Updated NFL standings, playoff picture: Week 17
By John Buhler
The 2016 NFL playoff picture is set. Here are the 12 teams that will be in the 2016 NFL Playoffs and the seeding in both the AFC and NFC conferences.
Sunday, Jan. 1 saw the end of the 2016 NFL regular season.
NFC North rivals in the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers clinched playoff berths before taking the field on Sunday Night Football in Detroit.
With the 2016 NFL playoff picture set, here are the 12 teams that qualified and the associated seeding for meaningful January football.
AFC Playoffs
- *-New England Patriots (14-2)
- z-Kansas City Chiefs (12-4)
- y-Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5)
- y-Houston Texans (9-7)
- x-Oakland Raiders (12-4)
- x-Miami Dolphins (10-6)
New England (14-2) won the AFC East for the eighth straight season. The Patriots have clinched home field advantage in the 2016 AFC Playoffs. Miami (10-6) has made the 2016 AFC Playoffs as a wild card. Eliminated from the playoff contention in the AFC East are the Buffalo Bills (7-9) and the New York Jets (5-11).
Kansas City (12-4) won the AFC West by virtue of the head-to-head tiebreaker over Oakland. The Chiefs will be the No. 2 seed in the 2016 AFC Playoffs and will have a first-round bye. Oakland (12-4) has made the AFC Playoffs as a wild card. Eliminated from playoff contention in the AFC West are the Denver Broncos (9-7) and the San Diego Chargers (5-11).
Pittsburgh (11-5) won the AFC North and will be the No. 3 seed in the 2016 AFC Playoffs. The Steelers will host Miami in the AFC Wild Card round. Eliminated from playoff contention in the AFC North are the Baltimore Ravens (8-8), the Cincinnati Bengals (6-9-1), and the Cleveland Browns (1-15).
Houston (9-7) won the AFC South and will be the No. 4 seed in the 2016 AFC Playoffs. The Texans will host Oakland in the AFC Wild Card round. Eliminated from playoff contention in the AFC South are the Tennessee Titans (9-7), the Indianapolis Colts (8-8) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-13).
The two AFC Wild Card teams in the 2016 AFC Playoffs are the Raiders and the Dolphins. Oakland is the No. 5 seed and will play Houston on the road. Miami is the No. 6 seed and will play Pittsburgh on the road.
w-clinched wild card berth
y-clinched division title
z-clinched first-round bye
*-clinched home-field advantage
NFC Playoffs
- *-Dallas Cowboys (13-3)
- z-Atlanta Falcons (11-5)
- y-Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1)
- y-Green Bay Packers (10-6)
- x-New York Giants (11-5)
- x-Detroit Lions (9-7)
w-clinched wild card berth
y-clinched division title
z-clinched first-round bye
*-clinched home-field advantage
Dallas (13-3) won the NFC East. The Cowboys have home-field advantage in the 2016 NFC Playoffs. New York (11-5) has made the 2016 NFC Playoffs as a wild card. Eliminated from playoff contention in the NFC East are the Washington Redskins (8-7-1) and the Philadelphia Eagles (7-9).
Atlanta (11-5) won the NFC South. The Falcons will be the No. 2 seed in the 2016 NFC Playoffs and will have a first-round bye. Eliminated from playoff contention in the NFC South are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7), the New Orleans Saints (7-9) and the Carolina Panthers (6-10).
Seattle (10-5-1) won the NFC West. The Seahawks will be the No. 3 seed in the 2016 NFC Playoffs. Seattle will host Detroit in the NFC Wild Card round. Eliminated from playoff contention in the NFC West are the Arizona Cardinals (7-8-1), the Los Angeles Rams (4-12) and the San Francisco 49ers (2-14).
Green Bay (10-6) won the NFC North. The Packers will be the No. 4 seed in the 2016 NFC Playoffs. They will host New York in the NFC Wild Card round. Detroit has made the 2016 NFC Playoffs as a wild card. Eliminated from playoff contention in the NFC North are the Minnesota Vikings (8-8) and the Chicago Bears (3-13).
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The two NFC Wild Card teams are the Giants and the Lions. New York is the No. 5 seed and will play Green Bay on the road. Detroit is the No. 6 seed and will play Seattle on the road.