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Week 16 has provided a few more answers about which NFL teams will be playing in
January.
All of the AFC playoff teams are set, but teams will still battle for seedings. The NFC playoff picture is far from decided, and there are still many twists and turns to come.
Here is how the standings currently look, with updates coming as games finish.
NFC East
After the New York Giants lost to the Baltimore Ravens, the most complicated
division race in the NFL just became extremely simple.
The NFC East will be decided when the Redskins host the Cowboys next week, and this matchup will be the marquee game.
NFC West
With Sunday night's win over the 49ers, Seattle clinched a playoff berth.
However, the Seahawks still need another win and a 49ers loss in Week 17 to earn the NFC West crown.
NFC South
With a 31-18 victory over the Detroit Lions on Saturday night, the Falcons
clinched the top overall seed in the playoffs.
The road to the Super Bowl will go through Atlanta for NFC teams, and the Falcons can only hope this postseason run will go better than it did in 2010 when they had the No. 1 seed.
NFC North
The Packers won the NFC North in Week 15 with an impressive victory over the
Chicago Bears.
Green Bay kept rolling this week with a 55-7 rout over the Tennessee Titans. In recent years, teams that get hot at the right time have an advantage in the playoffs, and Aaron Rodgers has the Packers looking as good as any team in the league right now.
NFC Wild Card
The NFC Wild Card race has become slightly simplified, but the situation is
still incredibly complicated.
The Vikings kept themselves in a favorable position with a surprising 23-6 victory over the Houston Texans.
New York can no longer win the NFC East, but it can still get into the playoffs as a Wild Card. However, a Minnesota, Chicago or Washington victory would end the Giants’ season.
Chicago cruised past the Arizona Cardinals with a 28-13 victory, and they are now still alive in the playoff hunt. The NFC Wild Card race remains unsettled heading into the final week of the season, but currently, Minnesota has the upper hand.
Seattle clinched a berth with Sunday night's win over San Francisco.
AFC East
The Patriots' 23-16 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars was not as
impressive as many New England fans would have liked, but the result keeps that
team in contention for a first-round bye.
Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are fighting only to improve their seed right now, and the Pats will need to Denver Broncos to slip up either this afternoon or next weekend for that to happen.
AFC West
The Broncos’ matchup with the Cleveland Browns went as planned, and Denver
won 34-12. The victory keeps the team in the No. 2 seed in the AFC.
With a win over the Kansas City Chiefs next week, the Broncos will have a first-round bye.
AFC North
With a 33-14 victory over the Giants, Baltimore clinched the AFC North and
will drop no lower than the No. 4 seed.
The Bengals will be disappointed at the result, as a victory over the Ravens next week still would not give them a division title.
AFC South
The Texans lost to the Vikings and have left the door open for the Broncos to
steal home-field advantage for the playoffs.
If Houston fails to beat the Indianapolis Colts next week, it risks having to play on Wild Card Weekend.
AFC Wild Card
Indy has clinched a playoff spot with their 20-13 victory over the Kansas
City Chiefs, and there is no longer any doubt that Indianapolis has been the
most surprising team this season.
But the twists kept coming in the AFC as Ben Roethlisberger's costly interception led to a game-winning field goal for the Bengals. Cincinnati is in the playoffs at the expense of the Steelers and will fight to improve its seed next week.
All of the AFC playoff teams are set, but teams will still battle for seedings. The NFC playoff picture is far from decided, and there are still many twists and turns to come.
Here is how the standings currently look, with updates coming as games finish.
NFC East
| Current Leader | In Contention |
| Washington Redskins (9-6) | Dallas Cowboys (8-7) |
The NFC East will be decided when the Redskins host the Cowboys next week, and this matchup will be the marquee game.
NFC West
| Current Leader | In Contention |
| San Francisco 49ers (10-4-1) | Seattle Seahawks (10-5) |
However, the Seahawks still need another win and a 49ers loss in Week 17 to earn the NFC West crown.
NFC South
| Division Winner |
| Atlanta Falcons (13-2) |
The road to the Super Bowl will go through Atlanta for NFC teams, and the Falcons can only hope this postseason run will go better than it did in 2010 when they had the No. 1 seed.
NFC North
| Division Winner |
| Green Bay Packers (11-4) |
Green Bay kept rolling this week with a 55-7 rout over the Tennessee Titans. In recent years, teams that get hot at the right time have an advantage in the playoffs, and Aaron Rodgers has the Packers looking as good as any team in the league right now.
NFC Wild Card
| Current Leaders | In Contention |
| Seattle Seahawks (10-5) | Chicago Bears (9-6) |
| Minnesota Vikings (9-6) | New York Giants (8-7) |
The Vikings kept themselves in a favorable position with a surprising 23-6 victory over the Houston Texans.
New York can no longer win the NFC East, but it can still get into the playoffs as a Wild Card. However, a Minnesota, Chicago or Washington victory would end the Giants’ season.
Chicago cruised past the Arizona Cardinals with a 28-13 victory, and they are now still alive in the playoff hunt. The NFC Wild Card race remains unsettled heading into the final week of the season, but currently, Minnesota has the upper hand.
Seattle clinched a berth with Sunday night's win over San Francisco.
AFC East
| Division Winner |
| New England Patriots (11-4) |
Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are fighting only to improve their seed right now, and the Pats will need to Denver Broncos to slip up either this afternoon or next weekend for that to happen.
AFC West
| Division Winner |
| Denver Broncos (12-3) |
With a win over the Kansas City Chiefs next week, the Broncos will have a first-round bye.
AFC North
| Current Leader |
| Baltimore Ravens (10-5) |
The Bengals will be disappointed at the result, as a victory over the Ravens next week still would not give them a division title.
AFC South
| Division Winner |
| Houston Texans (12-3) |
If Houston fails to beat the Indianapolis Colts next week, it risks having to play on Wild Card Weekend.
AFC Wild Card
| Current Leaders |
| Indianapolis Colts (10-5) |
| Cincinnati Bengals (9-6) |
But the twists kept coming in the AFC as Ben Roethlisberger's costly interception led to a game-winning field goal for the Bengals. Cincinnati is in the playoffs at the expense of the Steelers and will fight to improve its seed next week.
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