How the NFL playoff picture looks coming out of Week 13

The NFL is into the home stretch of the regular season, and Week 13 has provided us with the first playoff team. The New Orleans Saints punched their ticket in the early games, and we could see a couple more through the rest of the weekend. The 4:05/4:25 p.m. games have gotten underway, and we still have Sunday Night Football, a pair of Monday games, and even Cowboys-Ravens on Tuesday.

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 Saints beat the Falcons and with the Bears rather stunning collapse against Detroit, New Orleans clinched a playoff berth. The Saints remain atop the NFC South and could clinch the division as soon as next week.

The Browns thumped the Titans, but Tennessee remains atop the AFC South thanks to their divisional record. Meanwhile, the Raiders will hang around the playoff race after a miracle last second win over the Browns.

The afternoon slate saw the Seahawks suffer a stunning upset at the hands of the Giants. With the Rams beating the Cardinals, LA is now in first place in the NFC West.

Here’s a look at what the playoff picture looks like Sunday afternoon as we await the kickoff of Sunday Night Football, two Monday games, and Cowboys-Ravens on Tuesday to close out Week 13. You can read through playoff tiebreakers here.

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

AFC

1. Pittsburgh Steelers, 11-1 (Conference record over Chiefs)
2. Kansas City Chiefs, 11-1^
3. Buffalo Bills, 9-3
4. Tennessee Titans, 8-4 (Division record over Colts)

5. Cleveland Browns, 9-3
6. Miami Dolphins, 8-4 (Conference record over Colts)
7. Indianapolis Colts, 8-4

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

Browns 41, Titans 35
Dolphins 19, Bengals 7
Raiders 31, Jets 28
Colts 26, Texans 20
Patriots 45, Chargers 0
Broncos 22, Chiefs 16
Washington 23 @ Steelers 17
Bills 34, 49ers 24
Ravens 34, Cowboys 17

NFC

1. New Orleans Saints, 10-2^
2. Green Bay Packers, 9-3
3. Los Angeles Rams, 8-4 (H2H over Seahawks)
4. New York Giants, 5-7

5. Seattle Seahawks, 8-4
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7-5
7. Minnesota Vikings, 6-6 (Common games win percentage over Cardinals)

Outside looking in: Arizona Cardinals (6-6), San Francisco 49ers (5-7), Chicago Bears (5-7), Detroit Lions (5-7), Washington Football Team (5-7), Philadelphia Eagles (3-8-1), Dallas Cowboys (3-9)

Saints 21, Falcons 16
Lions 34, Bears 30
Vikings 27, Jaguars 24 (OT)
Rams 38, Cardinals 28
Giants 17, Seahawks 12
Packers 30, Eagles 16
Washington 23, Steelers 17
Bills 34, 49ers 24
Ravens 34, Cowboys 17