NFL Playoff Scenarios 2024-25: Wildcard Picture, Postseason Bracket Post-Week 17

Not only are NFL teams clinching bids to the 2024 playoffs, the seeding picture is becoming clear, too.

To begin Week 17, the Kansas City Chiefs secured the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage in the AFC. That victory also helped the Baltimore Ravens move to the AFC North lead, and their demolition of the Houston Texans locked the losing team into the No. 4 seed.

On the opposite side of the league, the Philadelphia Eagles walloped the rival Dallas Cowboys to seal the NFC East crown and settle at No. 2 in the conference.

The list of impactful games, as you can imagine, does not end there.

We'll cover all of those storylines from Week 17, along with clarifying the remaining scenarios on Sunday and Monday.

This piece will be updated Sunday night.

Wednesday, Dec. 25

Kansas City Chiefs 29, Pittsburgh Steelers 10
Baltimore Ravens 31, Houston Texans 2

Thursday, Dec. 26

Seattle Seahawks 6, Chicago Bears 3

Saturday, Dec. 28

Los Angeles Chargers 40, New England Patriots 7
Cincinnati Bengals 30, Denver Broncos 24 (OT)
Los Angeles Rams 13, Arizona Cardinals 9

Sunday, Dec. 29

Buffalo Bills 40, New York Jets 14
Philadelphia Eagles 41, Dallas Cowboys 7
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48, Carolina Panthers 14
New York Giants 45, Indianapolis Colts 33
Las Vegas Raiders 25, New Orleans Saints 10
Jacksonville Jaguars 20, Tennessee Titans 13

Minnesota Vikings 27, Green Bay Packers 25
Miami Dolphins 20, Cleveland Browns 3

Washington Commanders 30, Atlanta Falcons 24 (OT)

Monday, Dec. 30

Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers, 8:15 p.m.

All times ET

Division Leaders

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.

Wild-Card Race

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.

In the Hunt

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.

Eliminated

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.

Division Leaders

1. Minnesota Vikings (14-2, NFC North)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3, clinched NFC East)
3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6, clinched NFC West)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7, NFC South)

One placeholder remains. Minnesota is technically the division leader, but that's because Detroit hasn't yet played in Week 17. Detroit currently owns the tiebreaker on Minnesota. Philadelphia became the first NFC team to clinch a division, and Los Angeles did Sunday night thanks to a little help from Washington.

Wild-Card Race

5. Detroit Lions (13-2)
6. Washington Commanders (11-5)
7. Green Bay Packers (11-5)

Detroit could reclaim the NFC North lead with a triumph over San Francisco on Monday. Even if the Lions fall, though, they can steal it back with a Week 18 win over the Vikings. Green Bay's loss to Minnesota means the Packers or Washington will be the sixth or seventh seed in the NFC.

In the Hunt

9. Atlanta Falcons (8-8)

Seattle was desperate for an Atlanta win on Sunday night, but it didn't happen. Atlanta has a worse record but remains a contender in the NFC South because of the head-to-head tiebreaker on Tampa. Retaking the division will require a win plus a Tampa Bay loss in Week 18, though.

Eliminated

8. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
10. Dallas Cowboys (7-9)
11. Arizona Cardinals (7-9)
12. San Francisco 49ers (6-9)
13. New Orleans Saints (5-11)
14. Chicago Bears (4-12)
15. Carolina Panthers (4-12)
16. New York Giants (3-13)

The good news is New York snapped a 10-game skid! The bad news is the Giants slipped from the projected first pick in the draft to third overall. Winning games is the goal, yet the franchise needs a new quarterback, too. It makes New York's clash with a likely-to-be-resting Philly team in Week 18 a little more interesting than anticipated.

Seattle is officially out because the Rams clinched the NFC West thanks to Washington's win, and the Seahawks cannot catch Washington or Green Bay in the wild-card race.

During the last two matchups of Week 18, one team directly has a playoff berth at stake. Washington can no longer win the NFC East, but a victory over Atlanta would send the Commanders to the postseason.

The result is also meaningful to the Los Angeles Rams, though.

Heading into Sunday's slate, they needed a particular set of victories to clinch the "strength of victory" tiebreaker over Seattle. Long story short, a Washington win on Sunday—or San Francisco on Monday—finishes off that scenario and secures LA's place atop the NFC West.

Editor's note: It happened. Washington and LA are in.

Detroit's fate—both in the NFC North and for home-field advantage—is entirely tied to its Week 18 clash with Minnesota.