Here’s how the NFL playoff picture looks with Week 11 of the 2023 season underway:
AFC playoff picture
1. Kansas City Chiefs (7-2), AFC West leaders: Coming out of their bye week awaits a Super Bowl 57 rematch with Philadelphia. Get that win, and K.C. looks well positioned to lay the groundwork for a sixth consecutive AFC title game at Arrowhead Stadium. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, at Raiders, at Packers, vs. Bills, at Patriots, vs. Raiders, vs. Bengals, at Chargers
2. Baltimore Ravens (8-3), AFC North leaders: They survived a physical game with Cincinnati on Thursday night to cement their spot atop the division. Two games against LA’s teams seem like the easiest left on the Ravens’ docket … and, not that easy. But a Kansas City loss Monday night to the Eagles will move the Ravens atop the overall conference standings. Remaining schedule: at Chargers, BYE, vs. Rams, at Jaguars, at 49ers, vs. Dolphins, vs. Steelers
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-3), AFC South leaders: They were embarrassed by the Niners on Sunday, but interconference defeats are the least penal at tiebreaker time. But, with three AFC North opponents left, the schedule looks fairly penal. The strength-of-victory tiebreaker keeps them ahead of Miami. Remaining schedule: vs. Titans, at Texans, vs. Bengals, at Browns, vs. Ravens, at Buccaneers, vs. Panthers, at Titans
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4. Miami Dolphins (6-3), AFC East leaders: They might have to wait a while for their next shot to beat a winning team. Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, at Jets, at Commanders, vs. Titans, vs. Jets, vs. Cowboys, at Ravens, vs. Bills
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3), wild card No. 1: Another ugly win Sunday against Green Bay, but they’ll take it – especially ahead of two daunting divisional road games. Remaining schedule: at Browns, at Bengals, vs. Cardinals, vs. Patriots, at Colts, vs. Bengals, at Seahawks, at Ravens
6. Cleveland Browns (6-3), wild card No. 2: The optics say they’re better than the Steelers. A Week 2 loss at Pittsburgh says otherwise, but the Browns can negate that with a win in Week 11 … provided rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson is up to the task of replacing Deshaun Watson, who’s out for the season with a shoulder injury. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Broncos, at Rams, vs. Jaguars, vs. Bears, at Texans, vs. Jets, at Bengals
7. Houston Texans (5-4), wild card No. 3: They knocked the Bengals out of this spot with Sunday’s win at Cincinnati. They retained it courtesy of the Buffalo Bills’ stunning loss Monday night and the Bengals’ subsequent defeat Thursday. Remaining schedule: vs. Cardinals, vs. Jaguars, vs. Broncos, at Jets, at Titans, vs. Browns, vs. Titans, at Colts
NFC
1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-1), NFC East leaders: They own the best record in the league … for now. But a foreboding five-week gauntlet initiates in Week 11 at Arrowhead. Remaining schedule: at Chiefs, vs. Bills, vs. 49ers, at Cowboys, at Seahawks, vs. Giants, vs. Cardinals, at Giants
2. Detroit Lions (7-2), NFC North leaders: They’ve never hosted a playoff game at Ford Field. Very good chance they could have two or three in Detroit this postseason. Remaining schedule: vs. Bears, vs. Packers, at Saints, at Bears, vs. Broncos, at Vikings, at Cowboys, vs. Vikings
3. San Francisco 49ers (6-3), NFC West leaders: Two big games with Seattle ahead but, for now, the Niners’ superior record in divisional games gives them the tiebreaker over the ‘Hawks. Remaining schedule: vs. Buccaneers, at Seahawks, at Eagles, vs. Seahawks, at Cardinals, vs. Ravens, at Commanders, vs. Rams
4. New Orleans Saints (5-5), NFC South leaders: Battered QB Derek Carr can certainly use the week off, though it will also present Tampa Bay an opportunity to retake first place in the division. Remaining schedule: BYE, at Falcons, vs. Lions, vs. Panthers, vs. Giants, at Rams, at Buccaneers, vs. Falcons
5. Seattle Seahawks (6-3), wild card No. 1: They’ve got work to do to wrest divisional control from the Niners. A superior conference record keeps Seattle ahead of Dallas, but that will eventually get trumped by their Week 13 head-to-head result. Remaining schedule: at Rams, vs. 49ers, at Cowboys, at 49ers, vs. Eagles, at Titans, vs. Steelers, at Cardinals
6. Dallas Cowboys (6-3), wild card No. 2: They’ve won three of four and should have an opportunity to catch Philadelphia atop the NFC East in the near term. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, vs. Commanders, vs. Seahawks, vs. Eagles, at Bills, at Dolphins, vs. Lions, at Commanders
7. Minnesota Vikings (6-4), wild card No. 3: Crazy to think they were 1-4 five weeks ago. Now, the Vikes are 1½ games clear of the eighth-place Tampa Bay in the conference standings. Remaining schedule: at Broncos, vs. Bears, BYE, at Raiders, at Bengals, vs. Lions, vs. Packers, at Lions
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