Playoff tickets are starting to get punched. The Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams became the first teams to secure a playoff spot this season with their wins in Week 15, and several teams can join them in Week 16.
Nine teams can secure a postseason spot in Week 16. The Seattle Seahawks were the first to do it after beating the Rams, 38-37, in overtime on Thursday night.
After Thursday’s major tilt, let’s take a full look at the playoff picture before the remaining slate of Week 16 games.
NFL Playoff Picture
AFC
- Denver Broncos (12-2)*
- New England Patriots (11-3)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6)
- Los Angeles Chargers (10-4)
- Buffalo Bills (10-4)
- Houston Texans (9-5)
Within the hunt: Indianapolis Colts (8-6), Baltimore Ravens (7-7)
* Clinched playoffs
A number of groups within the AFC can clinch playoff spots in Week 16. The Patriots, Jaguars, Payments and Chargers are part of that group. The Broncos, in the meantime, can safe an AFC West title with a victory over the Jaguars on Sunday, together with a Chargers loss.
Denver may get the AFC’s No. 1 total seed in Week 16, though it’d want a minimum of just a few issues to occur.
NFC
- Seattle Seahawks (12-3)*
- Chicago Bears (10-4)
- Philadelphia Eagles (9-5)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)
- Los Angeles Rams (11-4)*
- San Francisco 49ers (10-4)
- Green Bay Packers (9-4-1)
Within the hunt: Detroit Lions (8-6), Carolina Panthers (7-7), Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)
* Clinched playoffs
Within the NFC, the Bears, Eagles, Seahawks and Packers can every safe a playoff spot in Week 16. In Philadelphia’s case, it could actually win the NFC East with both a victory or a Dallas loss.
NFL Playoff Bracket
AFC
- (1) Broncos receive a bye
- (2) Patriots vs. (7) Texans
- (3) Jaguars vs. (6) Bills
- (4) Steelers vs. (5) Chargers
NFC
- (1) Seahawks receive a bye
- (2) Bears vs. (7) Packers
- (3) Eagles vs. (6) 49ers
- (4) Bucs vs. (5) Rams
NFL Week 15 Recap 🚨 How does Patrick Mahomes’ damage impact Chiefs? Rams Proceed DOMINATING 💪
NFL Playoff Schedule
- January 10-12, 2026: Wild-card round
- January 17-18: Divisional round
- January 25: AFC and NFC championship games
- February 8: Super Bowl LX (in Santa Clara, California)
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