NFL playoff picture, clinching scenarios for Week 15: Steelers lose to Eagles but secure berth

nate davis, usa today

Sun, Dec 15, 2024, 7:43 p.m.·6 min read

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 − typically 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 15 of the 2024 season underway:

NFC playoff picture

x – 1. Detroit Lions (12-1), NFC North leaders: For the first time in their 95-season history, they've won 12 games in successive seasons – and snatching Week 14's night's nail biter from the Packers officially qualified the Lions for the 2024 postseason. Big game with Buffalo on Sunday afternoon in Motown, but – given its interconference nature – one that shouldn't necessarily be crucial in the tiebreaker department if Detroit and its depleted defense stumble. Remaining schedule: vs. Bills, at Bears, at 49ers, vs. Vikings

x – 2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2), NFC East leaders: Winners of nine straight, they cannot clinch the division Sunday following Washington's victory in New Orleans. Remaining schedule: at Commanders, vs. Cowboys, vs. Giants

3. Seattle Seahawks (8-5), NFC West leaders: A loss Sunday night would drop them out of the division lead due to their Week 9 loss to the Rams. Remaining schedule: vs. Packers, vs. Vikings, at Bears, at Rams

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6), NFC South leaders: They embarrassed the Chargers on Sunday, which means – regardless of what Atlanta does Monday night – the Bucs will remain atop the division for at least another week. Remaining schedule: at Cowboys, vs. Panthers, vs. Saints

5. Minnesota Vikings (11-2), wild card No. 1: Minnesota can clinch a spot by beating Chicago on Monday night – though a Seattle loss would secure it first. Remaining schedule: vs. Bears, at Seahawks, vs. Packers, at Lions

Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates his touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

6. Green Bay Packers (9-4), wild card No. 2: Getting swept by Detroit pretty much relegates the Pack to wild-card status, but they'll have to wait at least another week to clinch. Remaining schedule: at Seahawks, vs. Saints, at Vikings, vs. Bears

7. Washington Commanders (9-5), wild card No. 3: They barely survived the Saints, but it was enough to keep them alive one more week with the NFC East still technically up for grabs. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, vs. Falcons, at Cowboys

Dec 15, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) celebrates a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry (14) during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

8. Los Angeles Rams (8-6), in the hunt: Win out, and the Rams – now a half-game behind Seattle – are NFC West champs. LA, which is also in the wild-card hunt, moves into first place in its division Sunday night if Seattle loses. Remaining schedule: at Jets, vs. Cardinals, vs. Seahawks

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 12: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams throws a pass against the San Francisco 49ers during the second quarter in the game at Levi's Stadium on December 12, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

9. Arizona Cardinals (7-7), in the hunt: They broke a three-game skid by beating the Patriots but, at this point, need the NFC West field to come back to them. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, at Rams, vs. 49ers

10. Atlanta Falcons (6-7), in the hunt: Their margin for error is gone and so is first place in the NFC South after their losing streak extended to four in Week 14. Their season sweep of the Bucs means they only need to pull even with Tampa Bay to reclaim the division lead ... but the first-place Buccaneers are not cooperating so far. Remaining schedule: at Raiders, vs. Giants, at Commanders, vs. Panthers

11. San Francisco 49ers (6-8), in the hunt: Thursday's loss to the Rams was a near-fatal blow to the reigning NFC champs, who have better than a 99% probability of missing postseason, per NFL.com. Remaining schedule: at Dolphins, vs. Lions, at Cardinals

13. Dallas Cowboys (6-8), in the hunt: Like the Niners, whom they lost to in Week 8, their postseason hopes are on life support despite Sunday's win in Charlotte. Remaining schedule: vs. Buccaneers, at Eagles, vs. Commanders

All NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.

AFC playoff picture

y – 1. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1), AFC West champions: A 21-7 win in Cleveland on Sunday keeps them in driver's seat for home-field advantage ... provided QB Patrick Mahomes' ankle injury isn't overly serious. Remaining schedule: vs. Texans, at Steelers, at Broncos

y – 2. Buffalo Bills (10-3), AFC East champions: That potentially pivotal tiebreaker against the Chiefs isn't worth a whole heckuva lot if the Bills, losers of that entertaining show with the Rams last Sunday, can't keep up with the reigning champs. Remaining schedule: at Lions, vs. Patriots, vs. Jets, at Patriots

x – 3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4), AFC North leaders: Decidedly mixed bag Sunday. The Colts' loss clinched a berth for the Steelers. However their backing up to the Ravens, next week's opponent, in the division and probably now out of the running for home-field advantage. Remaining schedule: at Ravens, vs. Chiefs, vs. Bengals

Dec 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) celebrates his sack with defensive tackle Montravius Adams (57) against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

y – 4. Houston Texans (9-5), AFC South champions: Sunday's win combined with Indianapolis' loss assured they'll rule a weak division for the second straight year. Remaining schedule: at Chiefs, vs. Ravens, at Titans

5. Baltimore Ravens (9-5), wild card No. 1: Cruised past sleepwalking Giants, but now the Ravens really need the Eagles to win in order to bring Pittsburgh, the Ravens' opponent in Week 16, back into focus as it pertains to the AFC North throne. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Texans, vs. Browns

6. Denver Broncos (9-5), wild card No. 2: It's a near certainty they'll make their first postseason trip since winning Super Bowl 50 nine years ago. But they'll drop back down to the seventh seed if they get swept by Bolts. Remaining schedule: at Chargers, at Bengals, vs. Chiefs

7. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6), wild card No. 3: Are they suddenly "Charger-ing"? Three losses in the past four weeks have dropped them into the final wild-card spot ... though it appears their pursuers are Charger-ing in an even worse way. Remaining schedule: vs. Broncos, at Patriots, at Raiders

8. Indianapolis Colts (6-8), in the hunt: After Sunday's loss at Denver, it's basically over. Remaining schedule: vs. Titans, at Giants, vs. Jaguars

9. Miami Dolphins (6-8), in the hunt: After Sunday's loss at Houston, it's basically over. Remaining schedule: vs. 49ers, at Browns, at Jets

10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8), in the hunt: They won in Nashville on Sunday, meaning there's still a faint pulse. They remain behind Miami due to an inferior record in AFC games. A 3-6 conference mark keeps them buried behind Fins and Colts. Remaining schedule: vs. Browns, vs. Broncos, at Steelers