2022 NFL playoff picture: Week 17 AFC and NFC live updates, standings, clinching scenarios (Updated through Sunday night)
The NFL’s Week 17 schedule is already underway, with playoff implications in seemingly every result. With just one week remaining after this weekend, how the AFC and NFC playoff picture will play out will have plenty of drama throughout the Week 17 slate of games. Teams are clinching division titles and wild card berths, while other clubs are being eliminated as games go final.
As we have the last couple of weeks, throughout Week 17, we will keep track of the current playoff picture with each game’s results. We will keep track of who can clinch what spot in the postseason, which teams have seen their 2022 hopes dashed, and who will stay alive into Week 18.
As Week 17 started, the AFC playoff picture had the Buffalo Bills already clinching the AFC East division title as they continue to pace the field with a 12-3 record. The Kansas City Chiefs, the AFC West champions this year, are staying right with them with an identical 12-3 record. The Cincinnati Bengals entered the week third in the standings with a 11-4 record as the AFC North leaders, while the Jacksonville Jaguars were the fourth-seed as the AFC South leaders at 7-8 on the year. The three wild card teams were the Baltimore Ravens (10-5), the Los Angeles Chargers (9-6), and the Miami Dolphins (8-7). On the outside looking in, the New England Patriots and New York Jets held the top two spots, both at 7-8 for the season.
The NFC playoff picture continues to be headlined by the Philadephia Eagles, who lead the NFC East with a 13-2 record. The Minnesota Vikings, having clinched the NFC North title this season, are a game back at 12-3, while the San Francisco 49ers, the NFC West champions, started the week 11-4. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, leading the NFC South at 7-8, were in the fourth spot. The Dallas Cowboys (11-4) were the top wild card team to start Week 17, followed by the New York Giants (8-6-1) and the Washington Commanders (7-7-1). The Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions, both 7-8, held the first two positions on the wrong side of the playoff cut line.
How will everything look at the end of the week? Our live standings below will keep you up to date.
Week 17 Schedule
Finals
Dallas Cowboys 27 – 13 Tennessee Titans
Arizona Cardinals 19 – 20 Atlanta Falcons
Chicago Bears 10 – 41 Detroit Lions
Jacksonville Jaguars 31 – 3 Houston Texans
Denver Broncos 24 – 27 Kansas City Chiefs
Miami Dolphins 21 – 23 New England Patriots
Indianapolis Colts 10 – 38 New York Giants
New Orleans Saints 20 – 10 Philadelphia Eagles
Carolina Panthers 24 – 30 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cleveland Browns 24 – 10 Washington Commanders
San Francisco 49ers 37 – 34 Las Vegas Raiders (OT)
New York Jets 6 – 23 Seattle Seahawks
Minnesota Vikings 17 – 41 Green Bay Packers
Los Angeles Rams 10 – 31 Los Angeles Chargers
Pittsburgh Steelers 16 – 13 Baltimore Ravens
Schedule
Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals, Monday, 8:30 p.m. ET
AFC Playoff Picture (through Week 17 Sunday night)
Week 17 Clinching Scenarios:
Buffalo Bills – Cannot clinch top seed
Clinch AFC top seed (homefield advantage and bye) with:
- Bills win and
Chiefs loss
Cincinnati Bengals
Clinch AFC North division title with:
- Bengals win and Ravens loss/tie OR
- Bengals tie and Ravens loss
Miami Dolphins – Cannot clinch
Clinch playoff berth with:
-
Dolphins winand Jets loss/tie OR -
Dolphins tieand Jets loss andSteelers loss/tie
Live Standings:
1 – Kansas City Chiefs (13-3, AFC West champion)+
2 – Buffalo Bills (12-3, AFC East champion)+*
3 – Cincinnati Bengals (11-4, AFC North leader)^*
4 – Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8, AFC South leader)
5 – Los Angeles Chargers (10-6, Wild Card 1)^
6 – Baltimore Ravens (10-6, Wild Card 2)^
7 – New England Patriots (8-8, Wild Card 3)
In the hunt
Miami Dolphins (8-8)
Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8)
Tennessee Titans (7-9)
Eliminated
New York Jets (7-9)
Cleveland Browns (7-9)
Las Vegas Raiders (6-10)
Indianapolis Colts (4-11-1)
Denver Broncos (4-12)
Houston Texans (2-13-1)
Note: The Jets are ahead of the Titans in the standings based on tiebreaks, but the Titans have not been eliminated because they can still win their division.
*Still to play
^Clinched playoff berth
+Clinched division title
Week 17 Elimination Scenarios:
Las Vegas Raiders – Eliminated
Eliminated with:
- Raiders loss/tie OR
-
Dolphins win/tieOR Jets win/tie
New York Jets – Eliminated
Eliminated with:
- Jets loss OR
-
Jets tiesandDolphins win
New England Patriots – Cannot be eliminated
Eliminated with:
-
Patriots lossOR -
Patriots tieandJets win/loss
Pittsburgh Steelers – Cannot be eliminated
Eliminated with:
-
Steelers lossOR -
Steelers tieandJets win/tieOR -
Steelers tieandDolphins tieOR -
Dolphins winOR -
Dolphins tieandJets win
NFC Playoff Picture (through Week 17)
Week 17 Clinching Scenarios:
New York Giants – Clinch playoff berth
Clinch playoff berth with:
- Giants win OR
-
Giants tieandSeahawks loss/tieand Commanders loss/tie OR -
Giants tieandSeahawks loss/tieandLions loss/tieOR -
Giants tieand Commanders loss/tie andLions loss/tieandPackers loss/tieOR -
Seahawks lossand Commanders loss OR -
Seahawks lossandLions lossandPackers loss/tieOR -
Commanders loss and
Lions lossandPackers loss
Philadelphia Eagles– Cannot clinch division nor NFC top seed
Clinch NFC East division title with:
-
Eagles win/tieOR Cowboys loss/tie
Clinch NFC top seed (homefield advantage and bye) with:
-
Eagles winOR -
Eagles tieand Vikings loss/tie OR -
Cowboys loss/tieand Vikings loss and49ers loss/tie
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Clinched division title
Clinch NFC South division title with:
Washington Commanders – Cannot clinch
Clinch playoff berth with:
-
Commanders winandSeahawks lossandLions lossandPackers loss/tie
Live Standings:
1 – Philadelphia Eagles (13-3, NFC East leader)^
2 – San Francisco 49ers (12-4, NFC West champion)+
3 – Minnesota Vikings (12-4, NFC North champion)+
4 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8, NFC South champion)+
5 – Dallas Cowboys (12-4, Wild Card 1)^
6 – New York Giants (9-6-1, Wild Card 2)^
7 – Seattle Seahawks (8-8, Wild Card 3)
In the hunt
Detroit Lions (8-8)
Green Bay Packers (8-8)
Eliminated
Washington Commanders (7-8-1)
New Orleans Saints (7-9)
Carolina Panthers (6-10)
Atlanta Falcons (6-10)
Los Angeles Rams (5-11)
Arizona Cardinals (4-12)
Chicago Bears (3-13)
*Still to play
^Clinched playoff berth
+Clinched division title
Week 17 Elimination Scenarios:
Carolina Panthers – Eliminated
Eliminated with:
Detroit Lions – Cannot be eliminated
Eliminated with:
-
Lions lossandCommanders win
Green Bay Packers – Cannot be eliminated
Eliminated with:
-
Packers lossand Lions win OR -
Packers lossandCommanders winOR -
Packers lossandSeahawks lossandSaints loss/tieandCommanders tieOR -
Packers tieandSeahawks lossandCommanders win
New Orleans Saints – Eliminated
Eliminated with:
-
Saints lossOR -
Saints tieand Buccaneers win andCommanders tieOR -
Saints tieand Buccaneers win/tie and Lions win/tie OR -
Saints tieand Buccaneers win/tie and Packers win/tie OR -
Saints tieand Buccaneers win/tie and Seahawks win OR -
Saints tieandBuccaneers tieandCommanders win/tieOR -
Buccaneers win and
Commanders winOR - Buccaneers win and Lions win and Packers win/tie OR
-
Buccaneers win and
Lions tieand Packers win
Seattle Seahawks – Cannot be eliminated
Eliminated with:
-
Seahawks lossandCommanders winOR -
Seahawks lossand Lions win and Packers win/tie OR -
Seahawks lossandLions tieand Packers win OR -
Seahawks tieand Giants win/tie and Packers win/tie andCommanders winand Lions win OR -
Seahawks tieand Giants win/tie and Packers win andCommanders winandLions tie
Washington Commanders – Eliminated
Eliminated with:
-
Commanders loss and Packers win and Lions win
(Note: We initially listed the Commanders as not being able to be eliminated. That was incorrect and they are eliminated.)