The NFL wrapped up its Week 6 action with a ‘Monday Night Football’ doubleheader, where the Atlanta Falcons beat the Buffalo Bills and the Chicago Bears earned a victory over the Washington Commanders.
With those contests in the books, the NFL season is now a third of the way over.
That seems like as good a time as any to take a way-too-early look at the league’s playoff picture – though plenty of fans will surely echo Jim Mora’s notorious press conference tirade in response to that notion.
At present, the NFL’s playoff picture is looking a lot different from what many expected entering the season.
On the AFC side of the bracket, Super Bowl favorites like the Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens are presently on the outside looking in. Meanwhile, the surprising Indianapolis Colts are occupying the conference’s No. 1 seed while the New England Patriots are ahead of the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East title race.
There aren’t as many surprises on the NFC side of the bracket, but the NFC West currently has three times inside the field of seven, while the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles are now the conference’s No. 4 seed after back-to-back losses.
Below is a look at the current NFL playoff picture and what the field would look like if the postseason began today.
NFL playoff picture
AFC playoff picture
Indianapolis Colts (5-1, AFC South leaders)
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1, AFC North leaders)
Los Angeles Chargers (4-2, AFC West leaders)
New England Patriots (4-2, AFC East leaders)
Buffalo Bills (4-2, wild card No. 1)
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2, wild card No. 2)
Denver Broncos (4-2, wild card No. 3)
In the hunt: Kansas City Chiefs (3-3), Houston Texans (2-3), Cincinnati Bengals (2-4), Las Vegas Raiders (2-4), Baltimore Ravens (1-5), Miami Dolphins (1-5), Cleveland Browns (1-5), Tennessee Titans (1-5), New York Jets (0-6).
NFC playoff picture
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1, NFC South leaders)
Green Bay Packers (3-1-1, NFC North leaders)
San Francisco 49ers (4-2, NFC West leaders)
Philadelphia Eagles (4-2, NFC East leaders)
Seattle Seahawks (4-2, wild card No. 1)
Detroit Lions (4-2, wild card No. 2)
Los Angeles Rams (4-2, wild card No. 3)
In the hunt: Atlanta Falcons (3-2), Minnesota Vikings (3-2), Chicago Bears (3-2), Carolina Panthers (3-3), Washington Commanders (3-3), Dallas Cowboys (2-3-1), Arizona Cardinals (2-4), New York Giants (2-4), New Orleans Saints (1-5).
Projected NFL playoff matchups entering Week 7
AFC playoff bracket
1. Indianapolis Colts (5-1), BYE
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) vs. 7. Denver Broncos (4-2)
3. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2) vs. 6. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)
4. New England Patriots (4-2) vs. 5. Buffalo Bills (4-2)
NFC playoff bracket
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1), BYE
2. Green Bay Packers (3-1-1) vs. 7. Los Angeles Rams (4-2)
3. San Francisco 49ers (4-2) vs. 6. Detroit Lions (4-2)
4. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2) vs. 5. Seattle Seahawks (4-2)
