NFL playoff picture: Bills clinch something no other team has in 2024

Every week for the duration of the 2024 NFL regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the league’s ever-evolving playoff picture − starting after Sunday afternoon’s late games and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 5.

Here’s where things stand with Week 13 of the 2024 season nearly complete:

AFC playoff picture

x – 1. Kansas City Chiefs (11-1), AFC West leaders: Yet another close shave as they narrowly escaped the Raiders 19-17 on Black Friday. But that was still sufficient to convey this season’s first clinched playoff berth to the reigning champs, who are pursuing the first-ever Super Bowl three-peat. The Bills’ head-to-head tiebreaker advantage still means K.C. can’t afford to backslide at all – but they can only slip so far at this point. Next up? The Chiefs can win their division for the ninth consecutive time by handling the Bolts on Sunday night. Remaining schedule: vs. Chargers, at Browns, vs. Texans, at Steelers, at Broncos

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y – 2. Buffalo Bills (10-2), AFC East champions: No better way to win a fifth straight division title, and the league’s first in 2024, than by sparkling in lake effect snow in front of a national television audience – and with QB Josh Allen further bolstering his MVP bona fides amid his club’s seventh consecutive victory. And, with that potentially pivotal tiebreaker against the Chiefs in hand, the Bills could soon steer the road to Super Bowl 59 through Western New York. Remaining schedule: at Rams, at Lions, vs. Patriots, vs. Jets, at Patriots

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3), AFC North leaders: They didn’t cruise Sunday at Cincinnati but are cruising toward a postseason return. The question in the short term will be whether they can get back into the race for the No. 1 seed and/or if they’ll have to fend off Baltimore for the divisional title given the tough upcoming games the Steelers face. Remaining schedule: vs. Browns, at Eagles, at Ravens, vs. Chiefs, vs. Bengals

4. Houston Texans (8-5), AFC South leaders: They were unimpressive in many ways Sunday but did get back into the win column to maintain what’s effectively a three-game lead over Indy in the division due to Houston’s season sweep of the Colts. Remaining schedule: BYE, vs. Dolphins, at Chiefs, vs. Ravens, at Titans

5. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4), wild card No. 1: Beating Atlanta on Sunday doesn’t assure the Bolts a playoff berth yet, even after they overtook Baltimore. But they’ll have to do a lot of ‘Charger-ing’ to cough up a golden opportunity in Year 1 under HC Jim Harbaugh … though they will face more playoff-caliber squads the next three weeks. Remaining schedule: at Chiefs, vs. Buccaneers, vs. Broncos, at Patriots, at Raiders

6. Baltimore Ravens (8-5), wild card No. 2: Sunday’s loss to Philadelphia further jeopardizes any shot they have at the AFC North crown and a playoff game in Charm City. Remaining schedule: BYE, at Giants, vs. Steelers, at Texans, vs. Browns

7. Denver Broncos (7-5), wild card No. 3: Their hold on the AFC’s last berth continues to harden and should continue to do so in the coming weeks … unless they manage to jump the Chargers. But even with a win Monday night, they won’t surpass the Ravens, who trounced Denver in Week 9. Remaining schedule: vs. Browns, BYE, vs. Colts, at Chargers, at Bengals, vs. Chiefs

8. Indianapolis Colts (6-7), in the hunt: They get a week off after a gutsy win in New England on Sunday. Their Week 15 trip to Denver could be truly massive if Cleveland provides help by beating the Broncos on Monday night. Remaining schedule: BYE, at Broncos, vs. Titans, at Giants, vs. Jaguars

9. Miami Dolphins (5-7), in the hunt: QB Tua Tagovailoa was excited to ‘kill narratives’ Thursday night … like the one that says the Fins can’t win in cold weather or late in the season. Welp. Miami’s three-game win streak ended in Lambeau Field, and its playoff hopes also took a crippling hit. Remaining schedule: vs. Jets, at Texans, vs. 49ers, at Browns, at Jets

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NFC playoff picture

1. Detroit Lions (11-1), NFC North leaders: They were fortunate to fend off the Bears 23-20 on Thanksgiving for the first 11-1 start in franchise history. The victory keeps the Lions in the conference lead, but subsequent circumstances pushed their ability to clinch anything into Week 14. Remaining schedule: vs. Packers, vs. Bills, at Bears, at 49ers, vs. Vikings

2. Philadelphia Eagles (10-2), NFC East leaders: They’re officially a clear and present danger to Detroit and might run away, a la RB Saquon Barkley, with this division. But first, they’ll hope to catch the Lions in Week 14. Remaining schedule: vs. Panthers, vs. Steelers, at Commanders, vs. Cowboys, vs. Giants

3. Seattle Seahawks (7-5), NFC West leaders: Sunday’s comeback against the Jets gave them a one-game lead in a hotly contest division likely to send just one team to postseason. Remaining schedule: at Cardinals, vs. Packers, vs. Vikings, at Bears, at Rams

4. Atlanta Falcons (6-6), NFC South leaders: Their margin for error is gone after collapsing at home Sunday to the Chargers. A season sweep of the Bucs is the only reason Atlanta remains in first place. Remaining schedule: at Vikings, at Raiders, vs. Giants, at Commanders, vs. Panthers

5. Minnesota Vikings (10-2), wild card No. 1: They continue to win ugly – including Sunday’s escape from Arizona – yet are also on a five-game heater any team would consider beautiful. It may not seem like Vikes are a threat to win their division, yet they’re only one game back of Detroit in the NFC North. Remaining schedule: vs. Falcons, vs. Bears, at Seahawks, vs. Packers, at Lions

6. Green Bay Packers (9-3), wild card No. 2: After handling the warm-weather Dolphins in Lambeau’s sub-freezing temperatures Thursday, the Pack also remain relevant in the NFC North while further cementing another postseason bid. Huge game in Motown on Thursday night. Remaining schedule: at Lions, at Seahawks, vs. Saints, at Vikings, vs. Bears

7. Washington Commanders (8-5), wild card No. 3: They snapped a three-game losing streak in spectacular style with Sunday’s 23-point blowout of Tennessee while putting a bit of distance between themselves and the conference’s other wild-card hopefuls. However a week off, good as it should be for the roster’s health, may not be kind to Washington’s cushion. Remaining schedule: BYE, at Saints, vs. Eagles, vs. Falcons, at Cowboys

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6), in the hunt: Sunday was nearly disastrous … until they finally vanquished the plucky Panthers in overtime. Now, the Bucs are virtually tied with the Falcons atop the NFC South, and their conference record (6-3) pushes them past Arizona (3-5) in the overall NFC standings. Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, at Chargers, at Cowboys, vs. Panthers, vs. Saints

9. Arizona Cardinals (6-6), in the hunt: They blew a golden opportunity Sunday in Minnesota but must regroup for Week 14, when they’ll face NFC West-leading Seattle for second time in two weeks. Remaining schedule: vs. Seahawks, vs. Patriots, at Panthers, at Rams, vs. 49ers

10. Los Angeles Rams (6-6), in the hunt: They won in New Orleans on Sunday but remain behind the Cards, who buried them in Week 2. Remaining schedule: vs. Bills, at 49ers, at Jets, vs. Cardinals, vs. Seahawks

11. San Francisco 49ers (5-7), in the hunt: What’s quickly become a cursed season continued Sunday night in the Buffalo snow, where RB Christian McCaffrey hurt his knee … and maybe put the Niners’ flickering postseason aspirations on injured reserve. Remaining schedule: vs. Bears, vs. Rams, at Dolphins, vs. Lions, at Cardinals

12. Dallas Cowboys (5-7), in the hunt: Hand it to Mike McCarthy’s crew – they’re not dying easy, when it would be quite easy, at this point, to do exactly that. Their latest win – and first at home this year – over the Giants on Thanksgiving moved them up, yet not past the 49ers, who won the team’s Week 8 matchup. Dallas’ near-term goal? Get back to .500 and see what happens from there. Remaining schedule: vs. Bengals, at Panthers, vs. Buccaneers, at Eagles, vs. Commanders

NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention in 2024

x – clinched playoff berth

y – clinched division

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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.