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NFL Playoff Picture 2023: Updated AFC and NFC Standings, Clinching Scenarios for Week 17

ProFootball Talk on NBC Sports
·3 min read
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The No. 1 seeds in both the NFC and the AFC have been clinched. Nine teams have clinched playoff berths and five playoff spots remain up for grabs. Here's how the NFL playoff picture looks after the Sunday afternoon games of Week 17:

NFC Playoff Picture

DIVISION LEADERS
1. 49ers (12-4): Clinched the NFC No. 1 seed.

2. Cowboys (11-5): Clinched a playoff berth, own the tiebreakers over both the Lions and Eagles.

3. Lions (11-5): Clinched the NFC North.

4. Buccaneers (8-8): Despite losing to the Saints, the NFC South is the Bucs' for the taking.

WILD CARDS
5. Eagles (11-5): Clinched a playoff berth.

6. Rams (9-7): Clinched a playoff berth.

7. Seahawks (8-8): Loss to Steelers hurts, but a wild card berth is still in play.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
8. Saints (8-8): Clinging to their playoff hopes.

9. Vikings (7-8): Important Sunday night game against the Packers.

10. Packers (7-8): Important Sunday night game against the Vikings.

11. Bears (7-9): Playing well down the stretch, with five wins in their last seven games.

12. Falcons (7-9): Still clinging to playoff hopes.

13. Giants (5-11): Mathematically eliminated.

14. Commanders (4-12): Mathematically eliminated.

15. Cardinals (4-12): Mathematically eliminated.

16. Panthers (2-14): Mathematically eliminated, clinched the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, which the Panthers traded to the Bears.

AFC Playoff Picture

DIVISION LEADERS
1. Ravens (13-3): Clinched the AFC No. 1 seed.

2. Dolphins (11-5): Clinched a playoff berth, will win the AFC East if they beat the Bills next week.

3. Chiefs (10-6): Clinched the AFC West, locked into the AFC No. 3 seed.

4. Jaguars (9-7): Own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Colts and Texans in the AFC South.

WILD CARDS
5. Browns (11-5): Locked into the AFC No. 5 seed.

6. Bills (10-6): Will win the AFC East if they beat the Dolphins next week.

7. Colts (9-7): Big showdown coming with the Texans.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
8. Texans (9-7): Big showdown coming with the Colts.

9. Steelers (9-7): May benefit from playing a Ravens team that's resting its starters in Week 18.

10. Broncos (8-8): Mathematically eliminated.

11. Bengals (8-8): Mathematically eliminated.

12. Raiders (7-9): Mathematically eliminated.

13. Jets (6-10): Mathematically eliminated.

14. Chargers (5-10): Mathematically eliminated.

15. Titans (5-11): Mathematically eliminated.

16. Patriots (4-12): Mathematically eliminated.

Week 17 Clinching Scenarios

Here are the official clinching scenarios distributed by the NFL:

AFC

CLINCHED: Baltimore Ravens (13-3) – AFC No. 1 seed, Kansas City Chiefs (10-6) - AFC West, Miami Dolphins (11-5) – playoff berth, Cleveland Browns (11-5) – AFC No. 5 seed.

NFC

CLINCHED: San Francisco 49ers (12-4) – NFC No. 1 seed, Detroit Lions (11-5) – NFC North division title, Dallas Cowboys (11-5) – playoff berth, Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) -- playoff berth, Los Angeles Rams (9-7) - playoff berth.