NFL playoff picture: Updated AFC, NFC standings for Week 11 of 2025 season originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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What 14 teams are positioned to make the NFL playoffs in the 2025 regular season, from the eight division winners to six total wild cards? What would the seeding look like in the race for Super Bowl 60?
Here are those answers in Sporting News’ latest look at how the postseason field is coming together in both conferences after the Week 11 Thursday night game:
MORE WEEK 11 NFL:
NFL playoff picture for Week 11
AFC
1. New England Patriots 9-2 (first place, AFC East)
The Patriots won their eighth straight game, beating the division rival Jets at home on Thursday night. They are ahead of the Colts (bye) and Broncos (vs. Chiefs) by a half-game. New England would drop to No. 2 should Denver, which has the better conference record, beats Kansas City on Sunday.
2. Indianapolis Colts 8-2 (first place, AFC South)
The Colts, on a Week 11 bye before playing the Chiefs in Kansas City nest Sunday, will either stay here behind the Patriots or also drop to a half-game behind the Broncos. They have a 6-1 conference record and also have beaten the Broncos to help their chances for the top seed in Week 12 and beyond.
3. Denver Broncos 8-2 (first place, AFC West)
The Broncos are up 1.5 games on the Chargers and 2.5 games up on the Chiefs, whom they host in Denver in Week 11. They know they won’t lose the division lead after the Chargers lost, but the Chiefs can get closer with a win in Denver.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers 6-4 (first place, AFC North)
The Steelers now lead their division by 1.5 games over the Ravens and three games over the Bengals. Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati in Week 11 and kept this spot with a win.
5. Buffalo Bills 7-3 (second place, AFC East)
The Bills remain 1.5 games behind the Patriots, who beat the Jets on Thursday night, after answering with a big home win over the Buccaneers at home on Sunday.
5. Los Angeles Chargers 7-4 (second place, AFC West)
The Chargers suffered a difficult defeat on the road in Jacksonville, keeping them from moving up in the division to keep pace with either the Broncos or Chiefs. They dropped behind the Bills with the loss to the Jaguars.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars 6-4 (second place, AFC South)
The Jaguars are in this spot because they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Chiefs, as they beat them at home in Week 4. They beat the Chargers to stay ahead of the Chiefs and should be less worried about the Texans and Ravens behind them.
Who’s in the hunt?
8. Kansas City Chiefs (5-4)
9. Houston Texans (5-5)
10. Baltimore Ravens (4-5)
11. Miami Dolphins (4-7)
12. Cincinnati Bengals (3-7)
The Chiefs won’t get into playoff position with a win over the Broncos in Denver because of the Jaguars winning. A loss would drop Kansas City back to .500 and put its chances at a 10th consecutive division title in serious jeopardy and leave hard work remaining to assure at least a playoff spot.
Who’s left?
13. Las Vegas Raiders (2-7)
14. Cleveland Browns (2-7)
15. New York Jets (2-8)
16. Tennessee Titans (1-9)
The Jets fell behind the Raiders and Browns with their loss. They also got closer to the Titans and the conference cellar.
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NFC
1. Philadelphia Eagles 7-2 (first place, NFC East)
The Eagles don’t need to worry about the division title as they should clinch a repeat soon. They hold this spot by a conference-record tiebreaker (6-1 vs. 4-2) over the Seahawks. They need to beat the Lions on Sunday to avoid dropping out of this spot.
2. Seattle Seahawks 7-2 (first place, NFC West)
The Seahawks lead the same-record Rams by the division-record tiebreaker (2-1 vs. 1-1). They also travel to play the Rams in Los Angeles on Sunday, where they will go up a full game or go down a full game, barring an overtime tie.
3. Chicago Bears 7-3 (second place, NFC North)
The Bears will either jump the Lions into this spot going into Week 12 or keep pace with the Lions by beating the division rival Vikings in Minnesota on Sunday in late comeback fashion. They also needed the win to stay ahead of the Packers.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6-4 (first place, NFC South)
The Buccaneers lead the .500 Panthers by only a half-game now as they work to win their fifth consecutive division title. They failed a tough test to put them in more precarious position in the quest for a fifth consecutive division title, losing to the Bills in Buffalo.
5. Los Angeles Rams 7-2 (second place, NFC West)
The Rams would get back into first place with a home win over the Seahawks. They are looking good for at least a wild card and are 1.5 games up on the 49ers after beating them in San Francisco to split the season series in Week 10.
6. Detroit Lions 6-3 (first place, NFC North)
The Lions, before Sunday night’s game in Philadelphia, fell a half-game behind the winning Bears and stayed half-game ahead the winning Packers. They also beat the No. 4 Buccaneers head-to-head. They have a tough test at the Eagles in trying to either stay in or improve from this spot.
7. Green Bay Packers 6-3-1 (third place, NFC North)
The Packers ended their two-game losing streak with Jordan Love rallying the offense to late victory over the Giants despite losing running back Josh Jacobs to a knee injury. That kept them in solid playoff position ahead of the 49ers and other wild-card hopefuls behind them.
Who’s in the hunt?
8. San Francisco 49ers 6-4
9. Carolina Panthers 6-5
10. Minnesota Vikings 4-6
11. Dallas Cowboys 3-5-1
12. Arizona Cardinals 3-6
13. Atlanta Falcons 3-6
14. Washington Commanders 3-8
The 49ers have little margin for error for their injury-riddled season after falling here in Week 10. They need to get hot again, starting with the Cardinals on the road. The Vikings keep hurting their chances to make a late playoff run in the loaded NFC North.
Who’s left?
15. New Orleans Saints 2-8
16. New York Giants 2-9
The Saints and Giants are right there in the running for the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2026 with the Jets and Titans.
