NFL playoff picture Week 15: Clinching scenarios and updated bracket

There was Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Leonardo da Vinci. Now, there's the NFL.

Regarding drama, football is great for writing and painting pictures. Playoff pictures, to be exact. With 14 weeks of the 2024 season in the history books, time is running out for the league's procrastinators to make a late playoff push.

However, some are in the driver's seat counting down the days before December, which gives way to January. As you get ready to close out the year in style, know that most of the NFL is looking to do that too. Eventually, there will be a 14-team masterpiece that will leave the lasting image of one team in February. Until then, we enjoy the chaos.

The weather is getting colder, but the NFL playoff race is heating up. Here's the updated bracket, standings and clinching scenarios for Week 15.

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NFL playoff picture Week 15

The NFL enters Week 15 with 25-of-32 teams still in the hunt for a postseason spot. Only 14 will eventually be left standing after Week 18, meaning plenty of teams are on the chopping block between now and then.

The AFC's picture is much clearer, with seven teams separating themselves from the rest of the pack. With just a few weeks left in the season, the AFC is more likely to shuffle seeding than inserting any new teams into the mix.

As for the NFC, 15-of-16 teams remain in contention, no matter how far-fetched the idea might seem. There is much more potential for chaos on this side of the bracket, with teams coming and going over the last couple of games. It wasn't that long ago that the Falcons and Cardinals looked ready to contend for a playoff spot.

They're both falling apart, while the Seahawks and Buccaneers are getting comfortable in a top-7 spot. Like a child with paint, the Rams are threatening to make this picture a complete mess with their late-season charge. Here's how the playoff picture looks entering Week 15.

AFC

1. x- Kansas City Chiefs (12-1)

2. x- Buffalo Bills (10-3)

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3)

4. Houston Texans (8-5)

5. Baltimore Ravens (8-5)

6. Los Angeles Chargers (8-5)

7. Denver Broncos (8-5)

8. *Indianapolis Colts (6-7)

9. *Miami Dolphins (6-7)

10. *Cincinnati Bengals (5-8)

NFC

1. x- Detroit Lions (12-1)

2. x- Philadelphia Eagles (11-2)

3. Seattle Seahawks (8-5)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)

5. Minnesota Vikings (11-2)

6. Green Bay Packers (9-4)

7. Washington Commanders (8-5)

8. *Los Angeles Rams (7-6)

9. *Atlanta Falcons (6-7)

10. *Arizona Cardinals (6-7)

11. *San Francisco 49ers (6-7)

12. *New Orleans Saints (5-8)

13. *Dallas Cowboys (5-8)

14. *Chicago Bears (4-9)

15. *Carolina Panthers (3-10)

x- clinched playoffs

* in the hunt

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NFL playoff bracket Week 15

If the playoffs started this week, here's a look at the bracket for Super Wild Card weekend, with the Chiefs and Lions earning the first-round byes in each conference.

AFC

• First-round bye: Kansas City Chiefs

• (2) Buffalo Bills vs. (7) Denver Broncos

• (3) Pittsburgh Steelers vs. (6) Los Angeles Chargers

• (4) Houston Texans vs. (5) Baltimore Ravens

NFC

• First-round bye: Detroit Lions

• (2) Philadelphia Eagles vs. (7) Washington Commanders

• (3) Seattle Seahawks vs. (6) Green Bay Packers

• (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. (5) Minnesota Vikings

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NFL clinching scenarios Week 15

The Bills and Chiefs have already clinched their divisions in the AFC, while the Lions and Eagles guaranteed themselves playoff spots heading into Week 15. Here are the teams that could join that group and what needs to happen for it to become a reality.

AFC

• Houston Texans

  • Clinch AFC South division with:

    • Win + IND loss

• Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Clinch playoff spot with:

    • Win or tie

    • MIA loss or tie + IND loss or tie

NFC

• Green Bay Packers

  • Clinch playoff spot with GB win + ATL loss or tie + SF-LAR tie

• Minnesota Vikings

  • Clinch playoff spot with:

    • MIN win or tie

    • LAR loss or tie

    • SEA loss or tie

• Philadelphia Eagles

  • Clinch NFC East division with:

    • PHI win + WAS loss or tie

    • PHI tie + WAS loss

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL playoff picture: Bracket scenarios, standings entering Week 15