Sports
NFL playoff picture: Projected playoff teams, standings for Week 13
NFL Week 13 picks: Colts, Broncos, and Seahawks
Lorenzo Reyes is back with his best bets for NFL Week 13 games, including Thursday’s Thanksgiving slate.
Lorenzo’s Locks
Let the playoff push commence.
The 2024 NFL season is two-thirds of the way through, and only six weeks remain before the postseason. None of the 32 teams have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention yet, and all 14 playoff spots are still up for grabs.
That said, the true playoff and Super Bowl contenders have emerged over the first 12 weeks of the season. Three teams – the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs – are among them, and all three of them can clinch a playoff berth as soon as this week.
Week 13 begins with a Thanksgiving triple-header on Thursday, continues with a game on Friday, then closes out with a Sunday afternoon slate before “Sunday Night Football” and “Monday Night Football.”
Here’s what to know about the current NFL playoff picture before the start of Week 13:
Current AFC playoff picture
According to NFL.com, this is the current AFC playoff picture.
In the playoffs:
- Kansas City Chiefs (10-1)
- Buffalo Bills (9-2)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3)
- Houston Texans (7-5)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (7-4)
- Denver Broncos (7-5)
In the hunt:
- Miami Dolphins (5-6)
- Indianapolis Colts (5-7)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-7)
- Cleveland Browns (3-8)
- New York Jets (3-8)
- Tennessee Titans (3-8)
- New England Patriots (3-9)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-9)
Eliminated:
No AFC teams have been eliminated yet.
Current NFC playoff picture
According to NFL.com, this is the current NFC playoff picture.
In the playoffs:
- Detroit Lions (10-1)
- Philadelphia Eagles (9-2)
- Seattle Seahawks (6-5)
- Atlanta Falcons (6-5)
- Minnesota Vikings (9-2)
- Green Bay Packers (8-3)
- Washington Commanders (7-5)
In the hunt:
- Arizona Cardinals (6-5)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6)
- Los Angeles Rams (5-6)
- San Francisco 49ers (5-6)
- New Orleans Saints (4-7)
- Chicago Bears (4-7)
- Dallas Cowboys (4-7)
- Carolina Panthers (3-8)
- New York Giants (2-9)
Eliminated:
No NFC teams have been eliminated yet.
Complete NFL standings
AFC East
- Buffalo Bills (9-2)
- Miami Dolphins (5-6)
- New York Jets (3-8)
- New England Patriots (3-9)
AFC North
- Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-4)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-7)
- Cleveland Browns (3-8)
AFC South
- Houston Texans (7-5)
- Indianapolis Colts (5-7)
- Tennessee Titans (3-8)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9)
AFC West
- Kansas City Chiefs (10-1)
- Los Angeles Chargers (7-4)
- Denver Broncos (7-5)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-9)
NFC East
- Philadelphia Eagles (9-2)
- Washington Commanders (7-5)
- Dallas Cowboys (4-7)
- New York Giants (2-9)
NFC North
- Detroit Lions (10-1)
- Minnesota Vikings (9-2)
- Green Bay Packers (8-3)
- Chicago Bears (4-7)
NFC South
- Atlanta Falcons (6-5)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6)
- New Orleans Saints (4-7)
- Carolina Panthers (3-8)
NFC West
- Seattle Seahawks (6-5)
- Arizona Cardinals (6-5)
- Los Angeles Rams (5-6)
- San Francisco 49ers (5-6)
Seattle currently holds the tiebreaker over Arizona after its Week 12 head-to-head win. The same goes for Los Angeles, which defeated San Francisco in Week 3.
NFL playoff bracket entering Week 13
If the season ended after Week 12, here’s how the NFL playoff bracket would look:
AFC
No. 1 seed + bye: Kansas City Chiefs
- No. 2 seed Buffalo Bills vs. No. 7 seed Denver Broncos
- No. 3 seed Pittsburgh Steelers vs. No. 6 seed Los Angeles Chargers
- No. 4 seed Houston Texans vs. No. 5 seed Baltimore Ravens
First team out: Miami Dolphins
NFC
No. 1 seed + bye: Detroit Lions
- No. 2 seed Philadelphia Eagles vs. No. 7 seed Washington Commanders
- No. 3 seed Seattle Seahawks vs. No. 6 seed Green Bay Packers
- No. 4 seed Atlanta Falcons vs. No. 5 seed Minnesota Vikings
First team out: Arizona Cardinals