Travis KelceMark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1, clinched AFC West)
2. Buffalo Bills (13-3, clinched AFC East)
3. Baltimore Ravens (11-5, AFC North)
4. Houston Texans (9-7, clinched AFC South)
Next weekend, Baltimore only needs a win over a reeling Cleveland team to wrap up the AFC North. That division’s champion—which otherwise can be Pittsburgh—will be the No. 3 seed in the AFC. Kansas City, Buffalo and Houston are locked at Nos. 1, 2 and 4, respectively.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
6. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)
7. Denver Broncos (9-7)
Pittsburgh had already sealed a playoff bid before the ugly result against the Chiefs, but Los Angeles joined the party with a rout of New England. Denver, however, squandered a chance to finalize the AFC group during an overtime loss at Cincinnati. Still, if the Broncos beat a backup-heavy Kansas City side in Week 18, they’re in.
8. Miami Dolphins (8-8)
9. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
Cincinnati overcame a missed field goal in overtime to survive Denver and record a fourth consecutive win. Miami followed suit on Sunday, taking down Cleveland without Tua Tagovailoa (hip).
The paths are simple: If Denver falls to Kansas City, Miami makes the playoffs with a victory over the New York Jets. Or, if both Denver and Miami lose, Cincinnati would seal a bid with a win at Pittsburgh.
10. Indianapolis Colts (7-9)
11. New York Jets (4-12)
12. Las Vegas Raiders (4-12)
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12)
14. Cleveland Browns (3-13)
15. Tennessee Titans (3-13)
16. New England Patriots (3-13)
Indianapolis hung around, but Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants officially ended the Colts’ fading playoff hopes. Otherwise, the biggest story of the eliminated group is that Las Vegas won a second straight game and have moved from the projected second overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft to eighth. Everyone else in this category list in Week 17.
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