Meaningful December football is almost at its end.
While plenty of teams want an opportunity to play in January, only 14 of them will have a place in the playoffs come the turn of the new year.
MORE: How ties, tiebreaker rules impact the playoff picture
Week 15 reminded us that a number of teams are still in the hunt, though windows are starting to close rapidly. Only the Texans, Broncos, Bears and Cardinals have been mathematically eliminated from the 2022 NFL playoffs, meaning … chaos everywhere else.
MORE: Lions playoff picture — How Dan Campbell's crew can make a run at NFC berth
Among the teams still clawing for playoff positioning are the Lions, Jets, Packers, Chargers and Jaguars. Essentially, the playoffs have already started — eliminations will come fast and furious over the coming weeks.
MORE: How the Jaguars can overtake the Titans and win the AFC South after upsetting the Cowboys
Here's how the 2022 NFL playoff brackets would shape up if the season ended right now:
NFL playoff bracket 2022
If the season ended today, here's how the AFC seeding would look:
AFC standings
| Seed | Team | W-L | Clinched playoff berth? | Clinched division |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bills | 11-3 | Yes | No |
| 2 | Chiefs | 11-3 | Yes | Yes (AFC West) |
| 3 | Bengals | 10-4 | No | No |
| 4 | Titans | 7-7 | No | No |
| 5 | Ravens | 9-5 | No | — |
| 6 | Chargers | 8-6 | No | — |
| 7 | Dolphins | 8-6 | No | — |
In the hunt:
- Patriots (7-7)
- Jets (7-7)
- Jaguars (6-8)
- Browns (6-8)
If the season ended today, the AFC wild-card weekend matchups would be:
— Bills (1) first-round bye
— Dolphins (7) at Chiefs (2)
— Chargers (6) at Bengals (3)
— Ravens (5) at Titans (4)
NFC standings
If the season ended today, here's how the NFC seeding would look:
| Seed | Team | W-L | Clinched playoff berth? | Clinched division? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eagles | 13-1 | Yes | No |
| 2 | Vikings | 11-3 | Yes | Yes (NFC North) |
| 3 | 49ers | 10-4 | Yes | Yes (NFC West) |
| 4 | Buccaneers | 6-8 | No | No |
| 5 | Cowboys | 10-4 | Yes | — |
| 6 | Giants | 8-5-1 | No | — |
| 7 | Commanders | 7-6-1 | No | — |
In the hunt:
- Seahawks (7-7)
- Lions (7-7)
- Packers (5-8)
If the season ended today, the NFC wild-card weekend matchups would be:
— Eagles (1) first-round bye
— Commanders (7) at Vikings (2)
— Giants (6) at 49ers (3)
— Cowboys (5) at Buccaneers (4)