2025 NFL Playoff Picture, Bracket, Schedule: Packers Clinch With Lions Loss

We have 11 of the 14 playoff spots sealed in the NFL entering Week 17, and there's a chance that all of them are filled by Sunday at dinner time.

Here's where things stand after the Christmas Day tripleheader, which saw the Packers clinch a playoff spot via the Lions' loss and the Broncos maintain their lead atop the AFC:

NFL Playoff Picture

AFC

1. Denver Broncos (13-3)*
2. New England Patriots (12-3)*
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4)*
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)
5. Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)*
6. Buffalo Bills (11-4)*
7. Houston Texans (10-5)

In the hunt: Indianapolis Colts (8-7), Baltimore Ravens (7-8)

* Clinched playoffs

The AFC North could be decided this week. The Steelers can clinch with either a Ravens loss to the Packers on Saturday night or by beating the Browns on Sunday.

A similar scenario is in place for the final AFC wild-card spot. If the Texans beat the Chargers on Saturday, they are in. If not, the Colts host the Jaguars on Sunday. If Indianapolis wins and Houston loses, the two teams will face off in a loser-goes-home matchup for the final AFC playoff spot.

The race for seeding is also tight in the AFC. The Broncos didn't slip up against the Chiefs as they look to clinch the No. 1 seed with the Patriots hot on their tail and the Jaguars one game back of both. Also, the Chargers and Bills are neck and neck in the race for the No. 5 seed.

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NFC

1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3)*
2. Chicago Bears (11-4)*
3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5)*
4. Carolina Panthers (8-7)
5. San Francisco 49ers (11-4)*
6. Los Angeles Rams (11-4)*
7. Green Bay Packers (9-5-1)*

In the hunt: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)

* Clinched playoffs

The Packers clinched a playoff spot with the Lions' loss to the Vikings on Christmas. Detroit was eliminated with the defeat, and now Green Bay is competing with Chicago for the NFC North.

With that, we might be on track to get a matchup of NFC North foes in the Wild Card Round. The Packers are all but locked in as the No. 7 seed (assuming they don't catch the Bears in the NFC North), while the Bears are likely to be the No. 2 seed, given their head-to-head win over the Eagles. Chicago could still catch Seattle for the No. 1 seed, but that seems unlikely given their remaining schedules.

So, there's only one NFC playoff spot up for grabs. The Panthers can clinch the NFC South this weekend with a win over the Seahawks and the Buccaneers loss to the Dolphins. Otherwise, the division will be decided when the two teams meet in Week 18 at Raymond James Stadium.

NFL Playoff Bracket

AFC

• (1) Broncos receive a bye
• (2) Patriots vs. (7) Texans
• (3) Jaguars vs. (6) Bills
• (4) Steelers vs. (5) Chargers

NFC

• (1) Seahawks receive a bye
• (2) Bears vs. (7) Packers
• (3) Eagles vs. (6) Rams
• (4) Panthers vs. (5) 49ers

NFL Playoff Schedule

• January 10-12, 2026: Wild-card round
• January 17-18: Divisional round
• January 25: AFC and NFC championship games
• February 8: Super Bowl LX (in Santa Clara, California)

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