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NFL Playoff Picture 2018: Updated AFC, NFC Wild Card Bracket Ahead of Week 17
The Philadelphia Eagles have clinched home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. The New England Patriots are one win away from doing the same thing on the AFC side.
The Eagles (13-2) clinched that advantage when they beat the Oakland Raiders Monday night at Lincoln Financial Field. While Philadelphia struggled on offense throughout much of the second half, the Eagles broke a 10-10 tie with a late field goal and then scored a touchdown on the final play as the Raiders botched a multiple-lateral play and Philadelphia took advantage for a 19-10 triumph.
The Patriots (12-3) will clinch homefield advantage throughout the playoffs if they can beat an undermanned New York Jets team Sunday in Foxboro.
New England would seem to have a big advantage in that game as Tom Brady starts at quarterback while the Jets are going with Bryce Petty in place of the injured Josh McCown. New England is a 15.5-point favorite over their longtime rivals, according to OddsShark.
If the Patriots lose that game and the Pittsburgh Steelers (12-3) defeat the winless Cleveland Browns, the Steelers would get the No. 1 seed. Otherwise, New England is the top seed and Pittsburgh is in the No. 2 spot in the AFC playoffs.
The AFC South champion Jacksonville Jaguars (10-5) are the No. 3 seed, while the Kansas City Chiefs (9-6) earned the AFC West title and the No. 4 seed by winning their last three games.
The two wild-card positions in the AFC have not been determined, but the Baltimore Ravens (9-6) and Tennessee Titans (8-7) are currently in the playoff structure.
Both teams are in a win-and-in situation, although the Ravens are in better shape because of their record. Baltimore hosts the Cincinnati Bengals in what could be head coach Marvin Lewis's last game with the Bengals, while Titans host the Jaguars.
Since the Jaguars are locked into their position, the Titans may not get Jacksonville's best effort. However, if Tennessee wins, the Jaguars would host the Titans in the wild-card game. If Jacksonville doesn't want to face a division opponent for the third time this season and the second week in a row, it may want to push hard to defeat Tennessee.
The Los Angeles Chargers (8-7) and Buffalo Bills (8-7) are chasing the Ravens and the Titans, and the Chargers have the edge over the Bills since Los Angeles defeated Buffalo earlier this season.
Los Angeles hosts Oakland while the Bills play the Miami Dolphins in South Florida in their season finale.
The Minnesota Vikings (12-3) host the Chicago Bears Sunday, and if Mike Zimmer's team beats Chicago, the Vikings will lock up the No. 2 seed in the NFC and have a bye in the first week of the playoffs.
The Los Angeles Rams (11-4) have clinched the NFC West title and are in line for the No. 3 seed in the playoffs, while the New Orleans Saints (11-4) have clinched a playoff spot and have the inside track on the NFC South title.
The Carolina Panthers (11-4) have also clinched a playoff spot, and they can overtake the Saints for the division crown if they beat the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans loses to Tampa Bay.
The Panthers actually have a chance to take the No. 2 seed away from the Vikings, but that would involve a series of circumstances that include the Vikings and Saints losing and Carolina winning.
The only spot that has not been decided in the NFC is the final wild-card spot. The Falcons (9-6) are holding on to that position, but the defending NFC champions will fall out of the playoff structure if they lose to the Panthers and the Seattle Seahawks (9-6) beat the Arizona Cardinals.
If that happens, the Seahawks gain the final NFC playoff spot and the Falcons will find themselves on the outside looking in.
The Philadelphia Eagles have clinched home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. The New England Patriots are one win away from doing the same thing on the AFC side.
The Eagles (13-2) clinched that advantage when they beat the Oakland Raiders Monday night at Lincoln Financial Field. While Philadelphia struggled on offense throughout much of the second half, the Eagles broke a 10-10 tie with a late field goal and then scored a touchdown on the final play as the Raiders botched a multiple-lateral play and Philadelphia took advantage for a 19-10 triumph.
The Patriots (12-3) will clinch homefield advantage throughout the playoffs if they can beat an undermanned New York Jets team Sunday in Foxboro.
New England would seem to have a big advantage in that game as Tom Brady starts at quarterback while the Jets are going with Bryce Petty in place of the injured Josh McCown. New England is a 15.5-point favorite over their longtime rivals, according to OddsShark.
If the Patriots lose that game and the Pittsburgh Steelers (12-3) defeat the winless Cleveland Browns, the Steelers would get the No. 1 seed. Otherwise, New England is the top seed and Pittsburgh is in the No. 2 spot in the AFC playoffs.
The AFC South champion Jacksonville Jaguars (10-5) are the No. 3 seed, while the Kansas City Chiefs (9-6) earned the AFC West title and the No. 4 seed by winning their last three games.
The two wild-card positions in the AFC have not been determined, but the Baltimore Ravens (9-6) and Tennessee Titans (8-7) are currently in the playoff structure.
Both teams are in a win-and-in situation, although the Ravens are in better shape because of their record. Baltimore hosts the Cincinnati Bengals in what could be head coach Marvin Lewis's last game with the Bengals, while Titans host the Jaguars.
Since the Jaguars are locked into their position, the Titans may not get Jacksonville's best effort. However, if Tennessee wins, the Jaguars would host the Titans in the wild-card game. If Jacksonville doesn't want to face a division opponent for the third time this season and the second week in a row, it may want to push hard to defeat Tennessee.
The Los Angeles Chargers (8-7) and Buffalo Bills (8-7) are chasing the Ravens and the Titans, and the Chargers have the edge over the Bills since Los Angeles defeated Buffalo earlier this season.
Los Angeles hosts Oakland while the Bills play the Miami Dolphins in South Florida in their season finale.
The Minnesota Vikings (12-3) host the Chicago Bears Sunday, and if Mike Zimmer's team beats Chicago, the Vikings will lock up the No. 2 seed in the NFC and have a bye in the first week of the playoffs.
The Los Angeles Rams (11-4) have clinched the NFC West title and are in line for the No. 3 seed in the playoffs, while the New Orleans Saints (11-4) have clinched a playoff spot and have the inside track on the NFC South title.
The Carolina Panthers (11-4) have also clinched a playoff spot, and they can overtake the Saints for the division crown if they beat the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans loses to Tampa Bay.
The Panthers actually have a chance to take the No. 2 seed away from the Vikings, but that would involve a series of circumstances that include the Vikings and Saints losing and Carolina winning.
The only spot that has not been decided in the NFC is the final wild-card spot. The Falcons (9-6) are holding on to that position, but the defending NFC champions will fall out of the playoff structure if they lose to the Panthers and the Seattle Seahawks (9-6) beat the Arizona Cardinals.
If that happens, the Seahawks gain the final NFC playoff spot and the Falcons will find themselves on the outside looking in.
