NFL Playoff Picture: Bears kings of the North once again
The NFL's postseason is on the horizon, but, based on Week 15's action, the regular season isn't out of drama just yet.
The Chicago Bears earned the NFC North title for the first time since 2010, while the Los Angeles Chargers locked up at least a wild-card spot Thursday. Here's how the rest of the playoff picture shapes up after Sunday's slate:
AFC
| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chiefs (x) | West | 11-3 |
| 2 | Texans | South | 10-4 |
| 3 | Patriots | East | 9-5 |
| 4 | Steelers | North | 8-5-1 |
| 5 | Chargers (x) | West | 11-3 |
| 6 | Ravens | North | 8-6 |
x = clinched playoff berth
y = clinched division title
z = clinched first-round bye
Does anyone want home-field advantage? The Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots both lost this week, opening the door for the Houston Texans and Chargers to secure a first-round bye in the final weeks of the season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers snapped a three-game losing streak against the Patriots to keep their hopes of winning the AFC North alive, though the Baltimore Ravens remain hot on their heels.
In the hunt
| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Colts | South | 8-6 |
| 8 | Titans | South | 8-6 |
| 9 | Dolphins | East | 7-7 |
| 10 | Browns | North | 6-7-1 |
The Indianapolis Colts cemented their status as the biggest threat to break into the AFC playoff group by shutting out the Dallas Cowboys, but they still need one of the two AFC North teams to drop a game to make the playoffs for the first time since a 2014 AFC title game appearance.
The Tennessee Titans are right there with the Colts after shutting out their own NFC East opponent, the New York Giants. A Week 17 showdown with Indy looms large. The Dolphins and Browns are holding on by a thread; Cleveland's only shot of making the playoffs involves the two AFC South teams tying in their regular-season finale.
NFC
| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saints (xy) | South | 11-2 |
| 2 | Rams (xy) | West | 11-3 |
| 3 | Bears (xy) | North | 10-4 |
| 4 | Cowboys | East | 8-6 |
| 5 | Seahawks | West | 8-6 |
| 6 | Vikings | North | 7-6-1 |
x = clinched playoff berth
y = clinched division title
z = clinched first-round bye
The Los Angeles Rams, once apparent locks for a first-round bye, now find themselves within the Chicago Bears' reach after another disappointing performance against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Bears will need the Rams to drop one more game, with the San Francisco 49ers in Los Angeles' season finale likely their best bet. Elsewhere, the red-hot Cowboys lost for the first time since Week 9. Dallas is still in charge of its playoff fate, though, and just needs one more win to secure the NFC East.
The Minnesota Vikings are one step closer to a wild-card spot after a win over the Miami Dolphins, while the Seattle Seahawks missed out on a chance to secure their postseason place, though a lot of things will need to go wrong during the final weeks for them to be usurped by the chasing teams.
In the hunt
| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Redskins | East | 7-7 |
| 8 | Eagles | East | 7-7 |
| 9 | Panthers | South | 6-7 |
The Washington Redskins, somewhat miraculously considering their injury misfortune, remain in contention for a wild-card spot after Josh Johnson earned his first career win. The NFC East is still technically up for grabs, but Washington needs to win out and Dallas to lose out - an unlikely scenario with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Giants upcoming for the Cowboys.
The Philadelphia Eagles lost both games to Dallas, so a wild-card spot is likely their only route to keeping their title defense alive into the postseason after saving their campaign by upsetting the Rams on Sunday Night Football.
The Carolina Panthers face what's essentially a do-or-die game Monday night against the Saints.