Are the Jacksonville Jaguars the cream of the AFC crop? They certainly looked the part Sunday, as they ended the Broncos’ 11-game winning streak emphatically, winning 34-20 at Mile High Stadium. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence looks like he’s playing the best football of his career, and he has the Jaguars on the verge of not only clinching a playoff spot but winning their first AFC South title since 2022. They even have an outside chance of securing the top seed in the AFC.
Meanwhile, in the NFC, five playoff berths have already been claimed. While seeding still needs to be sorted out in the final two weeks, the Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers have all already punched their tickets to the postseason, meaning there are only two spots left. The Carolina Panthers seized control of one of them Sunday, beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20 to take the lead in the NFC South. With a win next week against Seattle, paired with a Bucs loss to Miami, the Panthers will be NFC South champions for the first time since 2015.
Let’s take a look at what else happened around the NFL in Week 16:
Listed odds to make the playoffs, win the division and secure the No. 1 seed are all via The Athletic’s NFL Projection Model, created by Austin Mock. Seven teams from each conference make the playoffs, with the top seed in each conference securing a first-round bye. Go check out our NFL Playoff Simulator to play out your favorite team’s path to the playoffs.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks seized control of the No. 1 seed and clinched a playoff berth Thursday with their wild, 38-37 overtime victory against the Rams. They’ve won five in a row and nine of 10, but the Seahawks have two challenging games on the road, where they’re 6-1 this season, to finish the job. The Seahawks have far too many tie-breaking scenarios to count, so winning out is paramount. But even if they don’t, Sam Darnold’s performance in the clutch on Thursday should give Seattle the confidence it’ll need to get through the NFC in the postseason.
Final two weeks: at Panthers, at 49ers
Chicago Bears
The Bears’ four-year playoff drought ended Sunday when the Lions fell to the Steelers. And with recent wins against the Eagles and Packers, the Bears look capable of winning their first playoff game in 15 years. Before that, though, the Bears want to secure their first NFC North crown since 2018, which will require one win or a Packers loss over the final two weeks. And if the Bears stretch out this two-game winning streak, they’ll stay in play for the No. 1 seed.
Final two weeks: at 49ers, vs. Lions
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles won the NFC East title Saturday with their victory against the Commanders, and they eliminated the Cowboys from playoff contention in the process. They’re the division’s first repeat champs since the Eagles won four straight from 2001-04. The Eagles are comfortably nestled into the No. 3 seed, as it’d take an unlikely series of events to either move up or down in the standings.
Final two weeks: at Bills, vs. Commanders
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers reclaimed the NFC South lead Sunday with a 23-20 victory against the Buccaneers, but their first division title since 2015 and first playoff berth since 2017 are anything but a formality. The Panthers can close it out next week if they beat the Seahawks and the Bucs fall to the Dolphins. But if that doesn’t happen, the Panthers-Bucs rematch in Week 18 will be a win-or-go-home scenario.
Final two weeks: vs. Seahawks, at Buccaneers
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams, who already clinched a playoff berth, have an easy road to close the season against a couple of teams playing out the string, but they now need help from the Seahawks and 49ers to reclaim the NFC West. Short of that happening, the Rams’ two most likely wild-card opponents would be the Eagles or Bears. The Rams have lost four in a row to the Eagles, and they lost their last meeting with the Bears in 2024, albeit in a game between two vastly different teams. The Rams still have a strong case as the NFL’s best team, but their postseason path is exponentially more challenging after the loss to the Seahawks.
Final two weeks: at Falcons, vs. Cardinals
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers, who visit the Colts on Monday Night Football, clinched a playoff spot Sunday when the Lions fell to the Steelers. They can steal the No. 1 seed if they win their final three games, so that Week 18 duel with the Seahawks is shaping up as a strong candidate for the Sunday night season finale.
Final three weeks: at Colts, vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks
Green Bay Packers
The Packers have lost two in a row, including a costly blown opportunity Saturday night in Chicago, won’t have linebacker Micah Parsons (torn ACL) for the rest of the season and have to hope quarterback Jordan Love can clear the concussion protocol. Still, the Packers are in a good position to make the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years, thanks to the Steelers’ victory over the Lions on Sunday. They only need one win or Lions loss to get into the postseason, and the Packers could still claim the NFC North crown if they win their final two games and the Bears drop their last pair.
Final two weeks: vs. Ravens, at Vikings
In the hunt
Detroit Lions (8-7)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)
Eliminated