NFL Playoff Picture
Updated 2026-10-25T03:38:07.675855+00:00 · ESPN public data
Source: ESPN public standings (records + ESPN playoff seeds). Guide only: not an official clinch or elimination; bubble lines and scenarios use simple wins/points pace and ignore complex tiebreakers.
Your teams
NFL
7 teams per conference make it (4 division winners + 3 wild cards). 17-game season.
American Football Conference
1Kansas City Chiefs5-0In position · No. 1 seed
To make it: Magic number 11: any combination of wins by them + losses by Cincinnati Bengals totaling 11 locks a top-7 spot. Keep pace: about 6 more wins in 12 games (the current 7-seed pace is ~11 wins).
What leaves them out: Falls out if Cincinnati Bengals passes them — they're 2 games clear of the first team out.
2Buffalo Bills5-1In position · No. 2 seed
To make it: Magic number 11: any combination of wins by them + losses by Cincinnati Bengals totaling 11 locks a top-7 spot. Keep pace: about 6 more wins in 11 games (the current 7-seed pace is ~11 wins).
What leaves them out: Falls out if Cincinnati Bengals passes them — they're 2 games clear of the first team out.
3Jacksonville Jaguars4-2In position · No. 3 seed
To make it: Magic number 12: any combination of wins by them + losses by Cincinnati Bengals totaling 12 locks a top-7 spot. Keep pace: about 7 more wins in 11 games (the current 7-seed pace is ~11 wins).
What leaves them out: Falls out if Cincinnati Bengals passes them — they're 1 game clear of the first team out.
4Cleveland Browns4-2In position · No. 4 seed
To make it: Magic number 12: any combination of wins by them + losses by Cincinnati Bengals totaling 12 locks a top-7 spot. Keep pace: about 7 more wins in 11 games (the current 7-seed pace is ~11 wins).
What leaves them out: Falls out if Cincinnati Bengals passes them — they're 1 game clear of the first team out.
5Denver Broncos4-2In position · No. 5 seed
To make it: Magic number 12: any combination of wins by them + losses by Cincinnati Bengals totaling 12 locks a top-7 spot. Keep pace: about 7 more wins in 11 games (the current 7-seed pace is ~11 wins).
What leaves them out: Falls out if Cincinnati Bengals passes them — they're 1 game clear of the first team out.
6Pittsburgh Steelers4-2In position · No. 6 seed
To make it: Magic number 12: any combination of wins by them + losses by Cincinnati Bengals totaling 12 locks a top-7 spot. Keep pace: about 7 more wins in 11 games (the current 7-seed pace is ~11 wins).
What leaves them out: Falls out if Cincinnati Bengals passes them — they're 1 game clear of the first team out.
7Baltimore Ravens4-2In position · No. 7 seed
To make it: Magic number 12: any combination of wins by them + losses by Cincinnati Bengals totaling 12 locks a top-7 spot. Keep pace: about 7 more wins in 11 games (the current 7-seed pace is ~11 wins).
What leaves them out: Falls out if Cincinnati Bengals passes them — they're 1 game clear of the first team out.
8Cincinnati Bengals3-2On the bubble · 1 game back
To make it: Needs ~8 wins in their final 12 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~11 wins), and to stay ahead of Baltimore Ravens.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 5 more of 12 makes ~11 wins impossible.
9New England Patriots4-3On the bubble · 0 games back
To make it: Needs ~7 wins in their final 10 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~11 wins), and to stay ahead of Baltimore Ravens.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 4 more of 10 makes ~11 wins impossible.
10Las Vegas Raiders3-3On the bubble · 1 game back
To make it: Needs ~8 wins in their final 11 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~11 wins), and to stay ahead of Baltimore Ravens.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 4 more of 11 makes ~11 wins impossible.
11New York Jets2-4Out · 2 games back
To make it: Needs ~9 wins in their final 11 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~11 wins), and to stay ahead of Baltimore Ravens.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 3 more of 11 makes ~11 wins impossible.
12Indianapolis Colts2-4Out · 2 games back
To make it: Needs ~9 wins in their final 11 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~11 wins), and to stay ahead of Baltimore Ravens.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 3 more of 11 makes ~11 wins impossible.
13Houston Texans2-4Out · 2 games back
To make it: Needs ~9 wins in their final 11 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~11 wins), and to stay ahead of Baltimore Ravens.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 3 more of 11 makes ~11 wins impossible.
14Tennessee Titans1-5Out · 3 games back
To make it: Needs ~10 wins in their final 11 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~11 wins), and to stay ahead of Baltimore Ravens.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 2 more of 11 makes ~11 wins impossible.
15Miami Dolphins0-5Out · 4 games back
To make it: Needs ~11 wins in their final 12 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~11 wins), and to stay ahead of Baltimore Ravens.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 2 more of 12 makes ~11 wins impossible.
16Los Angeles Chargers0-6Out · 4 games back
To make it: Needs ~11 wins in their final 11 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~11 wins), and to stay ahead of Baltimore Ravens.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 1 more of 11 makes ~11 wins impossible.
National Football Conference
1San Francisco 49ers6-0In position · No. 1 seed
To make it: Magic number 9: any combination of wins by them + losses by Seattle Seahawks totaling 9 locks a top-7 spot. Keep pace: about 4 more wins in 11 games (the current 7-seed pace is ~10 wins).
What leaves them out: Falls out if Seattle Seahawks passes them — they're 3 games clear of the first team out.
2Minnesota Vikings5-0In position · No. 2 seed
To make it: Magic number 10: any combination of wins by them + losses by Seattle Seahawks totaling 10 locks a top-7 spot. Keep pace: about 5 more wins in 12 games (the current 7-seed pace is ~10 wins).
What leaves them out: Falls out if Seattle Seahawks passes them — they're 2 games clear of the first team out.
3Carolina Panthers3-2In position · No. 3 seed
To make it: Magic number 12: any combination of wins by them + losses by Seattle Seahawks totaling 12 locks a top-7 spot. Keep pace: about 7 more wins in 12 games (the current 7-seed pace is ~10 wins).
What leaves them out: Falls out if Seattle Seahawks passes them — they're 0 games clear of the first team out.
4New York Giants3-2-1In position · No. 4 seed
To make it: Magic number 11.5: any combination of wins by them + losses by Seattle Seahawks totaling 11.5 locks a top-7 spot. Keep pace: about 6.5 more wins in 11 games (the current 7-seed pace is ~10 wins).
What leaves them out: Falls out if Seattle Seahawks passes them — they're 0.5 games clear of the first team out.
5Chicago Bears5-2In position · No. 5 seed
To make it: Magic number 10: any combination of wins by them + losses by Seattle Seahawks totaling 10 locks a top-7 spot. Keep pace: about 5 more wins in 10 games (the current 7-seed pace is ~10 wins).
What leaves them out: Falls out if Seattle Seahawks passes them — they're 2 games clear of the first team out.
6Green Bay Packers4-2In position · No. 6 seed
To make it: Magic number 11: any combination of wins by them + losses by Seattle Seahawks totaling 11 locks a top-7 spot. Keep pace: about 6 more wins in 11 games (the current 7-seed pace is ~10 wins).
What leaves them out: Falls out if Seattle Seahawks passes them — they're 1 game clear of the first team out.
7Detroit Lions3-2In position · No. 7 seed
To make it: Magic number 12: any combination of wins by them + losses by Seattle Seahawks totaling 12 locks a top-7 spot. Keep pace: about 7 more wins in 12 games (the current 7-seed pace is ~10 wins).
What leaves them out: Falls out if Seattle Seahawks passes them — they're 0 games clear of the first team out.
8Seattle Seahawks3-3On the bubble · 0 games back
To make it: Needs ~7 wins in their final 11 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~10 wins), and to stay ahead of Detroit Lions.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 5 more of 11 makes ~10 wins impossible.
9Atlanta Falcons2-4On the bubble · 1 game back
To make it: Needs ~8 wins in their final 11 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~10 wins), and to stay ahead of Detroit Lions.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 4 more of 11 makes ~10 wins impossible.
10New Orleans Saints2-4On the bubble · 1 game back
To make it: Needs ~8 wins in their final 11 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~10 wins), and to stay ahead of Detroit Lions.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 4 more of 11 makes ~10 wins impossible.
11Philadelphia Eagles2-4On the bubble · 1 game back
To make it: Needs ~8 wins in their final 11 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~10 wins), and to stay ahead of Detroit Lions.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 4 more of 11 makes ~10 wins impossible.
12Dallas Cowboys2-4On the bubble · 1 game back
To make it: Needs ~8 wins in their final 11 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~10 wins), and to stay ahead of Detroit Lions.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 4 more of 11 makes ~10 wins impossible.
13Arizona Cardinals2-4On the bubble · 1 game back
To make it: Needs ~8 wins in their final 11 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~10 wins), and to stay ahead of Detroit Lions.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 4 more of 11 makes ~10 wins impossible.
14Los Angeles Rams2-4On the bubble · 1 game back
To make it: Needs ~8 wins in their final 11 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~10 wins), and to stay ahead of Detroit Lions.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 4 more of 11 makes ~10 wins impossible.
15Washington Commanders1-4-1Out · 1.5 games back
To make it: Needs ~8.5 wins in their final 11 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~10 wins), and to stay ahead of Detroit Lions.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 3 more of 11 makes ~10 wins impossible.
16Tampa Bay Buccaneers1-5Out · 2 games back
To make it: Needs ~9 wins in their final 11 games to reach the current 7-seed pace (~10 wins), and to stay ahead of Detroit Lions.
What leaves them out: Every loss shrinks the margin: losing 3 more of 11 makes ~10 wins impossible.
How this is calculated
Seeds and records come straight from ESPN public standings. Remaining games = season length − games played. Floor = current wins (or points); ceiling = floor + every remaining game won. Eliminated (math) = ceiling is below the current last playoff spot. Clinched (math) = already ahead of the first team out's ceiling. Magic number = own wins + that chaser's losses needed to lock it. Official tiebreakers (head-to-head, division, conference record, etc.) are not fully resolved, so ties can go either way.
How we figure it: seeds come straight from ESPN's standings feed. "Bubble" and scenario lines are simple points/wins math (pace of the last playoff spot) and ignore tiebreakers, so treat them as a guide, not an official clinch/elimination. Refreshed with the site's ESPN data cadence.