NFL Playoff Picture 2026

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NFL playoff picture for 2026, updated October 26. In the AFC the Kansas City Chiefs hold the No. 1 seed at 5-1 and the Cincinnati Bengals have the last spot at 4-2.

In the NFC the Minnesota Vikings hold the No. 1 seed at 6-0 and the Green Bay Packers have the last spot at 4-3.

AFCNFCBoth

AFC Playoff Picture

In the playoffs (seeds 1-7)
1Kansas City ChiefsAFC West leader5-1@ DEN Sun
2Buffalo BillsAFC East leader5-1vs BAL Sun
3Cleveland BrownsAFC North leader5-2@ PIT Sun
4Jacksonville JaguarsAFC South leader4-2vs IND Sun
5Denver BroncosAFC West5-2vs KC Sun
6Pittsburgh SteelersAFC North5-2vs CLE Sun
7Cincinnati BengalsAFC North4-2vs TEN Sun

AFC clinch watch

ChiefsNo. 1 · 5-1 · +1.5 gamesMagic number10BillsNo. 2 · 5-1 · +1.5 gamesMagic number10BrownsNo. 3 · 5-2 · +1 gameMagic number10JaguarsNo. 4 · 4-2 · +0.5 gamesMagic number11BroncosNo. 5 · 5-2 · +1 gameMagic number10SteelersNo. 6 · 5-2 · +1 gameMagic number10BengalsNo. 7 · 4-2 · +0.5 gamesMagic number11PatriotsNo. 8 · 4-3 · 0.5 gamesElimination number11RavensNo. 9 · 4-3 · 0.5 gamesElimination number11RaidersNo. 10 · 3-4 · 1.5 gamesElimination number10JetsNo. 11 · 2-5 · 2.5 gamesElimination number9ColtsNo. 12 · 2-5 · 2.5 gamesElimination number9TexansNo. 13 · 2-5 · 2.5 gamesElimination number9DolphinsNo. 14 · 1-5 · 3 gamesElimination number9TitansNo. 15 · 1-6 · 3.5 gamesElimination number8ChargersNo. 16 · 0-6 · 4 gamesElimination number8

Magic number = any combination of this team's wins and the first team out's losses that locks up the spot. Elimination number = losses this team can still afford before it is out. Shown once a number is 30 or under.

In the hunt
–New England PatriotsAFC East · 0.5 GB4-3@ MIA Sun
–Baltimore RavensAFC North · 0.5 GB4-3@ BUF Sun
–Las Vegas RaidersAFC West · 1.5 GB3-4@ NYJ Sun
–New York JetsAFC East · 2.5 GB2-5vs LV Sun
–Indianapolis ColtsAFC South · 2.5 GB2-5@ JAX Sun
–Houston TexansAFC South · 2.5 GB2-5@ LAC Sun
Outside the race
–Miami DolphinsAFC East · 3 GB1-5vs NE Sun
–Tennessee TitansAFC South · 3.5 GB1-6@ CIN Sun
–Los Angeles ChargersAFC West · 4 GB0-6@ LA Sun

Seeds 1-4 division leaders, 5-7 wild cards. Dashed line = playoff cutoff. GB = games behind the No. 7 seed. Tags: x clinched playoff, y clinched wild card, z clinched division, * clinched division and home-field, e eliminated (wins-only maths). Arrows = movement since the last games.

If the Playoffs Started Today

AFC Wild Card round

1Kansas City Chiefs logoChiefs5-1First-round bye
7Cincinnati Bengals logoBengals4-2@2Buffalo Bills logoBills5-1
6Pittsburgh Steelers logoSteelers5-2@3Cleveland Browns logoBrowns5-2
5Denver Broncos logoBroncos5-2@4Jacksonville Jaguars logoJaguars4-2

NFC Wild Card round

1Minnesota Vikings logoVikings6-0First-round bye
7Green Bay Packers logoPackers4-3@2San Francisco 49ers logo49ers6-1
6Detroit Lions logoLions4-2@3New York Giants logoGiants4-2-1
5Chicago Bears logoBears5-2@4Carolina Panthers logoPanthers3-3

Lower seed travels. Matchups update automatically after every game.

Games That Matter This Week

Dallas Cowboys logoCowboys2-4 · NFC No. 12@Mon, Oct 268:15 PM EDTNFL+, ESPNPhiladelphia Eagles logoEagles2-4 · NFC No. 11
Carolina Panthers logoPanthers3-3 · NFC No. 4@Thu, Oct 298:15 PM EDTPrime VideoGreen Bay Packers logoPackers4-3 · NFC No. 7
Cleveland Browns logoBrowns5-2 · AFC No. 3@Sun, Nov 11:00 PM ESTPittsburgh Steelers logoSteelers5-2 · AFC No. 6
Atlanta Falcons logoFalcons3-4 · NFC No. 9@Sun, Nov 11:00 PM ESTTampa Bay Buccaneers logoBuccaneers2-5 · NFC No. 13
Las Vegas Raiders logoRaiders3-4 · AFC No. 10@Sun, Nov 11:00 PM ESTNew York Jets logoJets2-5 · AFC No. 11
Baltimore Ravens logoRavens4-3 · AFC No. 9@Sun, Nov 11:00 PM ESTBuffalo Bills logoBills5-1 · AFC No. 2
Tennessee Titans logoTitans1-6 · AFC No. 15@Sun, Nov 11:00 PM ESTCincinnati Bengals logoBengals4-2 · AFC No. 7
Minnesota Vikings logoVikings6-0 · NFC No. 1@Sun, Nov 11:00 PM ESTDetroit Lions logoLions4-2 · NFC No. 6
Los Angeles Chargers logoChargers0-6 · AFC No. 16@Sun, Nov 14:05 PM ESTLos Angeles Rams logoRams3-4 · NFC No. 10
New England Patriots logoPatriots4-3 · AFC No. 8@Sun, Nov 14:25 PM ESTMiami Dolphins logoDolphins1-5 · AFC No. 14
Kansas City Chiefs logoChiefs5-1 · AFC No. 1@Sun, Nov 14:25 PM ESTDenver Broncos logoBroncos5-2 · AFC No. 5
Chicago Bears logoBears5-2 · NFC No. 5@Mon, Nov 28:15 PM ESTSeattle Seahawks logoSeahawks4-3 · NFC No. 8

Upcoming games involving teams within reach of the cutoff (seeds 5-7 and the next four in the hunt).

Biggest Movers

No seed changes since the last games.

⚖️ How NFL tiebreakers work →

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NFL Playoff Picture 2026

Playoff picture FAQ

How many teams make the NFL playoffs?

7 per conference, 14 in total. Division winners are seeded first, then wild cards by record.

What does "in the hunt" mean?

Teams outside the current playoff line but within about two games of the last spot. They can move in with a good week.

What do the x, y, z and * tags mean?

The same letters the NFL uses: x clinched a playoff berth, y clinched a wild card, z clinched the division, and * clinched the division and home-field advantage. An e means the team is eliminated.

Who gets a first-round bye?

Only the No. 1 seed in each conference. Seeds 2 to 7 play on Wild Card weekend, with the higher seed at home.

When is the playoff picture final?

After the last regular-season game. Until then every result can move seeds, especially where teams are tied and tiebreakers apply.

Updated · last result change Oct 25