Nfl Playoff Picture 2026 Week 17 Scenarios Standings And Bracket

Bonisiwe Shabane
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nfl playoff picture 2026 week 17 scenarios standings and bracket

We're only three games into Week 17, but we've already seen some significant developments that impact the NFL playoff picture. While Thursday's opener between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders was largely meaningless, the day's two other contests were playoff-relevant. The Detroit Lions were officially eliminated from playoff contention with their loss against the rival Minnesota Vikings. The Denver Broncos defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in the nightcap to maintain a grip on the AFC's No. 1 seed. Here's a look at where every playoff hopeful stands, what could transpire over the weekend, and some predictions for the 2025-26 postseason bracket.

.css-1582m2i{margin:0;font:inherit;font-weight:700;}Division Leaders Coles is now a police officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office in his hometown in Florida. The new career isn't something he got into because he needed the money. After making $42 million in his NFL career, he'll make $68,472 as a member of the academy's field training program before making $70,032 after one year of service, per ESPN's Rich Cimini. "We have John Harbaugh discussing his status. We have the former MVP in Lamar Jackson with the opportunity to reup his contract before the season at a time when a lot of people thought he would.

Did not happen. The Ravens, at the very least, have some things to figure out and some relationships to discuss in the offseason." 1. Francis Mauigoa, Miami (8.0) 2. Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State (7.9) 3. Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon (7.5) 4.

Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M (7.5) 5. Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech (7.1) 6. Logan Taylor, Boston College (7.0) 7. Brian Parker II, Duke (7.0) 8. Gennings Dunker, Iowa (7.0) 9. Jake Slaughter, Florida (7.0)

"It's like I don't know what else I could have done at that point," Sweat said. "I don't know what else I could have done. Now previous years, maybe you could have said he didn't have the popularity, maybe he didn't get the fan vote. This year, I was second in fan voting for NFC. It's like, what else did they want me to do? The popularity was there.

You could say losing team. It didn't matter; I had the popularity." Making the Case: Cameron Boozer (Duke, PF) An improving one-on-one scorer, Boozer is 9-of-12 out of isolation with the ability to put the ball down, use advanced footwork off the dribble, move defenders with... He's averaging 23.3 points and 10.0 boards on 56.7 percent, operating from the low block, where he's a physical force, out to the arc, where he's become a serious threat to shoot, drive or... Texans. We break down how they can clinch a spot in the 2026 NFL Playoffs in Week 17.

Game result: The Texans have punched their ticket into the 2026 NFL Playoffs. They beat the Chargers on Saturday 20-16 to clinch their playoff berth. They head into Sunday a half game back of the Jaguars in the AFC South. They need a Jaguars loss to have a chance at winning the division, but even if Jacksonville wins on Sunday, Houston remains alive for the division title heading into Week 18. The Houston Texans can punch their playoff ticket this weekend. After starting the season with a three-game losing streak and running their record to 3-5 over the first half of the season, Houston enters the penultimate weekend of the 2025 NFL campaign riding a...

That has Houston on the cusp of a playoff spot, which they can clinch this weekend. Here is how the Texans can book their spot in the NFL Playoffs. Updated: December 24, 2025 at 11:55 am EST The 2025-26 NFL regular season kicked off on Thursday, September 4, 2025. The regular season will conclude after all Week 18 games are played on January 4, 2026. The 2026 NFL playoffs are scheduled to begin January 10 with Super Wildcard Weekend.

The 2026 Super Bowl will be played Sunday, February 8, 2026. The image above – which will be updated after each game of the 2025-26 regular season – displays the NFL playoff bracket after Week 16. You’ll find much more NFL playoff information on this page, including playoff schedule, teams who clinched a playoff berth / have been eliminated from playoff contention, playoff clinching scenarios, and remaining schedules. You can jump to a specific section using the links below: NFL Playoff Picture | NFL Playoff Dates & Schedule | Clinched Playoffs | Clinching Scenarios | Remaining Schedules | Eliminated | NFL Playoff FAQs The top seven teams from the AFC will make the playoffs.

The 2025-26 AFC playoff picture looks a lot different than last year! The Broncos hold the #1 seed, but lost their full-game lead over the Patriots after losing to the Jaguars in Week 16. Denver is still #1 thanks to owning the tiebreaker. Here's how the NFL playoff picture looks after Saturday's two games, which determined quite a bit playoff wise. The Houston Texans' win over the Los Angeles Chargers clinched a playoff berth for the Texans, and eliminated the Indianapolis Colts. It also won the AFC West for the Denver Broncos.

The Baltimore Ravens aren't out of it yet either after their win over the Green Bay Packers. The NFC playoff field is all set except for one slot: the NFC South champion, which is currently on pace to be the Carolina Panthers, but could still end up the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3)*: Remaining schedule — at Carolina Panthers, at San Francisco 49ers Seahawks win + Rams loss or tie + 49ers-Bears tie Seahawks win + Rams loss or tie + 49ers loss or tie, OR

The NFL Playoffs are back in 2026 with a full lineup of exciting matchups. Fans across the country are getting ready for the biggest weeks in football. This year’s playoff format sticks to the 14-team setup. Seven teams from each conference will compete for a spot in Super Bowl LX. This guide gives you everything you need to know. You’ll find key playoff dates, the full schedule by round, the current playoff bracket, and how the format works.

We also cover projected matchups and which teams are expected to stand out this year. Stay updated with the latest playoff picture as the road to Santa Clara begins. The NFL regular season ends on Sunday, January 4, 2026. Right after that, the playoff race begins. Here are the important dates: Each round is packed with action and sets the stage for the next.

The road to the Super Bowl moves fast. Fans and teams must stay ready. Steelers. We break down how they can clinch a spot in the 2026 NFL Playoffs in Week 17. Update (Saturday night): Baltimore’s 41-24 win over the Packers means that the Ravens are still alive in the race for the AFC North title, and the Steelers have yet to clinch the division. They can take care of that tomorrow with a win or a tie against the Browns.

This weekend, Aaron Rodgers can return to the playoffs. Rodgers last appeared in the NFL postseason in the 2021-2022 season with the Green Bay Packers, completing 20-of-29 passes for 225 yards in a 13-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. But Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers are on the cusp of clinching a playoff spot, and can lock in their spot before they even take the field on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. 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.

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We're Only Three Games Into Week 17, But We've Already

We're only three games into Week 17, but we've already seen some significant developments that impact the NFL playoff picture. While Thursday's opener between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders was largely meaningless, the day's two other contests were playoff-relevant. The Detroit Lions were officially eliminated from playoff contention with their loss against the rival Minnesota Viking...

.css-1582m2i{margin:0;font:inherit;font-weight:700;}Division Leaders Coles Is Now A Police Officer With The

.css-1582m2i{margin:0;font:inherit;font-weight:700;}Division Leaders Coles is now a police officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office in his hometown in Florida. The new career isn't something he got into because he needed the money. After making $42 million in his NFL career, he'll make $68,472 as a member of the academy's field training program before making $70,032 after one year of service...

Did Not Happen. The Ravens, At The Very Least, Have

Did not happen. The Ravens, at the very least, have some things to figure out and some relationships to discuss in the offseason." 1. Francis Mauigoa, Miami (8.0) 2. Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State (7.9) 3. Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon (7.5) 4.

Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M (7.5) 5. Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech

Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M (7.5) 5. Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech (7.1) 6. Logan Taylor, Boston College (7.0) 7. Brian Parker II, Duke (7.0) 8. Gennings Dunker, Iowa (7.0) 9. Jake Slaughter, Florida (7.0)

"It's Like I Don't Know What Else I Could Have

"It's like I don't know what else I could have done at that point," Sweat said. "I don't know what else I could have done. Now previous years, maybe you could have said he didn't have the popularity, maybe he didn't get the fan vote. This year, I was second in fan voting for NFC. It's like, what else did they want me to do? The popularity was there.