NFL Playoff Bracket Scenarios 2024-25 Week 16: Picture After Falcons, Vikings Win

The Detroit Lions have been on cruise control for much of the season, but their NFC North lead isn’t even safe heading into the stretch run.

That is because the Minnesota Vikings pulled even with Detroit at 12-2 thanks to Monday’s win over the Chicago Bears, meaning only the tiebreaker is keeping the Lions ahead at this point. Those two teams are also battling with the 12-2 Philadelphia Eagles for the No. 1 seed and first-round bye in the conference.

Elsewhere, the Atlanta Falcons picked up an important win over the Las Vegas Raiders to remain within one game of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South.

Atlanta has the tiebreaker after sweeping the season series, so it still has a golden opportunity to make a late charge despite Tampa Bay’s position in first place.

Here is a look at where they and everyone else stands with Week 15 officially in the books.

Division Leaders

1. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1)

2. Buffalo Bills (11-3)

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4)

4. Houston Texans (9-5)

Wildcard

5. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)

6. Denver Broncos (9-5)

7. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)

On the Bubble

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)

The Kansas City Chiefs are still safely atop the AFC standings following Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns, but they are facing a new concern.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Patrick Mahomes is “considered to be week-to-week” with an ankle injury he suffered in that victory. Considering Kansas City faces three teams in playoff position in the Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos to finish the season, that No. 1 seed isn’t a guarantee.

That is especially true given the way Josh Allen is playing.

He accounted for four touchdowns as his Buffalo Bills went on the road and defeated the Lions 48-42 after he scored six touchdowns in the previous loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Buffalo finishes with three straight games against the eliminated New York Jets and New England Patriots, so it would be surprising if it didn’t win out.

The Bills also have the tiebreaker thanks to their head-to-head win over Kansas City in Week 11, so the No. 1 seed and the first-round bye that comes with it is still within reach if the Chiefs slip up with Mahomes dealing with his injury.

Mahomes and Allen aren’t the only elite quarterbacks to monitor down the stretch, as Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals have won two in a row and are suddenly two back of the Los Angeles Chargers for the final wild-card spot after the AFC West team lost two in a row.

Cincinnati will have to win out to have a chance, though, as the Chargers have the tiebreaker thanks to their head-to-head win over the Bengals in Week 11.

But there is still a chance as long as Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase continue to torch opposing defenses.

Division Leaders

1. Detroit Lions (12-2)

2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2)

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6)

4. Los Angeles Rams (8-6)

Wild Card

5. Minnesota Vikings (12-2)

6. Green Bay Packers (10-4)

7. Washington Commanders (9-5)

On the Bubble

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 (5-9)

Eliminated

14. Chicago Bears (4-10)

15. Carolina Panthers (3-11)

16. New York Giants (2-12)

To say things are heating up in the race for the top seed in the NFC would be an understatement.

Detroit has sat atop the standings for much of the season, but it fell to 12-2 with Sunday’s loss to the Bills. What’s more, injuries are starting to catch up to the NFC North leaders to the point where they may have to start the playoffs on the road as a wild-card team.

That Week 18 contest against the Vikings looms as a potential difference-maker in both the division and the battle for the No. 1 seed.

Then there is Philadelphia, which overcame the drama surrounding the relationship between Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown with a convincing victory over the Steelers. The Eagles have now won 10 in a row following an inconsistent 2-2 start and are primed to jump into that top spot while the NFC North teams are battling each other.

While the race for the No. 1 seed is generating the most headlines, the NFC West is also up for grabs.

The 7-7 Arizona Cardinals defeated the Patriots and are just one game behind the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks. Los Angeles moved into first place thanks to its win over the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday and Seattle’s loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, although the two teams face each other in Week 18.

Like the race between Detroit and Minnesota, that final game of the regular season could be the deciding factor.