Breaking down the NFL standings coming out of Week 12

The NFL closes out November with its Week 12 schedule, and we’ve got a healthy mix of tight divisions and clear domination. The Vikings look like they will cruise to the NFC North title, the Chiefs are rolling to yet another AFC West title, and the Titans are dominating the AFC South.

On the other side of things, the Bucs, 49ers, Ravens, and Bills are all a game less up in their respective divisions. Meanwhile, the Eagles aren’t quite dominating like Minnesota, Kansas City, or Tennessee, but with a 1.5 game lead on the Cowboys, they’re in a strong position.

Below are the eight divisional standings, along with some quick thoughts about each division after 12 weeks of football. We’ll update through the rest of the day and Monday Night Football as the NFL moves toward Week 13.

AFC East

The Bills opened the week with a tough 28-25 win over the Lions on Thanksgiving. The Patriots followed that evening with a 33-26 loss to the Vikings. The Jets crushed the Bears 31-10 with Mike White impressing in place of Zach Wilson. The Dolphins had no problem with the Texans to remain in first place coming out of Week 12.

1. Miami Dolphins, 8-3
2. Buffalo Bills, 8-3
3. New York Jets, 7-4
4. New England Patriots, 6-5

AFC North

The Bengals held off the Titans late to stay on the Ravens heels in the divisional race. The Browns beat the Bucs in overtime. The Ravens were upset by the Jaguars, but retain the tiebreaker over Cincinnati. The Steelers beat the Colts on Monday Night Football.

1. Baltimore Ravens, 7-4
2. Cincinnati Bengals, 7-4
3. Cleveland Browns, 4-7
4. Pittsburgh Steelers, 4-7

AFC South

The Titans lost to the Bengals, and while they have a sturdy lead in the division, this keeps the Colts alive in the divisional race. The Texans lost to Miami and remain in the top spot in the draft order. The Jaguars stunned the Ravens late on a two-point conversion. The Colts lost to the Steelers on Monday Night Football.

1. Tennessee Titans, 7-4
2. Indianapolis Colts, 4-7-1
3. Jacksonville Jaguars, 4-7
4. Houston Texans, 1-9-1

AFC West

The Broncos are circling the drain, losing big in Carolina in Week 12. The Chiefs handled their business against the Rams and remain three games up on the Chargers. The Raiders beat the Seahawks in overtime.

1. Kansas City Chiefs, 9-2
2. Los Angeles Chargers, 6-5
3. Las Vegas Raiders, 4-7
4. Denver Broncos, 3-8

NFC East

The Cowboys beat the Giants 28-20 on Thanksgiving. The Commanders held off the Falcons in the closing seconds to get a win that has them hot on the Giants’ heels. The Eagles beat the Packers to close out Sunday.

1. Philadelphia Eagles, 10-1
2. Dallas Cowboys, 8-3
3. New York Giants, 7-4
4. Washington Commanders, 7-5

NFC North

The Vikings beat the Patriots on Thanksgiving night and are closing in on the division title. The Lions lost to the Bills on a last-second field goal. The Bears were thumped by the Jets in New Jersey. The Packers lost to the Eagles on Sunday Night Football.

1. Minnesota Vikings, 9-2
2. Detroit Lions, 4-7
3. Green Bay Packers, 4-8
4. Chicago Bears, 3-9

NFC South

The Falcons lost to the Commanders after coming up short in a goal to go situation late in the fourth quarter. The Panthers impressed against Denver, beating the Broncos 23-10 at home. The Bucs lost to the Browns in overtime. The Saints were shutout by the 49ers.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 5-6
2. Atlanta Falcons, 5-7
3. Carolina Panthers, 4-8
4. New Orleans Saints, 4-8

NFC West

The 49ers shut out the Saints. The Cardinals lost to the Chargers on a last-second two-point conversion attempt and the Rams lost handily to the Chiefs. The Seahawks lost to the Raiders in overtime.

1. San Francisco 49ers, 7-4
2. Seattle Seahawks, 6-5
3. Arizona Cardinals, 4-8
4. Los Angeles Rams, 3-8