Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
We are inching closer and closer to finalizing the field for the NFL playoffs
The NFL playoffs are not yet underway.
But in many ways, they began on Saturday night.
Week 18 of the 2023 NFL regular season began with two critical AFC games, where one team was already in and resting starters, while the other three were fighting for their playoff lives.
In the early game, the Pittsburgh Steelers kept their playoff hopes alive with a win over the Baltimore Ravens. As outlined in our breakdown of all the Week 18 playoff scenarios, the Steelers can get in with either a Buffalo Bills loss to the Miami Dolphins, or a Jacksonville Jaguars loss to the Tennessee Titans.
Then on Saturday night, the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts squared off in a “win and in” game, with the winner clinching a playoff spot, and the loser suffering elimination. The game lived up to the hype and came down to the final minutes, but ultimately the Texans emerged victorious by a final score of 23-17.
Here are how things stand heading into the final day of the 2023 NFL regular season.
NFC
In right now
1. San Francisco 49ers (12-4) – z*
Remaining game: Rams
2. Dallas Cowboys (11-5) – x
Remaining game: at Commanders
3. Detroit Lions (11-5) – z
Remaining game: Vikings
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8)
Remaining game: at Panthers
5. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) – x
Remaining game: at Giants
6. Los Angeles Rams (9-7) – y
Remaining game: at 49ers
7. Green Bay Packers (8-8)
Remaining game: Bears
In the hunt
8. Seattle Seahawks (8-8)
Remaining game: at Cardinals
9. New Orleans Saints (8-8)
Remaining game: Falcons
10. Minnesota Vikings (7-9)
Remaining game: at Lions
11. Chicago Bears (7-9) – e
Remaining game: at Packers
12. Atlanta Falcons (7-9)
Remaining game: at Saints
z – Clinched division
x – Clinched playoff spot
y – Clinched Wild Card
e – Eliminated
* – Clinched homefield advantage
NFC playoff matchups if the postseason started today
If the NFC playoffs began today, these would be the three matchups on Wild Card Weekend:
Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys
Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions
Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The San Francisco 49ers have clinched the first-overall seed, and the first-round bye, in the NFC.
The NFC playoff picture will be updated after Sunday’s games. For more now what is at stake Sunday in the NFC, all the playoff and elimination scenarios are outlined here.
AFC
In right now
1. Baltimore Ravens (13-4) – z*
2. Miami Dolphins (11-5) – x
Remaining game: Bills
3. Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)
Remaining game: at Chargers
4. Houston Texans (10-7) – x
5. Cleveland Browns (11-5) – y
Remaining game: at Bengals
6. Buffalo Bills (10-6)
Remaining game: at Dolphins
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
In the hunt
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7)
Remaining game: at Titans
Eliminated
9. Indianapolis Colts (9-7) – e
z- Clinched division
x – Clinched playoff spot
y – Clinched Wild Card
* – Clinched homefield advantage
e – Eliminated
AFC playoff matchups if the postseason started right now
If the AFC playoffs began today, these would be the three matchups on Wild Card Weekend:
Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins
Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs
Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans
In the earlier game, the Steelers kept their playoff hopes alive with a win over the Ravens. At the moment, Pittsburgh sits in the seventh spot in the AFC, but will need some help to stay there. The Steelers need either a loss by the Bills, or a loss or tie by the Jaguars, to get into the playoffs.
But if both Jacksonville and Buffalo win on Sunday, the Steelers are out.
As for the Texans, at the moment they are in the playoffs as the fourth seed, and winners of the AFC South, thanks to their win over the Colts. To stay there, however, they will need Jacksonville to either lose or tie against Tennessee on Sunday. If Jacksonville wins, however, then the Texans will drop into the seventh spot ahead of Sunday Night Football.
In the scenario where the Jaguars win, a Bills win will keep them in the seventh spot, but if the Bills lose to the Dolphins, then Buffalo is out, the Steelers are in as the seventh seed, and the Texans are in as the sixth seed.
With their loss Saturday night, the Colts are eliminated.
The AFC playoff picture will be updated after Sunday’s games. For more now what is at stake Sunday in the AFC, all the playoff and elimination scenarios are outlined here.
