NFL Standings 2024-25: Week 17 Records, Playoff Bracket Scenarios, Wild Card Picture
December 24, 2024NFL Standings 2024-25: Week 17 Records, Playoff Bracket Scenarios, Wild Card Picture
The top seeds in the NFC and AFC may be decided but there are plenty of questions surrounding the Wild Card picture in both conferences, with several teams still vying for seeding and the remaining spots.
What scenarios exist entering Week 17 and who is still competing for a division championship, let alone a spot in the proverbial dance?
Find out with this preview of bracket scenarios and high-stakes games in the penultimate week of the 2024 NFL regular season.
NFC Playoff Picture
The current NFC playoff picture is as follows:
Division Leaders
1. x-Detroit Lions (13-2, NFC North)
2. x-Philadelphia Eagles (12-3, NFC East)
3. Los Angeles Rams (9-6, NFC West)
4. Atlanta Falcons (8-7, NFC South)
Wildcard
5. x-Minnesota Vikings (13-2)
6. x-Green Bay Packers (10-4)
7. Washington Commanders (10-5)
On the Bubble
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)
9. Seattle Seahawks (8-7)
(x)-clinched playoff spot
AFC Playoff Picture
The current AFC playoff picture is as follows:
Division Leaders
1. xz-Kansas City Chiefs (14-1, AFC West)
2. xz-Buffalo Bills (12-3, AFC East)
3. x-Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5, AFC North)
4. xz-Houston Texans (9-6, AFC South)
Wildcard
5. x-Baltimore Ravens (10-5)
6. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)
7. Denver Broncos (9-6)
On the Bubble
8. Indianapolis Colts (7-8)
9. Miami Dolphins (7-8)
10. Cincinnati Bengals (7-8)
(x)-clinched playoff spot
(z)-clinched division
AFC Wild Card Picture in Flux; Rams Eyeing Division Crown
The NFC Wild Card situation may not be crystal clear but it is much more settled than the AFC, where the final two games of the regular season have potentially six different teams eyeing three Wild Card positions.
A win for the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday against the New 3-12 New England Patriots cashes their ticket to the postseason, with their seeding still up in the air.
The showdown between the Chargers' division rival, Denver, and Cincinnati will play like a high-stakes postseason game. A win for the Broncos earns them a spot in the dance while a loss for the Bengals eliminates one of the most electric teams in the game and a quarterback in Joe Burrow who should receive MVP consideration.
NFL @NFLAll 3 Week 17 Saturday Tripleheader games on <a href="https://twitter.com/nflnetwork?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nflnetwork</a> feature playoff-clinching scenarios. 👀<br><br>Chargers at Patriots (1 PM ET)<br>- Chargers clinch playoff berth with a win<br><br>Broncos at Bengals (4:30 PM ET)<br>- Broncos clinch playoff berth with a win<br>- Bengals eliminated with a loss… <a href="https://t.co/NGZpjZGFYY">pic.twitter.com/NGZpjZGFYY</a>
The AFC North crown is still up for grabs between Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
Wins over Kansas City and Cincinnati give the Steelers the division, no matter what Baltimore accomplished in the same two-game span. A loss and two wins by the Ravens open the door for the birds to seize the crown.
Over in the NFC, the quest for the West became much clearer in Week 16, thanks to the Rams' win over the New York Jets and losses by the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks.
If Sean McVay's team can conquer the Cardinals at home, avenging a humiliating defeat from earlier in the season, they will essentially wrap up the division. A win and a loss by the Seahawks Thursday night against Chicago will net them the title, as will a win and strength of schedule over Seattle.
It would be a remarkable turnaround for a team that started 1-4 and looked every bit as bad as the record suggested at that point.
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