NFL playoff standings: Week 16 playoff picture updates, clinching scenarios, and eliminations - Updated through Sunday

25/12/2023

NFL playoff standings: Week 16 playoff picture updates, clinching scenarios, and eliminations – Updated through Sunday

Week 16 of the 2023 NFL season is underway, leaving just two-and-a-half weeks left in the regular season to sort out all of the playoff possibilities. Sunday and Monday will both be busy days when it comes to updated playoff standings, clinching scenarios, and teams being eliminated from the postseason.

As we have each week, we will be updating the standings to keep up with everything that is happening. However, this week, we will not update it live after each game. I will be at the Dallas Cowboys vs. Miami Dolphins game and will be available to update on the Sunday night game. We will get this updated as soon as possible.

Here are the current playoff standings as of the games/time noted:

Last update: 9:21 am ET Monday

AFC East standings (through Week 16 Saturday games):

Miami Dolphins (11-4)

Buffalo Bills (9-6) – 2 GB

New York Jets (6-9) – Eliminated

New England Patriots (4-11) – Eliminated

Week 16 schedule:

Bills 24 – 22 Chargers

Commanders 28 – 30 Jets

Cowboys 20 – 22 Dolphins

Patriots 26 – 23 Broncos

AFC playoff picture (through Week 16 Sunday games):

1 – Baltimore Ravens (11-3, AFC North leader)x*

2 – Miami Dolphins (11-4, AFC East leader)x

3 – Kansas City Chiefs (9-5, AFC West leader)*

4 – Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7, AFC South leader)

5 – Cleveland Browns (10-5, Wild Card 1 position)

6 – Buffalo Bills (9-6, Wild Card 2 position)

7 – Indianapolis Colts (8-7, Wild Card 3 position)

Houston Texans (8-7)

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7)

Cincinnati Bengals (8-7)

Denver Broncos (7-8)

Las Vegas Raiders (6-8)*

Eliminated:

New York Jets (6-9)

Tennessee Titans (5-10)

Los Angeles Chargers (5-10)

New England Patriots (4-11)

x Playoff berth clinched

*Monday game

Tiebreaks:

Jaguars over Colts and Texans based on head-to-head results
Colts over Texans based on head-to-head results (divisional tiebreak); Steelers over Bengals based on head-to-head results (division tiebreak); Colts over Steelers based on head-to-head results
Steelers over Bengals based on head-to-head results (divisional tiebreak); Texans over Steelers based on head-to-head results
Steelers over Bengals based on head-to-head results
Titans over Chargers based on head-to-head results

AFC Clinching Scenarios Week 16:

Chiefs clinch AFC West title and playoff berth with:

Chiefs win OR
Chiefs tie and Broncos loss

Dolphins clinch playoff berth with: (Clinched)

Dolphins win

AFC Elimination Scenarios Week 16

Raiders eliminated from playoffs with:

Raiders loss

Chargers eliminated from playoffs with: (Eliminated)

Chargers loss/tie OR

Broncos eliminated from AFC West title with:

Broncos loss and Chiefs tie OR
Chiefs win

NFC Playoff Picture (through Week 16 Sunday games)

1 – San Francisco 49ers (11-3, NFC West leader)y*

2 – Detroit Lions (10-4, NFC North leader)y

3 – Philadelphia Eagles (10-4, NFC East leader)x*

4 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7, NFC South leader)

5 – Dallas Cowboys (10-5, Wild Card 1 position)x

6 – Los Angeles Rams (8-7, Wild Card 2 position)

7 – Seattle Seahawks (7-7, Wild Card 3 position)

Minnesota Vikings (7-8)

Atlanta Falcons (7-8)

Green Bay Packers (7-8)

New Orleans Saints (7-8)

Chicago Bears (6-9)

New York Giants (5-9)*

Eliminated:

Washington Commanders (4-11)

Arizona Cardinals (3-12)

Carolina Panthers (2-13)

x Playoff berth clinched

y Division title clinched

*Monday game

Tiebreaks:

Rams over Seahawks based on head-to-head results
Vikings over Packers based on head-to-head results (divisional tiebreak); Falcons over Saints based on head-to-head results (divisional tiebreak); Vikings over Falcons based on head-to-head results
Falcons over Saints based on head-to-head results (divisional tiebreak); Falcons over Packers based on head-to-head results
Packers over Saints based on head-to-head results

NFC Clinching Scenarios Week 16

Lions clinch NFC North title with: (Clinched)

Lions win/tie

NFC Elimination Scenarios Week 16

Giants eliminated from playoffs with:

Giants loss OR
Giants tie and Seahawks win OR
Giants tie and Packers win OR

Vikings eliminated from NFC North title with: (Eliminated from NFC North title)

Vikings loss/tie