Play.
The 55-yard score was scored by Vaughn.
Ke'Shawn Vaughn broke up multiple tackles and sprinted to the end zone for a 55 yard touchdown. (0:30)
11:30 PM.
We're getting somewhere. With 33 games remaining in the season, six teams have already secured playoff berths. The Packers and Cowboys are joined in the field by the Chiefs, Rams, andCardinals. The teams that have been eliminated are the Giants and the Seahawks. There are 24 teams that are still in the running to make the playoffs and possibly win the Super Bowl, the second-most with two weeks left in the season.
Between now and January 9, there will be a lot of drama. We've put together a preview of our weekly snapshot of the NFL's playoff picture, which includes a bit of our own instincts and the Football Power Index (FPI) to give you a sense of the stakes. We'll update how it all worked out on Monday when the Dolphins play the Saints in the final game of the season.
A team that has secured a first-round bye is indicated by the letters X and Y.
Go to:AFC
A group of people.
1. The Kansas City Chiefs are 11-4
The chances to make the playoffs were slim.
The chances to win the division are still alive.
The Chiefs became the first team from the AFC to make the playoffs, but they didn't win their division. Some questioned if the league had figured out the Chiefs. They're in the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season, and they're in a good position to win the home-field advantage for the third consecutive season. They can wrap it up in Week 17 with a win at Cincinnati and a loss to the Dolphins. They have a chance to lock it up.
Remaining schedule is at Broncos.
2. The TennesseeTitans (10-5) are doing well.
There is a 99% chance that the FPI will make the playoffs.
There is a 95 percent chance that the FPI will win the division.
The current projected first-round opponent is the Ravens.
Before Thursday night's comeback victory over the 49ers, the Titans had lost three of their past four games. The win knocked them up one spot in the division, and they remained there after the Bills beat the Pats. If the Colts lose to the Raiders or the Dolphins lose to the Jets, the Colts will win the division. If the Ravens and Dolphins lose to each other, the Ravens and Dolphins can lose to the other teams in Week 16 and the Ravens and Dolphins can lose to the other teams in the playoffs. According to a report by the FPI, Tennessee has a 32% chance of catching the top seed in the conference.
Remaining schedule is at Texans and Dolphins.
3. The Cincinnati team is 9-6.
There are chances that the FPI will make the playoffs.
The chances of the FPI winning the division are 72%.
The current projected first-round opponent is the New Englanders.
At a time when the Ravens have lost four games in a row, the Browns have lost two in a row, and the Steelers have lost four of their past six games, the Bengals are in the top spot in the division. If the Steelers lose to the Browns and theBengals beat the Chiefs, the team will win the division next week. They're ahead of the Bills in the division because of a better conference record.
Remaining schedule is at the Browns.
Play.
The third-most passing yards in a game in NFL history was achieved by the Cincinnati quarterback against the Ravens.
4. The Buffalo Bills have a winning record.
There is a 99% chance that the FPI will make the playoffs.
The chances of the FPI winning the division are 90 percent.
The current projected first-round opponent is the Colts.
The Bills are in control of the AFC East. They're ahead of the Pats because of a one-game advantage in their division record. The division title will not be decided in Week 17 and the division title will be decided in the final week of the season. The Bills are in the best position to win. They will take the title if they win their remaining games. Their chances are loved by the FPI. They can get to the playoffs with a win and a Ravens loss, or with a win and losses by the Raiders and Bolts.
Remaining schedule is against Falcons and Jets.
5. The Indianapolis Colts are 6-9.
There is a chance that the FPI will make the playoffs.
5% of the time, the FPI will win the division.
The current projected first-round opponent is the Bills.
The Colts played without most of their starting offensive line as well as their star LB, but still produced a pretty amazing victory in Arizona. The win allowed the Colts to stay alive in the race for a wild-card spot and strengthened their chances of making the playoffs. At this point, the playoff spot is a lock. The Colts can make the playoffs with a Week 17 win over the Raiders. Indianapolis has won six of its past seven games, and with two more very winnable games on the schedule, it could enter the playoffs on quite a run of success.
Remaining schedule: at Raiders.
6. New England is a team.
There is a good chance that the FPI will make the playoffs.
10% of the time, the FPI will win the division.
The current projected first-round opponent is at the Bengals.
After a seven-game winning streak, the Pats have lost two in a row. The Pats have lost control of the division because they don't trail the Bills by much. The Bills can win their final two games and make it to Week 18 if they do not lose in Week 17 Both teams have manageable schedules the rest of the way, and the Pats have lost their chance to win the division to 10%. The Dolphins can lose to the Raiders in Week 16 or 17 if they want to make the playoffs.
Remaining schedule is at Dolphins.
7. The Baltimore Ravens are 8-7.
42% of the time, the FPI makes the playoffs.
10% of the time, the FPI will win the division.
The current projected first-round match-up is at theTitans.
The Ravens had a long day. They lost their fourth game in a row because they were outmanned on both sides of the ball. The Ravens won the tie-breaker because they had a head-to-head advantage over the Bolts. The Raiders lost to the Bolts in Week 4 of the season. If the Dolphins beat the Saints, the Ravens will fall out of the top seven.
Remaining schedule is against the Rams.
In the hunt for the football team.
The Los Angeles Chargers are 8-7.
Thanks to the head-to-head tie with the Ravens, the Bolts were eliminated from the playoffs after a terrible loss in Houston. Their remaining schedule includes games against Denver and Las Vegas, and their playoff chances have dropped to 38% according to a report.
The Las Vegas Raiders are 8-7
The Raiders have kept their playoff hopes alive with two consecutive wins. The Raiders have a good chance of making the playoffs with two games left against the Colts and Bolts.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 7-7
As bad as the Steelers have been recently, they still have a chance to win the division. They will need to win their remaining games against the Ravens and the Browns, and then lose their final two games. That scenario has a 5% chance of happening. Pittsburgh's playoff odds are at 12%.
The Miami Dolphins are 7-7
The Dolphins can move into the 7 spot with a win over the Saints on Monday night. According to the FPI, they have a 37% chance to win the game. At the moment, Miami's playoff odds are just 10%.
The Cleveland Browns have a losing record.
The truth is that if the Browns win their final two games against Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, they will win the division. 12% chance of that happening and 13% chance of getting into the playoffs, according to the estimates from the FPI.
The Denver Broncos have a losing record.
The Broncos are not out of the woods yet, but they are giving themselves less than 1% chance.
The NFC is a part of the game.
1. The Green Bay Packers are 12-3)
The chances to make the playoffs were slim.
The chances to win the division are still alive.
The Packers faced a lot of different circumstances on Saturday night. The Packers would have faced the possibility of falling out of the top seed in the playoffs if the Cleveland Browns had won at Lambeau Field. If the Cowboys had won the home game against Washington, they would have ascended to the top of the rankings. The Packers kept their home-field advantage in the playoffs, despite being held off by the Browns. They are 20-3 since Matt LaFleur was hired in 2019. Green Bay can get the No. 1 seed next week with a win over the Vikings and a Cowboys loss to the Cards.
Remaining schedule: Vikings and Lions.
Here's how the playoffs looks at the moment and what might happen in the future.
The picture and scenarios of the playoffs.
The interactive NFL Playoff Machine was created by ESPN.
The Football Power Index is a measure of standings.
2. The Dallas Cowboys are 11-4
The chances to make the playoffs were slim.
The chances to win the division are still alive.
The current projected first-round opponent is the Eagles.
An unusual strength-of-victory tie between the Eagles and Cowboys caused by the Raiders' victory over the Broncos caused the Cowboys to win the division. The only thing left for the Cowboys is their seeding. Do they have a chance to get home-field advantage in the playoffs? They have a 16% chance according to the FPI. If the Packers lose to either the Vikings or Lions, the easiest path would be to win their remaining two games.
Remaining schedule is at Eagles.
3. The Los Angeles Rams are 11-4
The chances to make the playoffs were slim.
The chances of the FPI winning the division are 72%.
The current projected first-round opponent is the 49ers.
The Rams took control of the NFC West with their victory over the Vikings on Sunday. The Rams have recovered from a three-game losing streak despite Matthew Stafford throwing three picks Sunday. They can win the division in Week 17 with a win over the Ravens and a loss by the Cowboys.
The remaining schedule is at Ravens and 49ers.
4. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 11-4.
The chances to make the playoffs were slim.
The chances to win the division are still alive.
The current projected first-round opponent is the Cardinals.
The first division championship for the Buccaneers in seven years came on Sunday when they beat the Carolinas. They won the Super Bowl as a wild-card team. The only thing left to decide is their seeding, and that's all. It's probably time to stop thinking about that one, because they have a 4% chance to replace the Packers.
Remaining schedule is at Jets and the Carolinas.
5. The ArizonaCardinals (10-5).
The chances to make the playoffs were slim.
There is a 28% chance that the FPI will win the division.
The current projected first-round opponent is the Buccaneers.
The Rams victory on Sunday made the Cards' spiral out of the top spot in the West even worse. There is still a lot of football to be played, but the three-game losing streak opened a door that they might not be able to close. The Rams are a strong favorite to win the division, and the Cards will need to lose at least one game in the final two weeks to have a chance to regain the lead. They would be facing a wild-card assignment if not for that.
Remaining schedule is at Cowboys.
6. The 49ers are 8-7
70% of the time, the FPI makes the playoffs.
The chances of the FPI winning the division have been eliminated.
The current projected first-round opponent is the Rams.
The 49ers are still in the race for the wild-card spot despite their loss to theTitans. San Francisco remained in the top spot despite the Vikings' loss. The Niners are fortunate to have the Texans on the schedule. They probably don't deserve to be in the playoffs if they can't beat Houston at home in Week 17. If they beat the Texans, they'll win the division with losses by the Saints, Eagles, and Falcons, plus wins by the Falcons and Saints.
Remaining schedule is at Rams.
7. The Philadelphia Eagles are 8-7.
There are a lot of chances for the FPI to make the playoffs.
The chances of the FPI winning the division have been eliminated.
The current projected first-round opponent is the Cowboys.
The Eagles moved to the Vikings after their win over the Giants. Their ascent into a wild-card spot should not be a surprise to those who have watched the race during the second half of the season. The Eagles have won three games in a row and six of their past eight, and only one of those opponents has a winning record. If the Saints win on Monday night, they will move up to No. 6 and stay there if they lose. They can make the playoffs with a win over Washington next week, along with losses by the Vikings, 49ers and Saints.
Remaining schedule is at Washington and the Cowboys.
Play.
The Eagles scored a touchdown when Hurts found Smith next to the pylon.
In the hunt for the nearest store.
The New Orleans Saints are 7-7
Ian Book will start at quarterback for the Saints on Monday. They won't overtake either the Eagles or 49ers even if they beat the Dolphins. New Orleans has a 45% chance of making the playoffs, according to the FPI.
The Minnesota Vikings have a losing record.
The Vikings needed to win their final three games to get into the playoffs. They stumbled in the first of those three, and now have just a 14 percent chance of making the playoffs. The Packers haven't lost a game this season and they'll be looking for revenge in Week 17 at Lambeau Field.
The Atlanta Falcons have a losing record.
The Falcons are back on this list even though they did not play well in their 20-16 win over the Lions. With a 4-7 conference record that puts them behind in most tiebreakers, the Falcons have just a 1% chance of making the playoffs.
The Washington Football Team has a losing record.
The Falcons' chance of moving into a wild-card spot is slightly better than the Washington's, as it has games remaining against the Giants and Eagles.
