In the NFL, playoff contenders are locked in by Week 10. By that point, any hopes of a team snatching up a wild card spot goes out the window with all ten spots already taken
The “nfl playoff picture 2022” is the current NFL playoff picture. The Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots are currently in first place, while the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Chargers are in last place.
How much of the NFL playoff race is still up in the air? With one game left in Week 14, no club has yet qualified for the playoffs. Of course, when the Cardinals face the Rams on Monday night, anything might change. With a victory, the Cardinals will secure a postseason spot. A defeat, on the other hand, would tighten the NFC West competition and propel the Packers to the top spot in the conference.
The weekend’s greatest winner was a squad that didn’t even compete. Due to defeats by the Steelers, Bills, and Bengals, the Colts have risen from the bottom of the AFC standings to sixth place. Despite a challenging remaining schedule, they are tied for first place in the league with five other six-loss teams. Who were the greatest losers? On Sunday, the Jaguars, Lions, and Jets were all eliminated from playoff contention.
Here’s our weekly look at the NFL playoff picture, using ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) plus a little bit of our own intuition to give you a feel of the short- and long-term stakes, including a few teams’ Week 15 clinching possibilities. We’ll update after the Chiefs’ game on Monday night and again after the Chargers’ game on Thursday night.
AFC | NFC | AFC | NFC | AFC | NFC | AFC | NFC
AFC
99 percent likelihood of making the playoffs according to FPI. FPI’s odds of winning the division are 76 percent.
The Patriots went into their bye believing that no matter what occurred in between, they would emerge as the AFC’s best team. Both the Titans and the Chiefs won on Sunday, tying their win-loss record, but the Patriots now have the tiebreaker due to a better conference record.
The Patriots are now in the midst of a two-week period that may determine the AFC East championship. If the Patriots win in Indianapolis on Saturday and then defeat the Bills at home in Week 16, they might clinch the division.
After that, it’s on to the Colts.
99 percent likelihood of making the playoffs according to FPI. FPI’s odds of winning the division are 98 percent.
The Titans discovered the ideal remedy to their two-game losing run on Sunday. The Jaguars arrived in Nashville and, as expected, rolled over, handing the Titans an easy win. The Titans won their fifth straight game against the Jaguars and their eighth in their last nine meetings.
With a victory against the Steelers and a Colts defeat to the Patriots, Tennessee could claim the AFC South as early as next week. They’ll also be in a good position to pass the Patriots (or Chiefs) for the AFC’s top slot. The Patriots presently lead the conference in record, but the Titans have the tiebreaker over the Chiefs. Remember, the Titans have the easiest strength of schedule in the NFL for the remainder of the season. The Steelers, 49ers, Dolphins, and Texans are their remaining opponents.
The Steelers are up next.
Chances of making the playoffs according to FPI: 96 percent FPI’s odds of winning the division are 61%.
Nothing transpired on Sunday to change the general perception that the Chiefs would end the season atop the AFC West. Sunday’s rout of the Raiders was their sixth in a row, tying them for first place in the AFC East with the Patriots and Titans. Because of the conference record and head-to-head tiebreakers, the Chiefs now rank third in the three-way tiebreaker.
The Chargers host a huge divisional game next. The Chiefs would be eliminated from the playoff chase if they lost. A victory would not secure the AFC West for the Chiefs, but it would eliminate the Chargers’ head-to-head tiebreaker.
The Chargers are up next.
Chances of making the playoffs according to FPI: 72 percent FPI’s odds of winning the division are 51%.
The Ravens have now lost two straight AFC North games, falling from first to fourth in the conference in only two weeks. The Ravens were a sleeper possibility to slip out of the postseason picture altogether by the end of the season even before their loss to the Browns on Sunday. Their remaining schedule, which includes games against the Packers, Bengals, Rams, and Steelers, is among the hardest in the league. And now they’ve added quarterback Lamar Jackson (foot) to their lengthy list of injuries.
The Ravens’ lead in the AFC North has shrunk to one game, and although FPI remains optimistic about their postseason prospects, it doesn’t seem like they’re a playoff team right now.
Then it’s on to the Packers.
Chances of making the playoffs according to FPI: 85% FPI’s odds of winning the division are 35%.
The Chargers have won two straight games, scoring 78 points in the process, and have set themselves up for a huge chance against the Chiefs on Thursday night. In that game, no one will clinch the AFC West, but the winner will end the night with the division lead. The Chargers also have a chance to win the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Chiefs. This may be the game of the year, with quarterbacks Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes on the field and a lot on the line.
The Chiefs are up next.
Chances of making the playoffs according to FPI: 58 percent FPI’s odds of winning the division are 2%.
The Colts advanced to No. 6 courtesy to defeats by the Bengals and Bills during their bye week. The Colts are currently in solid position for one of the AFC’s three wild-card positions, despite the fact that they are three games behind the Titans with four games left due to their head-to-head sweep. However, they’ll have a tough test over the next two weeks, with games against the Patriots and Cardinals, followed by games against the Raiders and Jaguars. It’s possible that a 2-2 tie in those games will suffice.
The Patriots are up next.
Chances of making the playoffs according to FPI: 77 percent FPI’s odds of winning the division are 24 percent.
The Bills have gone from being at the top of the AFC East to clinging to a postseason berth in only a few weeks. The Buccaneers’ defeat on Sunday was their fourth in the last six games. They’re not having the kind of season you’d expect from a club aiming for the postseason, but just one of their defeats has been by more than one score. The Bills have just one game left against a winning team, against the Patriots in two weeks, and FPI still believes they have a strong chance of retaining one of the wild-card places.
The Panthers are up next.
In the search for the AFC championship
Browns of Cleveland (7-6)
The Browns split the season with the Ravens, avoiding a head-to-head tiebreaker with them if the AFC North championship came down to it. Yes, the Browns are in the fight for both the divisional and wild-card spots, with a 38 percent probability of making the playoffs according to FPI. They have another winnable game at home against the Raiders in Week 15.
Bengals of Cincinnati (7-6)
With straight defeats to the Chargers and 49ers, the Bengals’ playoff hopes have been severely harmed. They now have a 29% chance of making the playoffs, and they’ll face another contender (Denver) in Week 15.
Here’s how the playoff bracket currently stands, as well as the possible outcomes. • Playoff picture and potential clinchers « • ESPN’s NFL Playoff Machine is interactive » • Football Power Index » | Standings
Broncos, Denver (7-6)
The Broncos have won four of their last six games and will face the Bengals in Week 15 for a chance to leapfrog another postseason candidate. However, the Broncos have a 27 percent probability of making the top seven, according to the FPI.
Steelers of Pittsburgh (6-6-1)
Following their poor showing in Minnesota on Thursday night, the Steelers have an 11% chance of making the playoffs, according to FPI. The Titans, Chiefs, Browns, and Ravens are all on their schedule for the remainder of the season. It looks that their only option now is to be eliminated from postseason contention.
NFC
99 percent likelihood of making the playoffs according to FPI. FPI’s odds of winning the division are 96 percent.
Monday night will be a crucial turning point. With a victory against the Rams on Monday night, the Cardinals may secure a postseason berth, but not the NFC West crown. With a victory, losses from Minnesota and San Francisco, losses from Minnesota and New Orleans, or a combination of a Packers win and losses from Atlanta and New Orleans, they may secure a position in Week 15.
Because of their head-to-head tiebreaker with the Packers, the Cardinals would lose their top place in the NFC if they lost on Monday. However, FPI still gives them a 91 percent probability of winning the division in such scenario. The Cardinals may capture the NFC West championship as soon as next week if they defeat the Rams on Monday and then win or lose to the Rams in Week 15.
The Rams are up next (Monday night)
99 percent likelihood of making the playoffs according to FPI. FPI’s odds of winning the division are 99 percent.
Since dropping two of three games last month, the Packers have won three in a row, putting them in position to take over first place in the league if the Cardinals falter. The Packers can capture the NFC North as early as Week 15 if they defeat the Ravens and the Vikings lose to the Bears, as it stands today. If the Vikings destroy the Bears in Week 15, the Packers can secure a postseason berth if the Saints and 49ers lose.
The Packers have a few places to improve, most notably their special teams, but they have as good a chance as any club in this imperfect league to make a long playoff run.
The Ravens are up next.
99 percent likelihood of making the playoffs according to FPI. FPI’s odds of winning the division are 99 percent.
Whether they win or lose against the Bills, the Buccaneers knew they wouldn’t be able to clinch anything on Sunday. This, however, will alter in Week 15. With a victory over the Saints at home, they may claim both a playoff spot and the NFC South. In a defeat, they’d also clinch the playoffs if the Vikings and 49ers also lose.
Of course, since Tom Brady joined with the Buccaneers last season, the Saints have won all three regular-season meetings between these two teams. (Last season, the Buccaneers did defeat the Saints in the divisional playoffs.)
The Saints are up next.
99 percent likelihood of making the playoffs according to FPI. FPI’s odds of winning the division are 97 percent.
The Cowboys won a vital NFC East (and NFC tiebreaking) game on the road Sunday, despite making it more intriguing than it needed to be. The Cowboys gained a three-game lead in the division after beating Washington, and they can clinch as early as Week 15, albeit it’s a bit complex. They must first defeat the Giants while the Eagles lose to Washington. According to ESPN Stats and Information analysis, they would then need to win a strength of victory tiebreaker with the Eagles, which would need victories by five of the following six teams: Cardinals, Bengals, Chargers, Dolphins, Vikings, and Patriots.
Whether it occurs in Week 15 or not, the Cowboys’ division victory looks to be a foregone conclusion. With a victory and a Buccaneers loss, Dallas can at the very least secure a postseason berth next week.
The Giants are up next.
Chances of making the playoffs according to FPI: 94 percent FPI’s odds of winning the division are 4%.
The Rams must win Monday night to have any hope of stealing the NFC West from the Cardinals. With four games remaining, a win would leave the Rams one game behind. Even still, FPI gives them just an 8% chance of winning the division, given their remaining schedule, which includes three teams vying for postseason spots: the Vikings, Ravens, and 49ers. The Cardinals, on the other hand, have a 99 percent probability of winning the division if the Rams lose.
Regardless, the Rams have a 94 percent chance of reaching the playoffs and might clinch it in Week 15 if they defeat Arizona first. They’d need a victory after that, as well as defeats from Atlanta, Minnesota, and New Orleans.
The Cardinals are up next (Monday)
Chances of making the playoffs for FPI: FPI probability of winning division: 79 percent
The 49ers’ playoff hopes were boosted significantly by their overtime win in Cincinnati on Sunday. Most significantly, it enabled them to put a game between themselves and the five NFC teams with 6-7 records, and FPI gives them a 79 percent chance of making the playoffs. The 49ers’ chances would have been 53 percent if the Bengals had completed their comeback.
If the 49ers beat the Falcons, they’ll have a chance to beat one of those teams next week, but it won’t be easy. They still have games against the Titans and Rams to play, with a “given” battle against the Texans sandwiched in between.
The Falcons are up next.
It’s completely free to play! Pick NFL wins straight up or against the spread for a chance to win over $14,400 in cash and prizes!
Play Now
FPI’s odds of making the playoffs are 26%. FPI’s odds of winning the division are 2%.
When Washington’s comeback attempt fell short at FedEx Field on Sunday, it squandered a chance to make the NFC East a little more intriguing. But, let’s be honest, it’s not going to happen. Even if it won, FPI would only give it an 18 percent probability of winning the division.
The wild card is the real thing for Washington, and its defeat on Sunday didn’t knock it out of the top seven. FPI now gives Washington a 26% probability of grabbing one of the wild-card berths in an NFC group that contains five 6-7 teams. In the following three weeks, it will face one of its contenders for those slots (the Eagles) twice.
After that, it’s on to the Eagles.
In the chase for the NFC Championship
Vikings (Minnesota) (6-7)
If the Steelers had completed their comeback on Thursday night, the Vikings would have been eliminated from the postseason chase. Things are looking a bit better now. Anything is conceivable since two of their last four games are against the Bears, including next Monday night. FPI now gives them a 31% probability of breaking into the top seven.
Eagles of Philadelphia (6-7)
The Eagles return from their bye in a strong position to make the playoffs, thanks in large part to the fact that they still have two games against Washington to play. Week 15 will provide the first. They have the greatest chance among the NFC’s 6-7 teams, with a 34 percent probability of making the playoffs, according to FPI.
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional football team based in (6-7)
The Falcons deserve credit for remaining in the race with an undermanned squad in coach Arthur Smith’s debut year. However, the following games against the 49ers, Bills, and Saints may prove to be too much of a challenge. They have a 7% probability of making the playoffs, according to FPI.
The New Orleans Saints are a professional football team based in New (6-7)
The Saints have just one game left against a winning team, Week 15 against the Buccaneers, but the Jets are the only club they’ve beaten since the beginning of November. They have a 26% probability of making the playoffs, according to FPI.
Watch This Video-
The “nfl playoffs format” is a question that has been asked for years. The NFL playoff picture 2021 will be updated after the Wild Card games are completed.
Related Tags
- nfl playoffs 2021
- nfl playoff bracket 2021-22
- nfl playoff predictor
- afc standings 2021
- nfl playoff schedule
