TL;DR
- New England Patriots lead AFC East at 10-2, followed by Denver Broncos at 9-2.
- Indianapolis Colts lead AFC South at 8-3, Pittsburgh Steelers lead AFC North at 6-5.
- Los Angeles Rams lead NFC West at 9-2, Chicago Bears lead NFC North at 9-3.
- Philadelphia Eagles lead NFC East at 8-4, Tampa Bay Buccaneers lead NFC South at 6-5.
Which 14 teams are poised to secure spots in the 2025 NFL regular season playoffs, encompassing the eight division champions and six wild card entries? How would the playoff seeding be arranged for the pursuit of Super Bowl 60?
AllSportsPeople' most recent assessment of the developing postseason picture across both conferences is set to coincide with a complete schedule of games in Week 13.
POWER RANKINGS: Rams take over at top as Eagles, Bills, Steelers drop for Week 13
The NFL playoff picture as Week 13 approaches
David Butler II-Imagn Images
AFC
1. New England Patriots 10-2 (first place, AFC East)
The Patriots, enjoying a bye during Week 14, possess one more victory than the Broncos and hold a half-game advantage for the premier playoff spot. They are also ahead of the Bills by 2.5 games in their pursuit of the division championship before welcoming the Giants on Monday evening.
2. Denver Broncos 9-2 (first place, AFC West)
The Broncos trail the Patriots by one victory and are a complete game in front of the Colts, whom they lost to in Week 2. They maintain a two-game advantage over the Chargers in second place and a three-game lead over the Chargers, who are in third. Denver is scheduled to visit Washington on Sunday evening.
3. Indianapolis Colts 8-3 (first place, AFC South)
The Colts must gain significant traction in the pursuit of their top playoff seed, but their immediate concern is securing the division title, as the Jaguars trail by just one game, with matchups scheduled for Weeks 14 and 17.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers 6-5 (first place, AFC North)
The Steelers reclaimed the top spot in the division, now leading the Ravens by half a game before their home matchup against the Bills, following the Ravens' defeat to the Bengals on Thursday evening. Pittsburgh and Baltimore still have two encounters scheduled, occurring in Weeks 14 and 18.
5. Los Angeles Chargers 7-4 (second place, AFC West)
Following their Week 12 bye, the Chargers are positioned as the top wild-card team, trailing the Broncos by two games. This standing, achieved before their matchup with The Raiders, is due to their superior conference record of 6-2, which is better than that of both the Jaguars (4-2) and the Bills (4-3).
6. Jacksonville Jaguars 7-4 (second place, AFC South)
With Their Week 12 victory over the Cardinals, the Jaguars are making a push to overtake the Colts in the South, and their chances for at least a wild-card spot appear stronger heading into Sunday's matchup against the Titans.
7. Buffalo Bills 7-4 (second place, AFC East)
Following their defeat against the Texans to commence Week 12, the Bills find themselves in this position, making a victory in Pittsburgh on Sunday crucial for their divisional and wild-card aspirations, especially since the Steelers are trailing them by a single game.
Who's in the hunt?
8. Houston Texans (6-5)
9. Kansas City Chiefs (6-6)
10. Baltimore Ravens (6-6)
11. Miami Dolphins (4-7)
12. Cincinnati Bengals (4-8)
The Texans aim to improve their playoff chances by defeating the Colts. The Chiefs and Ravens experienced significant setbacks due to their losses as favorites on Thanksgiving, presenting an opportunity for the leading teams to extend their advantage.
Who's left?
13. Cleveland Browns (3-8)
14. Las Vegas Raiders (2-9)
15. New York Jets (2-9)
16. Tennessee Titans (1-10)
Following the Bengals' victory, the Browns now stand alone in last place. The Raiders, Jets, and Titans remain in contention solely by mathematical possibility.
NFL DRAFT ORDER: Titans, Giants lead race for the No. 1 pick in 2026
NFC
1. Los Angeles Rams 9-2 (first place, NFC West)
The Rams are ahead of the Bears by a half-game and the Eagles by 1.5 games for the premier spot. They are a game ahead of the Seahawks for the division's top position. Should the Rams be defeated by The Panthers, they would fall to the second spot due to the Bears possessing a better conference record (6-2 compared to 4-3). They have already forfeited the head-to-head tiebreaker to the Eagles but secured it against the Seahawks.
2. Chicago Bears 9-3 (first place, NFC North)
Having defeated the Eagles in Philadelphia, the Bears have now surpassed them in the standings, holding a one-game lead and the tiebreaker over that squad. They continue to hold a half-game advantage over the Packers, who are in second place, and have extended their lead over the Lions, currently in third place, to two full games.
3. Philadelphia Eagles 8-4 (first place, NFC East)
Following their Week 13 Friday defeat, the Eagles fell behind both the Bears and the Rams. Additionally, their advantage in the division standings over the victorious Cowboys was reduced to 1.5 games. Currently, the Cowboys possess the tiebreaker advantage based on division record (3-1 compared to 2-2) against the Eagles.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6-5 (first place, NFC South)
The Buccaneers hold a half-game lead and a tiebreaker advantage in division games over the Panthers. They aim to defeat the Cardinals at their home stadium this Sunday, establishing a buffer as the Panthers are scheduled to host the Rams.
5. Seattle Seahawks 8-3 (second place, NFC West)
The Seahawks appear to be in a good position to secure a wild card spot, trailing the Rams by just one game and holding a half-game lead over the 49ers. Facing the Vikings at home this Sunday presents another advantageous contest.
6. Green Bay Packers 8-3-1 (second place, NFC North)
Green Bay secured a significant victory in Detroit on Thanksgiving, completing a season sweep of the Lions and increasing the pressure on the Bears. Regardless of whether it's the division or wild-card competition, Green Bay improved its playoff standing during a crucial week.
7. San Francisco 49ers 8-4 (third place, NFC West)
The 49ers appear to be regaining momentum, positioning themselves to secure a wild card spot, trailing the Rams. They aim to prevent a surprise defeat against the AFC's Browns this Sunday.
Who's in the hunt?
8. Detroit Lions 7-5
9. Dallas Cowboys 6-5-1
10. Carolina Panthers 6-6
11. Atlanta Falcons 4-7
12. Minnesota Vikings 4-7
13. Arizona Cardinals 3-8
14. Washington Commanders 3-8
The Lions' prospects for winning their division and securing a wild-card spot suffered another setback against the Packers. The Cowboys' consecutive home victories over the Eagles and Chiefs have revitalized their postseason aspirations, making the division a more viable route than a wild card. The Panthers continue to aim for a comeback to claim the NFC South title.
Who's left?
15. New Orleans Saints 2-9
16. New York Giants 2-10
The Giants are trailing the Saints in the race to the bottom and could soon overtake the Titans for the top selection in the 2026 draft.