NFL playoff picture: Chiefs’ postseason hopes are increasingly bleak

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NFL playoff picture: Chiefs’ postseason hopes are increasingly bleak

Bailey Bassett, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Tue, Dec 9, 2025 ·

7 min read

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In the AFC, fans have long assumed the Kansas City Chiefs would figure things out and storm their way into the NFL playoff picture. The team lost yet again in Week 14, and the hole they've dug themselves into is starting to look too deep to climb out of.

In the NFC, the No. 1 seed is an ever-revolving door. The Chicago Bears lost their spot atop the conference after losing to the Green Bay Packers , but it is the Los Angeles Rams who are currently slated for a first-round bye. So, how does the NFL playoff picture stack up heading into Week 15?

AFC standings

Denver Broncos , 11-2, AFC West
New England Patriots , 11-2, AFC East
Jacksonville Jaguars , 9-4, AFC South
Pittsburgh Steelers , 7-6, AFC North
Los Angeles Chargers , 9-4, AFC West
Buffalo Bills , 9-4, AFC East
Houston Texans , 8-5, AFC South
Indianapolis Colts , 8-5, AFC South
Baltimore Ravens , 6-7, AFC North
Kansas City Chiefs , 6-7, AFC West
Miami Dolphins 6-7, AFC East
Cincinnati Bengals , 4-9, AFC North
New York Jets , 3-10, AFC East
Cleveland Browns , 3-10, AFC North
Las Vegas Raiders , 2-11, AFC West
Tennessee Titans , 2-11, AFC South

NFC standings

Los Angeles Rams, 10-3, NFC West
Green Bay Packers, 9-3-1, NFC North
Philadelphia Eagles , 8-5, NFC East
Tampa Bay Buccaneers , 7-6, NFC South
Seattle Seahawks , 10-3, NFC West
San Francisco 49ers , 9-4, NFC West
Chicago Bears , 9-4, NFC North
Detroit Lions , 8-5, NFC North
Carolina Panthers , 7-6, NFC South
Dallas Cowboys , 6-6-1, NFC East
Minnesota Vikings , 5-8, NFC North
Atlanta Falcons , 4-9, NFC South
Arizona Cardinals , 3-10, NFC West
New Orleans Saints , 3-10, NFC South
Washington Commanders , 3-10, NFC East
New York Giants , 2-11, NFC East

AFC playoff teams

The Denver Broncos and New England Patriots are both on killer winning streaks. Both teams have won 10 straight games, largely in part due to the success of their second-year quarterbacks. Drake Maye is one of the leading MVP candidates, and Bo Nix has the ultimate clutch gene and keeps allowing his team to win close games. Denver's defense is also elite, particularly when it comes to getting after the quarterback. The team is pushing to break the all-time sacks record in a single season. The Patriots will hope to be refreshed and healthier upon their return from a Week 14 bye.

Both the Broncos and Patriots holding the one and two seeds this late in the season would have come as a surprise to many before the season started. The same can be said of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are in third place. Despite Brian Thomas Jr. 's underwhelming season and Travis Hunter being stuck on the sideline with an injury, the Jaguars keep winning games. They are elite in the running game on both offense and defense. The current fourth division leaders in the AFC is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh bested the Baltimore Ravens in a game that will play a huge role in who wins the AFC North, although the two teams do play each other again in the regular season finale.

The Wild Card teams, as of now, are the Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills, and Houston Texans. The return of Omarion Hampton already proved to be key for the Chargers in their Monday Night Football win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Kimani Vidal still found success in that game on the ground, though, and quarterback Justin Herbert was perhaps the most important ball carrier.

The Bills won a snow game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bills thrive in cold weather conditions, and their offense was just as explosive as ever despite the gloomy weather. The Texans' defense is arguably the best in the NFL . They force opposing quarterbacks into having horrendous performances seemingly every week, and that extended to Patrick Mahomes last week. The Chiefs were in a must-win scenario, and they couldn't get it done because of Houston's impressive defense.

AFC teams in the hunt

In Week 14, the Chiefs and Bengals lost. They still have mathematical routes to making the playoffs, but their Week 14 defeats may have been nail-in-the-coffin losses. The Indianapolis Colts are trending the wrong way, too. Earlier in the year, the Colts looked like the best team in football, which is why they made an all-in trade for Sauce Gardner . The cornerback has since gotten hurt, as did Daniel Jones, who is now out for the season with an Achilles injury. The Colts are turning to Riley Leonard and maybe Philip Rivers, who is coming out of retirement at age 44.

The Ravens and Miami Dolphins are in the playoff hunt, too. Just a month ago, rumors were running rampant that the Dolphins needed to fire Mike McDaniel . Now, they've won four straight games. Lamar Jackson has had his fair share of struggles since returning from injury, but nobody would be surprised if he puts things together and leads the Ravens into the playoffs. The New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, and Tennessee Titans have already been eliminated from postseason contention.

NFC playoff teams

Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A week ago, the Bears were the top team in the NFC. Now, they barely hold onto the last Wild Card spot. The team was surpassed as the NFC kings by the Rams. Puka Nacua has a big game on a near-weekly basis, and Matthew Stafford is the odds-on MVP favorite. Los Angeles scored 45 points in their last game.

The two-seed in the NFC belongs to the Green Bay Packers. The team is stacked with weapons on offense. Christian Watson started the season on injured reserve, but he has been on a terror in recent weeks. The defending champion Eagles have lost three straight games. Their Week 14 loss was all the more heartbreaking because it came in overtime.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven't been able to pull away from the pack. The 7-6 still leads the NFC South, but they have the same record as the Carolina Panthers. The current Wild Card teams feature two teams out west, the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers, as well as the Bears. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is having one of the best receiving seasons ever for Seattle.

NFC teams in the hunt

The NFC West currently has three teams slated to make the postseason. That means there will likely be an odd man out in the stacked NFC North. As of now, it is the Detroit Lions. The Lions' offense is great, evidenced by their 44-point Thanksgiving win, highlighted by three Jahmyr Gibbs scores. The team tends to give up high-scoring totals, too, though.

The same can be said about the Dallas Cowboys, the team that Detroit beat on Thanksgiving. Dallas' receiving duo of Ceedee Lamb and George Pickens is elite, but the defense hasn't been able to hold its own. Lamb suffered a concussion against the Lions, but reports suggest he may be good to go for their Week 15 game.

The Panthers and Buccaneers have the same record, and the two teams have yet to face each other. How Carolina performs in those divisional games will likely dictate whether or not they make the playoffs. The Minnesota Vikings are also technically in the playoff hunt, although the odds are stacked against them. The good news is they won their last game 31-0, and J.J. McCarthy looked much better than he had in prior weeks. The Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, New Orleans Saints, Washington Commanders, and New York Giants have already been eliminated.

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