Aaron Rodgers

NFL playoff picture: Seeds, standings and division titles on the line in Week 16

Published Dec. 24, 2016 10:45 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

Sports Illustrated

The NFL’s Week 16 is headlined by the renewal of several fierce rivalries loaded with playoff implications in both conferences, but Christmas Day will be owned by the AFC. The Steelers and Ravens will stage a de facto AFC North title game on Sunday in Pittsburgh; that night, the Chiefs may be playing to keep the AFC West crown out of the Raiders’ grasp for one more week if Oakland wins on Saturday. The Eagles did their part to cause some chaos in the NFC with their Thursday night win over the Giants, keeping Big Blue from clinching a spot in the field, and there is sure to be plenty of shuffling ahead.

If the playoffs started today, which teams would be in, and which teams would be on the bubble? Here’s an updated look at how the playoff seeds shake out, plus a breakdown of the teams on the outside looking in as of Week 16’s action. Teams with an asterisk (*) have clinched a playoff berth.

AFC

In the hunt

NFC

In the hunt

The Colts, Bills, Saints, Panthers and Vikings all need to win their final two games and get a series of fortunate outcomes in games across the league to sneak into the playoff field. With a win over the bumbling Jets, the Patriots can clinch the AFC’s top seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs; the Cowboys already locked those honors up in the NFC when the Giants lost in Philadelphia on Thursday night.

The Falcons can secure an NFC South title that was in doubt for longer than many may have expected at midseason if they beat the Panthers on the road and the Bucs fall in New Orleans. The Packers look primed to fulfill Aaron Rodgers’s vow to run the table, but they have to get past their division rivals in Minnesota (at home) and Detroit (on the road) to do it.

share

Get more from Aaron Rodgers Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Aaron Rodgers

Baltimore Ravens

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Carolina Panthers

New Orleans Saints

Houston Texans

Minnesota Vikings

Atlanta Falcons

Green Bay Packers

Buffalo Bills

Pittsburgh Steelers

Indianapolis Colts

Detroit Lions

New York Jets

Denver Broncos

Arizona Cardinals

New England Patriots

Tennessee Titans

Kansas City Chiefs

New York Giants

Las Vegas Raiders

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Cincinnati Bengals

Miami Dolphins

National Football League