The biggest game in the NFL playoff race this week will be on Sunday Night Football, with the Eagles at the Cowboys in a matchup that will go a long way toward determining the NFC East, and the No. 1 seed in the conference.
The AFC playoff race also has some big games on Sunday, including the Jaguars at the Browns and the Bills at the Chiefs.
Here’s how the NFC and AFC playoff pictures look heading into Thursday night of Week 14:
NFC Playoff Picture
DIVISION LEADERS
1. Eagles (10-2): Still atop the conference despite their loss to the 49ers.
2. 49ers (9-3): Can clinch a playoff berth on Sunday with a win and some help.
3. Lions (9-3): Running away with the NFC North.
4. Falcons (6-6): A one-game lead in the NFC South.
WILD CARDS
5. Cowboys (9-3): The clear leaders in the wild card race, but their sights are set on catching the Eagles in the NFC East.
6. Vikings (6-6): Win head-to-head tiebreaker over Packers, and conference tiebreaker over Rams based on NFC record.
7. Packers (6-6): Beat the Rams head-to-head.
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
8. Rams (6-6): Own the tiebreaker over the Seahawks based on head-to-head.
9. Seahawks (6-6): Thursday’s loss to the Cowboys was a big one in the wild card race.
10. Buccaneers (5-7): Own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Saints.
11. Saints (5-7): Sunday’s loss to the Lions was costly.
12. Giants (4-8): Going nowhere after last year’s promising first season under Brian Daboll.
13. Bears (4-8): Starting to play well but too little, too late.
14. Commanders (4-9): Looking at an offseason rebuild.
15. Cardinals (3-10): Looking at the 2024 NFL draft.
16. Panthers (1-11): May give the Bears the first overall pick.
AFC Playoff Picture
DIVISION LEADERS
1. Dolphins (9-3): Own the AFC record tiebreaker over the Ravens.
2. Ravens (9-3): Commanding lead in the AFC North.
3. Chiefs (8-4): Win the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Jaguars.
4. Jaguars (8-4): The Texans are in their rear-view mirrors in the AFC South.
WILD CARDS
5. Steelers (7-5): Own tiebreaker over Colts based on common games and tiebreaker over Browns based on division games.
6. Browns (7-5): Own head-to-head tiebreaker over Colts.
7. Colts (7-5): Indianapolis has the head-to-head tiebreaker over Houston.
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
8. Texans (7-5): Got the win they needed over the Broncos.
9. Broncos (6-6): Own the conference record tiebreaker over Bengals and head-to-head tiebreaker over the Bills.
10. Bengals (6-6): Own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Bills.
11. Bills (6-6): They’re one of the seven best teams in the conference, but that doesn’t mean they’ll make the playoffs.
12. Chargers (5-7): Have the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Raiders.
13. Raiders (5-7): Antonio Pierce will try to have them playing hard down the stretch.
14. Jets (4-8): Failing to sign a decent backup for Aaron Rodgers doomed their season.
15. Titans (4-8): May be too little, too late for a late-season rally to get them into the playoffs.
16. Patriots (2-10): The worst team in the conference.
Week 14 Clinching Scenarios
Via Joe Ferreira, Eagles clinch playoff berth with:
– PHI win + LAR loss/tie
– PHI win + SEA loss/tie
– PHI win + GB loss/tie + DET loss
– PHI win + GB loss/tie + MIN loss/tie
– PHI tie + LAR loss + SEA loss
– PHI tie + LAR loss + GB loss/tie
– PHI tie + LAR loss + MIN loss/tie
– PHI tie + SEA loss + GB loss/tie
– PHI tie + SEA loss + MIN loss/tie
– PHI tie + GB loss + MIN loss
49ers clinch playoff berth with:
– SF win + GB loss
– SF win + MIN loss
– SF win + GB tie + MIN tie
Cowboys clinch playoff berth with:
– DAL win + DET win/tie + SEA loss + TB loss + NO loss/tie + GB loss + MIN loss/tie
– DAL win + DET win/tie + SEA loss + TB loss + NO loss/tie + GB tie + MIN loss
– DAL win + DET win/tie + SEA loss + TB loss + LAR loss/tie + GB loss + MIN loss/tie
– DAL win + DET win/tie + SEA loss + TB loss + LAR loss/tie + GB tie + MIN loss
– DAL win + DET win/tie + SEA loss + TB tie + GB loss + MIN loss/tie
– DAL win + DET win/tie + SEA loss + TB tie + GB tie + MIN loss
