The NFL playoffs are usually not but underway.
However in some ways, they started on Saturday evening.
Week 18 of the 2023 NFL common season started with two essential AFC video games, the place one workforce was already in and resting starters, whereas the opposite three had been preventing for his or her playoff lives.
Within the early sport, the Pittsburgh Steelers stored their playoff hopes alive with a win over the Baltimore Ravens. As outlined in our breakdown of all of the Week 18 playoff situations, the Steelers can get in with both a Buffalo Payments loss to the Miami Dolphins, or a Jacksonville Jaguars loss to the Tennessee Titans.
Then on Saturday evening, the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts squared off in a “win and in” sport, with the winner clinching a playoff spot, and the loser struggling elimination. The sport lived as much as the hype and got here all the way down to the ultimate minutes, however finally the Texans emerged victorious by a last rating of 23-17.
Listed here are how issues stand heading into the ultimate day of the 2023 NFL common season.
NFC
In proper now
1. San Francisco 49ers (12-4) – z*
Remaining sport: Rams
2. Dallas Cowboys (11-5) – x
Remaining sport: at Commanders
3. Detroit Lions (11-5) – z
Remaining sport: Vikings
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8)
Remaining sport: at Panthers
5. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) – x
Remaining sport: at Giants
6. Los Angeles Rams (9-7) – y
Remaining sport: at 49ers
7. Inexperienced Bay Packers (8-8)
Remaining sport: Bears
Within the hunt
8. Seattle Seahawks (8-8)
Remaining sport: at Cardinals
9. New Orleans Saints (8-8)
Remaining sport: Falcons
10. Minnesota Vikings (7-9)
Remaining sport: at Lions
11. Chicago Bears (7-9) – e
Remaining sport: at Packers
12. Atlanta Falcons (7-9)
Remaining sport: at Saints
z – Clinched division
x – Clinched playoff spot
y – Clinched Wild Card
e – Eradicated
* – Clinched homefield benefit
NFC playoff matchups if the postseason began right now
If the NFC playoffs started right now, these can be the three matchups on Wild Card Weekend:
- Inexperienced Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys
- Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions
- Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The San Francisco 49ers have clinched the first-overall seed, and the first-round bye, within the NFC.
The NFC playoff image will likely be up to date after Sunday’s video games. For extra now what’s at stake Sunday within the NFC, all of the playoff and elimination situations are outlined right here.
AFC
In proper now
1. Baltimore Ravens (13-4) – z*
2. Miami Dolphins (11-5) – x
Remaining sport: Payments
3. Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (10-6)
Remaining sport: at Chargers
4. Houston Texans (10-7) – x
5. Cleveland Browns (11-5) – y
Remaining sport: at Bengals
6. Buffalo Payments (10-6)
Remaining sport: at Dolphins
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
Within the hunt
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7)
Remaining sport: at Titans
Eradicated
9. Indianapolis Colts (9-7) – e
z- Clinched division
x – Clinched playoff spot
y – Clinched Wild Card
* – Clinched homefield benefit
e – Eradicated
AFC playoff matchups if the postseason began proper now
If the AFC playoffs started right now, these can be the three matchups on Wild Card Weekend:
- Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins
- Buffalo Payments at Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
- Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans
Within the earlier sport, the Steelers stored their playoff hopes alive with a win over the Ravens. In the meanwhile, Pittsburgh sits within the seventh spot within the AFC, however will want some assist to remain there. The Steelers want both a loss by the Payments, or a loss or tie by the Jaguars, to get into the playoffs.
But when each Jacksonville and Buffalo win on Sunday, the Steelers are out.
As for the Texans, for the time being they’re within the playoffs because the fourth seed, and winners of the AFC South, due to their win over the Colts. To remain there, nonetheless, they are going to want Jacksonville to both lose or tie towards Tennessee on Sunday. If Jacksonville wins, nonetheless, then the Texans will drop into the seventh spot forward of Sunday Evening Soccer.
Within the situation the place the Jaguars win, a Payments win will hold them within the seventh spot, but when the Payments lose to the Dolphins, then Buffalo is out, the Steelers are in because the seventh seed, and the Texans are in because the sixth seed.
With their loss Saturday evening, the Colts are eradicated.
The AFC playoff image will likely be up to date after Sunday’s video games. For extra now what’s at stake Sunday within the AFC, all of the playoff and elimination situations are outlined right here.