USA Today- January 2, 2023- NFL Play off Picture.Here’s how the NFL playoff picture looks with Week 17’s Sunday games complete.

X+ clinched berth

y- clinched division

AFC

y – 1. Kansas City Chiefs (13-3), AFC West champions: A Buffalo loss to Cincinnati opens gate for K.C. to snatch No. 1 seed, an objective currently impeded by Chiefs’ Week 6 loss to Bills. Remaining schedule: at Raiders

y – 2. Buffalo Bills (12-3), AFC East champions: Must win at Cincinnati on Monday to retain inside track for AFC’s first-round bye and home-field advantage. Fall to the Bengals, and Buffalo could slip to third place in conference. Remaining schedule: at Bengals, vs. Patriots

x – 3. Cincinnati Bengals (11-4), AFC North leaders: If they can beat Buffalo and wind up in a three-way tie with Bills and Chiefs, reigning conference champs would earn home field and first-round bye. A win Monday would convey AFC North championship to Cincinnati. Remaining schedule: vs. Bills,

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8), AFC South leaders:They ended five-year drought against the Houston Texans with Sunday’s decisive victory … but it had little bearing on Jags’ playoff chances. The division title will be determined against Tennessee in Week 18. Remaining schedule:vs. Titans

x – 5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6), wild card No. 1: Playoff participants for the first time in four years, all that’s left to be determined is which divisional champion Bolts will visit in opening round. Now fifth in the AFC because their record in AFC games is better than Baltimore’s, LA won’t be seeded worse than sixth. Remaining schedule: at Broncos

x – 6. Baltimore Ravens (10-6), wild card No. 2: A Cincinnati loss Monday ensures Ravens and Bengals will play AFC North championship game in Week 18. Remaining schedule: at Bengals

  1. New England Patriots (8-8), wild card No. 3:Not only staved off elimination by beating Miami on Sunday, Pats will advance to the playoffs by winning next Sunday. Remaining schedule:at Bills
  2. Miami Dolphins (8-8), out of playoff field:Five-game slide and QB Tua Tagovailoa’s latest concussion leave their postseason hopes in jeopardy, Sunday’s loss at Foxborough dropping Fins out of projected postseason bracket. However a win next week coupled with a New England loss will advance Miami. Remaining schedule: vs. Jets
  3. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8), out of playoff field:Big win Sunday night at Baltimore. If Steelers beat Cleveland in Week 18 and Bills and Jets both win, then Pittsburgh will qualify for AFC’s final wild card. Remaining schedule:vs. Browns

Note: The New York Jets (7-9) are currently in 10th place overall in the AFC but have been eliminated from playoff contention.

  1. Tennessee Titans (7-9), out of playoff field:They essentially treated Thursday night’s loss to Dallas like a preseason game given it’s the Week 18 matchup with Jacksonville that will determine AFC South crown. Remaining schedule:at Jaguars

NFC

x – 1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3), NFC East leaders: They’re 0-for-2 without injured QB Jalen Hurts, failing twice to wrap up NFC’s No. 1 seed. But Philly can still do it in Week 18 against a Giants team ticketed for sixth seed and with little to play for before wild-card round. Remaining schedule: vs. Giants

y – 2. San Francisco 49ers (12-4), NFC West champions: Escaping from Las Vegas with an overtime win and eliminating Raiders leaves them with chance at NFC’s top seed thanks to their 9-2 record in intraconference games. Niners still need a win next week coupled with a Philadelphia loss. Remaining schedule: vs. Cardinals

y – 3. Minnesota Vikings (12-4), NFC North champions: Sunday’s crushing loss at Green Bay means they can’t earn No. 1 seed. Remaining schedule: at Bears

y – 4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8), NFC South champions: Hasn’t been a pretty year, but Sunday’s win against Carolina eliminated the Panthers and gave Bucs consecutive divisional crowns for the first time in franchise history. Remaining schedule: at Falcons

x – 5. Dallas Cowboys (12-4), wild card No. 1: If they win in Week 18 and Eagles don’t, America’s Team swoops to NFC East throne. Cowboys also have a road to No. 1 seed if they beat Washington – Philly must obviously lose its last two games – and finish tied atop conference with Minnesota. Remaining schedule: at Commanders

x – 6. New York Giants (9-6-1), wild card No. 2: Big Blue is back in postseason for first time since 2016 thanks to Sunday’s win. Remaining schedule: at Eagles

  1. Seattle Seahawks (8-8), wild card No. 3:They remained alive by eliminating the New York Jets on Sunday but don’t control their postseason fate despite currently residing in the seventh spot. Seahawks must win in Week 18 and hope Packers lose. Remaining schedule:vs. Rams 
  2. Detroit Lions (8-8), out of playoff field:They need a win at Green Bay and a Seahawks defeat in Week 18 to reach postseason. Week 4 loss to Seattle may ultimately come back to haunt them. Remaining schedule: at Packers
  3. Green Bay Packers (8-8), out of playoff field:They’ve gotten plenty of outside assistance past few weeks, but biggest aid has come internally courtesy of Pack’s four-game winning streak, including Sunday over Minnesota. If they beat Detroit in Week 18, Pack will be in the playoffs for the fourth time in four years under coach Matt LaFleur because their record in NFC games would be 7-5 – one better than Seattle even if the Seahawks topple the Rams in the regular-season finale. Remaining schedule:vs. Lions