NFL Playoff Picture 2022, as it stands
Standings, the bubble, and how the playoffs would look if they started today.
There are five games left in the NFL regular season and things are coming down to the wire. — but oddly it’s more or less for positioning at this point, rather than a wild race to see who can get in under the wire.
That’s not to say there aren’t a few teams on the bubble who could find a way in down the stretch, but for the most part it feels like the order is set. This is especially apparent in the NFC, where there’s a very large drop off between the only true bubble team in Washington (7-5-1) and then down to the trio of five win teams in need of a wild collapse. In the AFC there are a lot more teams with a chance to get in, but if you look at the remaining schedule it’s a lot more difficult to picture how some of the teams on the outside find a way to get in.
Current AFC Playoff teams
- Buffalo Bills (9-3)
- Kansas City Chiefs (9-3)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-4)
- Tennessee Titans (7-5)
- Cincinnati Bengals (8-4)
- Miami Dolphins (8-4)
- New York Jets (7-5)
On the bubble ...
New England Patriots (6-6)
Los Angeles Chargers (6-6)
Las Vegas Raiders (5-7)
Cleveland Browns (5-7)
Pittsburgh Steelers (5-7)
Current NFC Playoff teams
- Philadelphia Eagles (11-1)
- Minnesota Vikings (10-2)
- San Francisco 49ers (8-4)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6)
- Dallas Cowboys (9-3)
- New York Giants (7-4-1)
- Seattle Seahawks (7-5)
On the bubble ...
Washington Commanders (7-5-1)
Detroit Lions (5-7)
Green Bay Packers (5-8)
Atlanta Falcons (5-8)
If the playoffs started today:
AFC
- First round bye: Buffalo Bills
- New York Jets (7) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (2)
- Miami Dolphins (6) vs. Baltimore Ravens (3)
- Cincinnati Bengals (5) vs. Tennessee Titans (4)
NFC
- First round bye: Philadelphia Eagles
- Seattle Seahawks (7) vs. Minnesota Vikings (2)
- New York Giants (6) vs. San Francisco 49ers (3)
- Dallas Cowboys (5) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4)