to the NFL.

As the saying goes: There’s always next year.

In Week 15, the Bears and Carolina Panthers became the only teams eliminated from postseason contention in the NFC. After opening the season 4-2, Chicago lost eight straight games and fired head coach Matt Eberflus after a disastrous Thanksgiving loss to the Lions. This was the first time in the franchise’s more than 100-year history that a coach was fired midway through the season.

There were no changes to the AFC’s eliminated teams: The Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders are all officially eliminated.

AFC

1) Kansas City Chiefs (13-1) – clarified

2) Buffalo Bills (11-3) – clarified

3) Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4) – clarified

4) Houston Texans (9-5) – clarified

5) Baltimore Ravens (9-5)

6) Denver Broncos (9-5)

7) Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)

Outside

8) Indianapolis Colts (6-8)

9) Miami Dolphins (6-8)

10) Cincinnati Bengals (6-8)

Eliminated

11) New York Jets (4-10)

12) Cleveland Browns (3-11)

13) Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11)

14) Tennessee Titans (3-11)

15) New England Patriots (3-11)

16) Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)

NFC

1) Detroit Lions (12-2) – clarified

2) Philadelphia Eagles (12-2) – clarified

3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6)

4) Los Angeles Rams (8-6)

5) Minnesota Vikings (12-2) – clarified

6) Green Bay Packers (10-4)

7) Washington Commanders (9-5)

Outside

8) Seattle Seahawks (8-6)

9) Atlanta Falcons (7-7)

10) Arizona Cardinals (7-7)

11) San Francisco 49ers (6-8)

12) Dallas Cowboys (6-8)

13) New Orleans Saints (6-8)

Eliminated

14) Chicago Bears (4-10)

15) Carolina Panthers (3-11)

16) New York Giants (2-12)