2025 Nfl Playoff Picture And Week 17 Clinching Scenarios

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Dec 27, 2025, 3:23 AM

2025 nfl playoff picture and week 17 clinching scenarios

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following are the playoff-clinching scenarios for Week 17 of the 2025 NFL season. You can watch live, local, and prime-time games with NFL+. Denver Broncos (12-3) at Kansas City (6-9); Thursday night, 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video Denver clinches AFC West division title and the AFC's No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and home-field advantage with:

Denver clinches AFC West division title with: We’re getting to the end of the 2025 NFL regular season. Through the Christmas Day tripleheader, the NFL playoff picture is coming into focus. The Broncos beat the Chiefs to stay atop the AFC standings, and the Lions lost to both eliminate themselves from playoff contention and clinch a spot for the Packers. Going forward, Saturday’s games should provide more clarity as well. If the Ravens beat the Packers at Lambeau Field, they’ll remain in the hunt for an AFC North title and the Bears will earn the NFC North.

With a Baltimore loss, the Steelers would clinch the division and Green Bay would remain alive for a division title. In the Texans-Chargers game, Los Angeles is relegated to a wild-card berth with a loss while Houston would clinch a playoff berth with a win. However, a Chargers win would force a winner-take-all in Denver next week for the AFC West. x Team has clinched a playoff berth. y Team has clinched their division title. e Team has been eliminated from playoff contention.

k Team has been knocked out of division title contention. NFC Teams knocked out of 1 seed contention: NYG, ARI, WAS, NO, ATL, DAL, TB, MIN, DET, GB, CAR, PHI AFC Teams knocked out of 1 seed contention: LV, CLE, TEN, NYJ, CIN, MIA,... Scenario 3 is for HOU clinching a tie in Strength of Victory with IND while also clinching Strength of Schedule over IND Scenario 3 is for HOU clinching a tie in Strength of Victory with IND while also clinching Strength of Schedule over IND Scenarios 5-15 are for JAX clinching Strength of Victory over BUF or LAC clinching at least a Strength of Victory tie over BUF Scenario 4 is for JAX clinching at least a Strength of Victory tie over LAC

Every week for the duration of the 2025 regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the NFL's ever-evolving playoff picture – typically starting Sunday afternoon and then moving forward for the... And, when the holidays roll around, we'll be watching then, too). What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference's seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized Sunday, Jan.

4. Here's where things stand with Week 17 underway: x − 1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3), NFC West leaders: Splitting their season series with the Rams in Week 16's classic means they'll wind up with the No. 1 seed if they win their final two games. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, at 49ers

y − 2. Chicago Bears (11-4), NFC North champions: Green Bay's loss Saturday night was doubly sweet, wrapping up the division title for Da Bears, who are still in play for the No. 1 seed, too. Remaining schedule: at 49ers, vs. Lions With only two weeks left in the 2025 NFL season, the playoff picture is beginning to come into focus.

While several playoff berths have been clinched, division titles and No. 1 seeds remain up for grabs. Plenty will be settled in the NFL's penultimate week. Most games on the Week 17 slate—which will open with Thursday's Christmas tripleheader—will have playoff implications. Here, you'll find a look at the latest standings, this week's bracket scenarios, and some updated predictions for the 2025-26 postseason field. .css-1582m2i{margin:0;font:inherit;font-weight:700;}Division Leaders

2. x-New England Patriots (12-3, AFC East) With just two weeks left to play in the NFL's 2025 regular season, only one division has been clinched so far, but that could change in Week 17. After the Eagles clinched the NFC East, the seven divisions that are still up for grabs could all be settled this week. It's also possible that every playoff spot could be clinched by the end of Week 17. So far, 10 of the 14 playoff berths have been accounted -- and the final four spots could be in the bag by the end of the weekend.

So, what has to happen for each playoff spot to be clinched? Glad you asked. Let's check out all the clinching scenarios for Week 17. There's exactly one scenario that would see the Broncos clinch the conference's No. 1 seed and AFC West title: 1.

DEN win + LAC loss or tie + NE loss + BUF loss or tie + JAX loss or tie With two weeks to go, the 2025 NFL playoff picture is already quite clear. In the AFC, the Ravens (and, technically, the Colts) are clinging to hope. In the NFC, the Panthers and Bucs are still fighting for the NFC South title. Other than that, every playoff spot is accounted for. The biggest playoff what-ifs are at the top.

Eight teams have 11 wins or more. Seven of eight divisions remain up for grabs. And the No. 1 seed remains wide open in both conferences. To wrap our heads around all the possibilities, we used our NFL Playoff Simulator to look at the full range of end-of-season outcomes for every team that can still make the playoffs, whether they... The tables below should help you think through everything that might happen for your team (if it hasn’t yet been eliminated).

And if you want to take matters into your own hands, all the tables link to our simulator, where you can explore every possible 2025 NFL future. The Patriots have clinched a playoff berth and have two very winnable games ahead: they visit the Jets in Week 16 and host the Dolphins in Week 17. If they win out, they would clinch the AFC East title, with a terrific chance at the No. 1 seed and first round bye. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4) – playoff berth Los Angeles Chargers (11-4) – playoff berth

New England Patriots (12-3) – playoff berth Denver Broncos (12-3) at Kansas City (6-9); Thursday night, 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video Denver clinches AFC West division title and the AFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and home-field advantage with: The NFL playoff picture continues to become clearer as Week 17 moves into the weekend.

Houston clinched a playoff berth with a win on Dec. 27 against the LA Chargers. In the second game of the day, Baltimore stayed alive in the AFC North division race with a win at Green Bay. Pittsburgh can clinch the division with a win or tie at Cleveland on Dec. 28; a loss sets up a win-and-in Week 18 game between the Steelers and Ravens. In the NFC, the Packers clinched a playoff berth with Detroit's Christmas Day loss but conceded the NFC North with the loss to the Ravens.

Green Bay will be the NFC's No. 7 seed. Here is the NFL playoff picture in Week 17, with the standings updated throughout Dec. 27 and 28: Clinching scenarios: The Broncos clinched the AFC West with a win and a Chargers loss. Denver can clinch the division and home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs with a win, a Chargers loss or tie, a Patriots loss, a Bills loss or tie and a Jaguars loss or tie.

2025 Nfl Playoff Picture And Week 17 Clinching Scenarios

People Also Search

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Following Are The Playoff-clinching Scenarios For Week

Denver Clinches AFC West Division Title With: We’re Getting To

With A Baltimore Loss, The Steelers Would Clinch The Division

K Team Has Been Knocked Out Of Division Title Contention.

Every Week For The Duration Of The 2025 Regular Season,