NFL Standings & Playoff Picture After Week 14

It’s December and you all know what that means. We’re winding down the NFL’s regular season and looking towards the postseason. It’s exciting. It’s dramatic. It’s potentially all a little confusing.

Luckily for you, we here at Heavy are ready and willing to break down each and every division’s postseason potential (even the NFC East) and update each squad’s fans on what it’ll take for their team to make a run at a Super Bowl title this winter.

We’ve already seen a few teams clinch their playoff berths so far this season and things could get a little bit more concrete this week as well. Welcome to December football, everyone. It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Here’s a look at the standings heading into Week 14, along with each team’s status.

AFC East

1. New England Patriots

Record: 11-2; Current seed in AFC: 1; Week 14 matchup: Won 27-6 vs. Houston Texans; Playoff picture: New England clinched the AFC East title after defeating the Houston Texans on Sunday night and got a bit of help with Miami’s loss to the New York Giants on Monday. Remember when the Patriots lost two games in a row and the world was ending?

2. New York Jets

Record: 8-5; Current seed in AFC: 6; Week 14 matchup: Won 30-8 vs. Tennessee Titans; Playoff picture: The Jets have now won three straight for the first time since 2011 and have the makings of a team primed for a playoff run. Ryan Fitzpatrick is a touchdown throwing machine and Brandon Marhsall is more than able to catch them. Add in a defense fresh off one of its best performances in weeks and there’s plenty of reason for Gang Green to be excited.

3. Buffalo Bills

Record: 6-7; Current seed in AFC: In the hunt; Week 14 matchup: Lost 23-20 to Philadelphia Eagles; Playoff picture: This one hurt. The Buffalo Bills battled back to tie the game at 20 all in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, but a late Tyrod Taylor all but sealed the loss. It also might have sealed the Bills postseason potential and they could be on the outside looking in sooner rather than later.

4. Miami Dolphins

Record: 5-8; Current seed in AFC: Not In; Week 14 matchup: Lost 31-24 to New York Giants; Playoff picture: The Dolphins are officially out of the playoff hunt after a disappointing showing against New York on Monday night football.

---

AFC North

1. Cincinnati Bengals

Record: 10-3; Current seed in AFC: 2; Week 14 matchup: Lost 33-20 to Pittsburgh Steelers 33-20; Playoff picture: Uh oh. Andy Dalton hurt his thumb. The Bengals lost and that means they didn’t clinch the the AFC North. Now, Cincinnati needs a win and a Steelers loss to clinch the division next week.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

Record: 8-5; Current seed in AFC: In the hunt; Week 14 matchup: Won 33-20 vs. Cincinnati Bengals Playoff picture: Well, they needed a win and they got a win. But the Steelers still aren’t assured of a postseason berth. Pittsburgh would win a tiebreaker against Cincinnati if the Bengals lost to the Browns in Week 17, but an easier way to get into the playoffs is to win out.

3. Baltimore Ravens

Record: 4-9; Current seed in AFC: Not In; Week 14 matchup: Lost 35-6 to Seattle Seahawks; Playoff picture: Everything about the Baltimore Ravens has been sad this season. They’ve lost their quarterback, their star wide receiver, their starting running back and their defensive leader to injuries and have never quite been able to recover. No one is particularly blaming the Ravens for that. They all just want it to be over.

4. Cleveland Browns

Record: 3-10; Current seed in AFC: Not In; Week 14 matchup: Won 24-10 vs. San Francisco 49ers; Playoff picture: Oh, Cleveland. You’re always going to be you. Once again the Browns have made some interesting decisions as far as personnel and odds are pretty good that Cleveland is going to face some major offseason overhaul.

---

AFC South

1. Indianapolis Colts

Record: 6-7; Current seed in AFC: 4; Week 14 matchup: Lost 51-16 to Jacksonville Jaguars; Playoff picture: The Colts lead the race for the South thanks to a head-to-head win over Houston already and could clinch the division with just two more victories if one of them is another win over Houston next week.

2. Houston Texans

Record: 6-7; Current seed in AFC: In the hunt; Week 14 matchup: Lost 27-6 to New England Patriots; Playoff picture: The Texans can still clinch the South with wins in their last three games, despite Sunday night’s loss.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

Record: 5-8; Current seed in AFC: In the hunt; Week 14 matchup: Won 51-16 vs. Indianapolis Colts; Playoff picture: Here on the furthest edge of the postseason bubble, live the Jacksonville Jaguars. A loss to the Colts on Sunday afternoon would eliminate Jacksonville from playoff contention, but (and this is a big but) a win could jumpstart a late-season spark that could actually still keep Jacksonville in the South title hunt. Really.

4. Tennessee Titans

Record: 3-10; Current seed in AFC: Not In; Week 14 matchup: Lost 30-8 to New York Jets; Playoff picture: Go forth and feel good about yourselves Titans fans. Marcus Mariota is here and the future is bright. His 87-yard touchdown run aside last week, Mariota has proven himself to be a prime franchise QB and while the postseason is a bit out of reach this year, there are building blocks to make a change in 2016.

---

AFC West

1. Denver Broncos

Record: 10-3; Current seed in AFC: 3; Week 14 matchup: Lost 15-12 to Oakland Raiders; Playoff picture: Some questionable decisions down the stretch led the Broncos to a loss at home on Sunday afternoon and kept their playoff future in just a bit of flux. Luckily Denver is still nursing a comfortable cushion in the division. The Broncos can clinch the West with a win and a Chiefs loss next week.

2. Kansas City Chiefs

Record: 8-5; Current seed in AFC: 5; Week 14 matchup: Won 10-3 vs. San Diego Chargers; Playoff picture: The Chiefs lead the race for the top Wild Card thanks to a better conference record (7-2) than the Jets (6-4) and the Steelers (5-4). It also helps that Kansas City already beat the Steelers this season.

3. Oakland Raiders

Record: 6-7; Current seed in AFC: Not In; Week 14 matchup: Won 15-12 vs. Denver Broncos; Playoff picture: It’s tough to be a Raiders fan. Only a few weeks ago it appeared that Oakland was ready for a major turnaround and primed for a playoff chase come December. Not quite. Instead, the silver and black have lost four of their past five and are more or less out of Wild Card contention.

4. San Diego Chargers

Record: 3-10; Current seed in AFC: Not In; Week 14 matchup: Lost 10-3 to Kansas City Chiefs; Playoff picture: Another team hurt by injuries and almost-there wins, the Chargers season has been a picture of Philip Rivers trying his best. A team that seems all but destined for Los Angeles, the Chargers desperately need some kind of run game if things are going to get better next season.

Click the next page button to check out the NFC standings and playoff picture.

NFC East

1. Washington Redskins

Record: 6-7; Current seed in NFC: 4; Week 14 matchup: Won 24-21 vs. Chicago Bears; Playoff picture: You’re the real MVP, Chicago Bears kicker. For the second straight week the Bears failed to connect on a late-game field goal and their loss was Washington’s game as it maintained control of the NFC East. The Redskins would clinch the East with three wins.

2. Philadelphia Eagles

Record: 6-7; Current seed in NFC: In the hunt; Week 14 matchup: Won 23-20 vs. Buffalo Bills; Playoff picture: This latest victory certainly helps the Eagles postseason chances. Philadelphia would clinch the East with three wins or could get some help with remaining wins against the Redskins and Giants; as long as Dallas loses as well.

3. New York Giants

Record: 6-7; Current seed in NFC: In the hunt; Week 14 matchup: Won 31-24 vs. Miami Dolphins; Playoff picture: They’re not dead yet. The Giants stayed in the hunt for the East after taking down Miami on the road on Monday night. It won’t get any easier for Big Blue though. They basically still need to win out to secure the division title and get the Carolina Panthers at home next week.

4. Dallas Cowboys

Record: 4-9; Current seed in NFC: In the hunt; Week 14 matchup: Lost 28-7 to Green Bay Packers; Playoff picture: That one hurt. The Dallas Cowboys couldn’t find a way to stop Green Bay’s ground game and may have lost their chances at a postseason run because of it.

---

NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers

Record: 9-4; Current seed in NFC: 3; Week 14 matchup: Won 28-7 vs. Dallas Cowboys; Playoff picture: The Green Bay Packers still can’t clinch a playoff berth because of a worse conference record than the Buccaneers if they finish tied. Still, Sunday’s victory over Dallas did a good job of getting the Packers on the road to postseason glory.

2. Minnesota Vikings

Record: 8-5; Current seed in NFC: 6; Week 14 matchup: Lost 23-20 at Arizona on Thursday; Playoff picture: Despite the late-game miscues and overall disappointment of their Week 14 loss, the Vikings could clinch a playoff berth with just two more wins. But (and this is a big but) would lose a tie with the Buccaneers because of conference record.

3. Chicago Bears

Record: 5-8; Current seed in NFC: In the hunt; Week 14 matchup: Lost 24-21 to Washington Redskins; Playoff picture: Not being able to win at home will do in you. The Bears have only won once at Soldier Field this season, including another late-game miscue on Sunday, and it’s all but sealed their postsesaon fate.

4. Detroit Lions

Record: 4-9; Current seed in NFC: Not In; Week 14 matchup: Lost 21-14 to Detroit Lions; Playoff picture: The Lions have done a lot of Lions-type things this season. After the beat-down on the Eagles on Thanksgiving day, Detroit went on to give up a hail Mary pass to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in one of the most disappointing losses any team has notched this season. Jim Caldwell’s future isn’t secure at all this offseason.

---

NFC South

1. Carolina Panthers

Record: 13-0; Current seed in NFC: 1; Week 14 matchup: Won 38-0 vs. Atlanta Falcons; Playoff picture: The Panthers wrapped up a first-round bye with a shutout victory at home on Sunday afternoon. Carolina can clinch the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the NFC postseason with a victory over the New York Giants next week.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Record: 6-7; Current seed in NFC: In the hunt; Week 14 matchup: Lost 24-17 to New Orleans Saints; Playoff picture: The Buccaneers are on the bubble after falling at home to the Saints, but could still clinch a playoff berth. Tampa Bay needs three wins and two Seahawks and/or Vikings losses to get in thanks to conference records.

3. Atlanta Falcons

Record: 6-7; Current seed in NFC: In the hunt; Week 14 matchup: Lost 38-0 to Carolina Panthers; Playoff picture: Technically it’s not over. The Falcons hold the No. 8 position in the postseason standings because of a head-to-head win over the Eagles. Aside from that though, there’s not much room to move up.

4. New Orleans Saints

Record: 5-8; Current seed in NFC: Not In; Week 14 matchup: Won 24-17 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Playoff picture: The Saints have already gotten rid of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan this season, but New Orleans still needs a bit of a makeover come the offseason. The Saints have given up at least 21 points every game since October 11. Expect the squad to go after a pass rusher in this year’s draft.

---

NFC West

1. Arizona Cardinals

Record: 11-2; Current seed in AFC: 2; Week 14 matchup: Defeated Minnesota 23-20 on Thursday; Playoff picture: The Cardinals clinched a postseason berth with the early-week victory, but didn’t secure the West title because the Seattle Seahawks won.

2. Seattle Seahawks

Record: 8-5; Current seed in NFC: 5; Week 14 matchup: Won 35-6 vs. Baltimore Ravens; Playoff picture: Despite some less-than-ideal injuries to rookie sensation Thomas Rawls, the Seahawks are very much in the playoff picture. Seattle would clinch a berth with two more wins, but need to gain some ground to overtake the Cardinals in the run to a West title.

3. St. Louis Rams

Record: 5-8; Current seed in NFC: Not In; Week 14 matchup: Won 21-14 vs. Detroit Lions; Playoff picture: Another team that could be abandoning its city after this year, the Rams have been more than just a slight disappointment. The once vaunted defensive front has lost a bit of its edge in the past few weeks and Todd Gurley’s drop-off, after such an explosive start, has been frustrating to say the least.

4. San Francisco 49ers

Record: 4-9; Current seed in NFC: Not In; Week 14 matchup: Lost 24-10 vs. Cleveland Browns; Playoff picture: The 49ers have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2015-16 season and not in a good way. The team’s handling of quarterback Colin Kaepernick not only drew criticism, it made the front office look a bit petty and sent the squad to the bottom of the divisional standings. Don’t expect to see Kaepernick back in a San Francisco uniform next season, fans.