Here’s how the NFL playoff picture looks with Week 18 complete:
x – clinched berth
y – clinched division
z – clinched first-round bye and home-field advantage
* – includes special NFL provision
AFC
yz* – 1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-3), AFC West champions: They were among several teams impacted by the NFL’s decision Thursday night to cancel Week 17’s Bills-Bengals game in the aftermath of Buffalo S Damar Hamlin’s on-field collapse and subsequent hospitalization. Kansas City did secure the No. 1 seed by crushing the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday, however, the Chiefs aren’t guaranteed to remain at Arrowhead Stadium throughout January. The Bills’ win Sunday means they would meet the Chiefs at a neutral site for the AFC championship game if both teams advance that far. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and his competition committee laid out some recommendations – approved by league clubs Friday – that prevented Hamlin’s situation from forcing the Bills to travel to Arrowhead given Buffalo would have won the No. 1 seed by beating Cincinnati in Week 17 had the game been completed. Next week: Bye
y* – 2. Buffalo Bills (13-3), AFC East champions: They locked into the second spot Sunday by defeating the New England Patriots. The Bills also won at Kansas City in Week 6 and earned the seemingly pivotal head-to-head tiebreaker, so Goodell’s solution ensures Hamlin’s collapse won’t mean the Bills could get eliminated in K.C. for a third straight year. Next week: vs. Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET Sunday (CBS, Paramount+)
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y – 3. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4), AFC North champions: The cancellation of their game with Buffalo gave reigning AFC champs consecutive division crowns. Sunday’s defeat of Baltimore ensured their wild-card matchup with the Ravens will also take place at Paycor Stadium rather than being determined by a coin flip. Next week: vs. Ravens, 8:15 p.m. ET Sunday (NBC, Peacock, Universo)
y – 4. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8), AFC South champions: They won their first division title since 2017, also the last year the Jags reached postseason, by eliminating the Tennessee Titans on Saturday in a de facto division title game. Next week: vs. Chargers, 8:15 p.m. ET Saturday (NBC, Peacock, Universo)
x – 5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-7), wild card No. 1: Playoff participants for the first time in four years, they’re headed to Jacksonville next week for their wild-card matchup. They’ll finish fifth in the conference because their record in AFC games (7-5) is better than Baltimore’s. Remaining schedule: at Broncos Next week: at Jaguars, 8:15 p.m. ET Saturday (NBC, Peacock, Universo)
x – 6. Baltimore Ravens (10-7), wild card No. 2: Their loss in Cincinnati on Sunday removed the possibility of a coin flip determining the site of next week’s wild-card game – which will be in Cincinnati … though the Ravens might get QB Lamar Jackson back for that one. Next week: at Bengals, 8:15 p.m. ET Sunday (NBC, Peacock, Universo)
x – 7. Miami Dolphins (9-8), wild card No. 3: QB3 Skylar Thompson led them to a 11-6 win over the New York Jets on Sunday, ending a five-game slide and eliminating the Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s only Miami’s third playoff berth in the past 21 seasons. Next week: at Bills, 1 p.m. ET Sunday (CBS, Paramount+)
NFC
yz – 1. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3), NFC East champions: Finally locked up conference’s bye week and home-field advantage Sunday, their third attempt at doing so. Philly’s 14 regular-season wins are a new franchise record. Next week: Bye
y – 2. San Francisco 49ers (13-4), NFC West champions: Their 10-2 record in intraconference games moves them ahead of Minnesota for No. 2 seed. Next week: vs. Seahawks, 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday (FOX, FOX Deportes)
y – 3. Minnesota Vikings (13-4), NFC North champions: Once in mix for No. 1 seed, they finish third after briefly holding the second spot Sunday. Vikes beat Giants, their next opponent, 27-24 in Week 16. Next week: vs. Giants, 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday (FOX, FOX Deportes)
y – 4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9), NFC South champions: Back-to-back division champs for the first time in team history, Bucs were locked into fourth seed last week, so Sunday’s loss at Atlanta didn’t impact them. Next week: vs. Cowboys, 8:15 p.m. ET Monday (ESPN/ABC, ESPN2-Manningcast, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes)
x – 5. Dallas Cowboys (12-5), wild card No. 1: Ultimately, they could not have made up ground Sunday, but getting spanked in Washington was hardly a momentum builder going into Tampa. Next week: at Buccaneers, 8:15 p.m. ET Monday (ESPN/ABC, ESPN2-Manningcast, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes)
x – 6. New York Giants (9-7-1), wild card No. 2: Big Blue is back in postseason for the first time since 2016 but had nothing at stake in Philadelphia. Next week: at Vikings, 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday (FOX, FOX Deportes)
x – 7. Seattle Seahawks (9-8), wild card No. 3: The Detroit Lions’ defeat of the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night belatedly paved Seattle’s path to NFC’s final berth after the Seahawks defeated the Los Angeles Rams 19-16 (eliminating Detroit) earlier in the day. Next week: at 49ers, 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday (FOX, FOX Deportes)
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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis.
