How the NFL playoff picture looks coming out of Week 14

The NFL is coming down the final stretch with teams clinching playoff berths and other teams officially eliminating themselves from playoff contention. Week 14 is chugging along and we have some tightening playoff races. The 4:05/4:25 p.m. games are getting underway, and we still have Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football to play.

The NFL is expanding the playoff pool this year, adding a wild card team to each conference to bring the total to 14 teams. The No. 1 seed in each conference will get a first round bye. The opening round will feature the three division winners facing the three wild card winners (2/7, 3/6, 4/5). If significant games are canceled or postponed due to Covid-19, the owners and players agreed to expand the playoff field to 16 teams with four wild card winners.

The Cowboys got a much-needed win and with the Giants about to lose to the Cardinals, it could tighten up the NFC East race. Washington could move into first place if they beat the 49ers this afternoon.

The Chiefs held off the Dolphins and in turn clinched the AFC West title. They only needed a win or Raiders loss and handled their business. They await the Steelers-Bills result to see if they might move into the AFC’s No. 1 playoff spot.

The Packers punched their playoff ticket on Sunday, clinching the NFC North with a win over the Lions coupled with the Vikings loss to the Buccaneers. Green Bay moves atop the NFC with the Saints loss to the Eagles.

Here’s a look at what the playoff picture looks like Sunday afternoon as we await the kickoff of Sunday Night Football and Sunday Night Football to close out Week 14. You can read through playoff tiebreakers here.

^=clinched playoff berth
^^=clinched division
^^^=clinched home field

AFC

1. Kansas City Chiefs, 12-1^^
2. Pittsburgh Steelers, 11-2^
3. Buffalo Bills, 10-3
4. Tennessee Titans, 9-4 (Division record over Colts)

5. Cleveland Browns, 9-4
6. Indianapolis Colts, 9-4
7. Miami Dolphins, 8-5

Outside looking in: Baltimore Ravens (8-5), Las Vegas Raiders (7-6), New England Patriots (6-7)

Rams 24, Patriots 3
Chiefs 33, Dolphins 27
Titans 31, Jaguars 10
Colts 44, Raiders 27
Bills 26, Steelers 15
Ravens 45, Browns 42

NFC

1. Green Bay Packers, 10-3^^
2. New Orleans Saints, 10-3^
3. Los Angeles Rams, 9-4
4. Washington Football Team, 6-7

5. Seattle Seahawks, 9-4
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8-5
7. Arizona Cardinals, 7-6

Outside looking in: Minnesota Vikings (6-7), Chicago Bears (6-7), Detroit Lions (5-8), San Francisco 49ers (5-8), New York Giants (5-8), Philadelphia Eagles (4-8-1), Dallas Cowboys (4-9)

Rams 24, Patriots 3
Bears 36, Texans 7
Cowboys 30, Bengals 7
Cardinals 26, Giants 7
Bucs 26, Vikings 14
Seahawks 40, Jets 3
Packers 31, Lions 24
Eagles 24, Saints 21
Washington 23, 49ers 15