Here’s how the NFL playoff picture looks with Week 12 of the 2023 season underway:
AFC playoff picture
1. Miami Dolphins (8-3), AFC East leaders: They continue to feast on average-at-best opponents, suggesting they’ll be 11-3 come Christmas Eve. But Friday’s rout of the New York Jets was consequential … at least temporarily. The Fins jump from the projected fourth seed to first, their 6-2 record in AFC games superior to Baltimore’s 5-3. However if the Ravens, Chiefs and Jaguars all win Sunday, Miami will revert to No. 4 in the conference standings. Remaining schedule: at Commanders, vs. Titans, vs. Jets, vs. Cowboys, at Ravens, vs. Bills
2. Baltimore Ravens (8-3), AFC North leaders: They (mostly) survived a physical game with Cincinnati their last time out to cement their hold on the division − and have now learned they may yet get injured All-Pro TE Mark Andrews back. The Ravens were further rewarded Monday night by Kansas City’s loss, which moved Baltimore atop the conference standings – a spot the team can reclaim by beating the Bolts on the road this Sunday night. Two games against LA’s teams seem like the easiest left on the Ravens’ docket … and, not necessarily all that easy. Remaining schedule: at Chargers, BYE, vs. Rams, at Jaguars, at 49ers, vs. Dolphins, vs. Steelers
3. Kansas City Chiefs (7-3), AFC West leaders: They’re still well positioned to play a sixth consecutive AFC title game at Arrowhead Stadium. Yes, they have some ground to make up, but that should be doable with Buffalo their only remaining opponent that currently has a winning record and barely so. Wins over Jacksonville and Miami earlier this season give K.C. a valuable tiebreaker should those teams wind up deadlocked. Remaining schedule: at Raiders, at Packers, vs. Bills, at Patriots, vs. Raiders, vs. Bengals, at Chargers
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4. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-3), AFC South leaders: They got right last Sunday with a 34-14 victory over AFC South rival Tennessee. The strength-of-victory tiebreaker puts the Jags ahead of Miami if a tiebreaker must be invoked. A massive trip to Houston in Week 12, NRG Stadium often a death trap for this team. Remaining schedule: at Texans, vs. Bengals, at Browns, vs. Ravens, at Buccaneers, vs. Panthers, at Titans
5. Cleveland Browns (7-3), wild card No. 1: No Deshaun Watson? No problem. They began the post-DW portion of their season by notching what could be a pivotal win over Pittsburgh. And as good as this defense is, reaching postseason seems like a realistic goal for rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson … or former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco. Remaining schedule: at Broncos, at Rams, vs. Jaguars, vs. Bears, at Texans, vs. Jets, at Bengals
6. Houston Texans (6-4), wild card No. 2: Mounting issues in the AFC North seem to bode well for them. However finishing a season sweep of Jacksonville would move the Texans into first place and give them a huge tiebreaker … and possibly the luxury of not worrying about other divisions. Remaining schedule: vs. Jaguars, vs. Broncos, at Jets, at Titans, vs. Browns, vs. Titans, at Colts
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4), wild card No. 3: The only team in the AFC North that hasn’t suffered a crucial injury in the past week-plus, Pittsburgh’s offense remains on injured reserve after another woeful showing in Cleveland dropped the Steelers into the final wild-card slot due to their Week 4 loss at Houston. The Buffalo Bills (6-5) lurk a half-game back. Remaining schedule: at Bengals, vs. Cardinals, vs. Patriots, at Colts, vs. Bengals, at Seahawks, at Ravens
NFC playoff picture
1. Philadelphia Eagles (9-1), NFC East leaders: They own the best record in the league, the first club to reach nine wins after winning Monday night’s Super Bowl 57 rematch at Arrowhead Stadium. But a brutal month-plus stretch has only just begun with Detroit, San Francisco and Dallas still in hot pursuit … though the Lions created a touch of breathing room by losing Thursday. Remaining schedule: vs. Bills, vs. 49ers, at Cowboys, at Seahawks, vs. Giants, vs. Cardinals, at Giants
2. San Francisco 49ers (8-3), NFC West leaders: They put a chokehold on the division by beating Seattle on Thanksgiving night. The Niners’ superior record in NFC games also vaulted them over the Lions. But if they want to really make a push for home-field advantage, the Week 13 game in Philly is just about must-win. Remaining schedule: at Eagles, vs. Seahawks, at Cardinals, vs. Ravens, at Commanders, vs. Rams
3. Detroit Lions (8-3), NFC North leaders: After escaping Chicago last weekend, they didn’t survive the upset bid from a division rival (Green Bay) at Ford Field on Thanksgiving afternoon. Shouldn’t damage Detroit’s playoff hopes much, but it’s a blow to any designs on the No. 1 seed in the conference. Remaining schedule: at Saints, at Bears, vs. Broncos, at Vikings, at Cowboys, vs. Vikings
4. New Orleans Saints (5-5), NFC South leaders: Well-timed bye for battered QB Derek Carr and Co., especially since Tampa Bay lost Sunday to give New Orleans a full one-game lead over the Bucs and Atlanta. Remaining schedule: at Falcons, vs. Lions, vs. Panthers, vs. Giants, at Rams, at Buccaneers, vs. Falcons
5. Dallas Cowboys (8-3), wild card No. 1: They solidified their hold on this position, which will likely afford a matchup with a not-so-daunting NFC South champ in the wild-card round. Yet still plenty of time for Dallas to make the NFC East a legit race after smashing Washington 45-10. Remaining schedule: vs. Seahawks, vs. Eagles, at Bills, at Dolphins, vs. Lions, at Commanders
6. Minnesota Vikings (6-5), wild card No. 2: An interconference loss isn’t all that damaging, particularly since the Vikes still have two cracks at Detroit if they hope to retain their NFC North throne. Remaining schedule: at Broncos, vs. Bears, BYE, at Raiders, at Bengals, vs. Lions, vs. Packers, at Lions
7. Seattle Seahawks (6-5), wild card No. 3: Consecutive losses to NFC West foes, including Thursday night’s 31-13 home setback to San Francisco, has pushed them to the postseason brink – especially given the upcoming schedule. An inferior record in conference games drops Seattle behind the Vikings and leaves the Seahawks one game ahead of the Green Bay Packers (5-6). The Los Angeles Rams, fresh off a sweep of Seattle, Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers can match the Pack’s record with wins Sunday. Remaining schedule: at Cowboys, at 49ers, vs. Eagles, at Titans, vs. Steelers, at Cardinals
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