NFL Playoff Picture 2026
NFL playoff picture 2026: if the season ended today, these are the seeds, the teams in the hunt and the teams already out. Clinch and elimination flags are calculated from the remaining games. Updated Sep 16, 2026 5:31 AM EDT.
AFC — if the season ended today
Jacksonville JaguarsAFC South · Conf 1-0 · W1Division winner · Bye1-0+242
Kansas City ChiefsAFC West · Conf 1-0 · W1Division winner1-0+213
Baltimore RavensAFC North · Conf 1-0 · W1Division winner1-0+184
New York JetsAFC East · Conf 1-0 · W1Division winner1-0+135
Las Vegas RaidersAFC West · Conf 1-0 · W1Wild card1-0+146
Buffalo BillsAFC East · Conf 1-0 · W1Wild card1-0+57
Pittsburgh SteelersAFC North · Conf 0-0 · W1Wild card1-0+7–
Cincinnati BengalsAFC North · Conf 0-0 · W1level back1-0+6–
New England PatriotsAFC East · Conf 0-0 · L11 game back0-1-3–
Houston TexansAFC South · Conf 0-1 · L11 game back0-1-5–
Los Angeles ChargersAFC West · Conf 0-0 · L11 game back0-1-12–
Tennessee TitansAFC South · Conf 0-1 · L11 game back0-1-13–
Miami DolphinsAFC East · Conf 0-1 · L11 game back0-1-14–
Indianapolis ColtsAFC South · Conf 0-1 · L11 game back0-1-18–
Denver BroncosAFC West · Conf 0-1 · L11 game back0-1-21–
Cleveland BrownsAFC North · Conf 0-1 · L11 game back0-1-24| Seed | Team | W-L | Div | Conf | Diff | Strk | Left | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacksonville JaguarsAFC South | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | +24 | W1 | 16 | Division winner Bye |
| 2 | Kansas City ChiefsAFC West | 1-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | +21 | W1 | 16 | Division winner |
| 3 | Baltimore RavensAFC North | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | +18 | W1 | 16 | Division winner |
| 4 | New York JetsAFC East | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | +13 | W1 | 16 | Division winner |
| 5 | Las Vegas RaidersAFC West | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | +14 | W1 | 16 | Wild card |
| 6 | Buffalo BillsAFC East | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | +5 | W1 | 16 | Wild card |
| 7 | Pittsburgh SteelersAFC North | 1-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | +7 | W1 | 16 | Wild card |
| Cincinnati BengalsAFC North | 1-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | +6 | W1 | 16 | In the hunt · level back | |
| New England PatriotsAFC East | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -3 | L1 | 16 | In the hunt · 1 game back | |
| Houston TexansAFC South | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | -5 | L1 | 16 | In the hunt · 1 game back | |
| Los Angeles ChargersAFC West | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -12 | L1 | 16 | In the hunt · 1 game back | |
| Tennessee TitansAFC South | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | -13 | L1 | 16 | In the hunt · 1 game back | |
| Miami DolphinsAFC East | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | -14 | L1 | 16 | In the hunt · 1 game back | |
| Indianapolis ColtsAFC South | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | -18 | L1 | 16 | In the hunt · 1 game back | |
| Denver BroncosAFC West | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | -21 | L1 | 16 | In the hunt · 1 game back | |
| Cleveland BrownsAFC North | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | -24 | L1 | 16 | In the hunt · 1 game back |
NFC — if the season ended today
Chicago BearsNFC North · Conf 1-0 · W1Division winner · Bye1-0+222
San Francisco 49ersNFC West · Conf 1-0 · W1Division winner1-0+203
New York GiantsNFC East · Conf 1-0 · W1Division winner1-0+84
New Orleans SaintsNFC South · Conf 0-1 · L1Division winner0-1-15
Minnesota VikingsNFC North · Conf 1-0 · W1Wild card1-0+176
Philadelphia EaglesNFC East · Conf 1-0 · W1Wild card1-0+27
Detroit LionsNFC North · Conf 1-0 · W1Wild card1-0+1–
Arizona CardinalsNFC West · Conf 0-0 · W1level back1-0+12–
Seattle SeahawksNFC West · Conf 0-0 · W1level back1-0+3–
Washington CommandersNFC East · Conf 0-1 · L11 game back0-1-2–
Tampa Bay BuccaneersNFC South · Conf 0-0 · L11 game back0-1-6–
Atlanta FalconsNFC South · Conf 0-0 · L11 game back0-1-7–
Dallas CowboysNFC East · Conf 0-1 · L11 game back0-1-8–
Green Bay PackersNFC North · Conf 0-1 · L11 game back0-1-17–
Los Angeles RamsNFC West · Conf 0-1 · L11 game back0-1-20–
Carolina PanthersNFC South · Conf 0-1 · L11 game back0-1-22| Seed | Team | W-L | Div | Conf | Diff | Strk | Left | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago BearsNFC North | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | +22 | W1 | 16 | Division winner Bye |
| 2 | San Francisco 49ersNFC West | 1-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | +20 | W1 | 16 | Division winner |
| 3 | New York GiantsNFC East | 1-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | +8 | W1 | 16 | Division winner |
| 4 | New Orleans SaintsNFC South | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | -1 | L1 | 16 | Division winner |
| 5 | Minnesota VikingsNFC North | 1-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | +17 | W1 | 16 | Wild card |
| 6 | Philadelphia EaglesNFC East | 1-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | +2 | W1 | 16 | Wild card |
| 7 | Detroit LionsNFC North | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | +1 | W1 | 16 | Wild card |
| Arizona CardinalsNFC West | 1-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | +12 | W1 | 16 | In the hunt · level back | |
| Seattle SeahawksNFC West | 1-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | +3 | W1 | 16 | In the hunt · level back | |
| Washington CommandersNFC East | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | -2 | L1 | 16 | In the hunt · 1 game back | |
| Tampa Bay BuccaneersNFC South | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -6 | L1 | 16 | In the hunt · 1 game back | |
| Atlanta FalconsNFC South | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -7 | L1 | 16 | In the hunt · 1 game back | |
| Dallas CowboysNFC East | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | -8 | L1 | 16 | In the hunt · 1 game back | |
| Green Bay PackersNFC North | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | -17 | L1 | 16 | In the hunt · 1 game back | |
| Los Angeles RamsNFC West | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | -20 | L1 | 16 | In the hunt · 1 game back | |
| Carolina PanthersNFC South | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | -22 | L1 | 16 | In the hunt · 1 game back |
Seeds 1-4 division winners · 5-7 wild cards · No. 1 seed has a bye · Clinch/eliminated flags use games remaining, not the full tiebreaker list.
Playoff picture FAQ
When do the 2027 NFL playoffs start?
The Wild Card Round is scheduled for 2027-01-16 to 2027-01-18, the weekend after the 2026 regular season ends (2027-01-10). The NFL calls this the 2026-27 postseason.
When and where is Super Bowl LXI?
Super Bowl LXI is on Sunday, February 14, 2027 at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California.
How many teams make the NFL playoffs?
7 teams from each conference — 4 division winners plus 3 wild cards — for 14 in total. Only the No. 1 seed in each conference gets a first-round bye.
Which NFL team has the best record right now?
The Jacksonville Jaguars at 1-0. 16 teams are still unbeaten: Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers (+12 more).
What is the closest division race?
The AFC East: the New York Jets (1-0) lead the Buffalo Bills (1-0) by tiebreaker only.
How does the NFL seed the playoffs?
Division winners are seeded 1-4 by record, the three best remaining teams are wild cards 5-7. The No. 1 seed gets the only first-round bye and home field until Super Bowl LXI.
When will the 2027 playoff matchups be announced?
On the Sunday night the regular season ends (2027-01-10), once every Week 18 result is final. Matchups, kickoff times and TV assignments appear here and on the schedule page the same night.
How are ties in the standings broken?
Head-to-head record first, then division record (for division ties), common games, conference record, strength of victory and strength of schedule. This page applies win percentage, head-to-head, conference record and point differential; the NFL applies the full list.