NFL Playoff Picture: Postseason seeds, projected draft order
NFL Playoff Picture is a weekly look at the teams jockeying to secure their shot to make it to Super Bowl LX.
AFC
| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Broncos | West | 11-2 |
| 2 | Patriots | East | 11-2 |
| 3 | Jaguars | South | 9-4 |
| 4 | Steelers | North | 7-6 |
| 5 | Bills | East | 9-4 |
| 6 | Chargers | West | 8-4 |
| 7 | Texans | South | 8-5 |
The Denver Broncos moved back into first place in the AFC thanks to a win over the Las Vegas Raiders and their tiebreaker over the New England Patriots, who are on a bye week. The Pittsburgh Steelers reclaimed control of the AFC North with road victory over the Baltimore Ravens.
After starting 3-5, the Houston Texans have reeled off five straight wins, putting themselves in a wild-card spot.
In the hunt
| Rank | Team | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Colts | South | 8-5 |
| 9 | Ravens | North | 6-7 |
| 10 | Chiefs | West | 6-7 |
| 11 | Dolphins | East | 6-7 |
The Indianapolis Colts have lost three in a row, knocking them out of a playoff spot. It'll be a tough path back in considering the reported loss of Daniel Jones to a torn Achilles. The Kansas City Chiefs are still marginally alive in the wild-card picture but for the first time since 2015, they cannot win the AFC West.
NFC
| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rams | West | 10-3 |
| 2 | Packers | North | 9-3-1 |
| 3 | Eagles | East | 8-4 |
| 4 | Buccaneers | South | 7-6 |
| 5 | Seahawks | West | 10-3 |
| 6 | 49ers | West | 9-4 |
| 7 | Bears | North | 9-4 |
What a difference a week can make. The Chicago Bears entered Sunday atop the NFC but by the time the dust had settled, they were the seventh seed after dropping a crucial matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Green Bay jumps up to the second seed in the conference with the win.
The Bears' loss also helped the Los Angeles Rams take over the the top spot in the NFC, which would give them a first-round bye if the playoffs started today.
In the hunt
| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Lions | North | 8-5 |
| 9 | Panthers | South | 7-6 |
| 10 | Cowboys | East | 6-6-1 |
The Detroit Lions keep knocking on the door of the postseason, defeating the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday. The Carolina Panthers enjoyed a bye and return next week against the New Orleans Saints.
Projected NFL draft order
| Pick | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Giants |
| 2 | Raiders |
| 3 | Titans |
| 4 | Browns |
| 5 | Saints |
| 6 | Commanders |
| 7 | Jets |
| 8 | Cardinals |
| 9 | Rams (via Falcons) |
| 10 | Bengals |
The Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints were both victorious Sunday, which means they no longer own the Nos. 1 and 2 overall picks in next year's draft. The New York Giants are now projected to pick first and the Las Vegas Raiders would be the next team on the clock.