The 2022 NFL season is down to the final six weeks Although the playoff picture for the AFC and NFC won't be finalized until Week 18, it's time to keep looking at the updated standings and what teams would be in the playoffs if the season ended after Week 12.
Here's a breakdown of the NFL's latest playoff field and seedings, also looking at the contenders on the brink of joining the potential postseason party:
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NFL standings after Week 12
AFC playoff picture
1. Kansas City Chiefs (9-2), first place, AFC West. The Chiefs are in cruise control in the division again, up three games and the head-to-head tiebreaker on the Chargers. They are just focused on staying ahead of a crowded field for home-field advantage and the lone bye in the playoffs. No one would be shocked if they ran the table to lock up No. 1, starting with the weakened Rams.
2. Miami Dolphins (8-3), first place, AFC East. The Dolphins jumped the Bills again by beating the Texans as expected on Sunday, still clinging to the Week 3 head-to-head tiebreaker from beating Buffalo in Miami. They have a couple difficult back-to-back California road trips to face the 49ers and Chargers before the key Bills rematch in Buffalo.
3. Tennessee Titans (7-4), first place, AFC South. The Titans stayed here by losing a tough home game to the Bengals on Sunday. They will still win the weak AFC South but getting any higher than the No. 3 seed looks like a real challenge now. They got a break with the Ravens losing too, however, because they still have the conference-record tiebreaker over them.
4. Baltimore Ravens (7-4), first place, AFC North. The Ravens had to grind through more slow-starting offense with Lamar Jackson in Jacksonville but it was their defense blowing another late lead that cost them. They stay here behind the Titans but now their division lead over the Bengals is down to a head-to-head tiebreaker from Week 5.
5. Buffalo Bills (8-3), second place, AFC East. The Bills enjoyed first place for three days after beating the Lions on Thanksgiving but they made sure to keep pace with the winning Dolphins in the division ahead of facing the Patriots in New England on Thursday night.
6. Cincinnati Bengals (7-4), second place, AFC North. The Bengals kept putting pressure on the first-place Ravens, to whom they lost in Baltimore in Week 5. The road win over the Titans was huge to stay in strong wild-card position right behind the Bills, whom they host in Week 17. They also beat the team behind them, the Jets, on the road in Week 3.
7. New York Jets (7-4), third place, AFC East. The Jets got a needed offensive spark from Mike White and Zonovan Knight to wake up their passing and running games against a weak Bears defense. They are back in decent playoff position after being swept by the Patriots with Zach Wilson starting at QB.
Who's in the hunt?
8. New England Patriots (6-5), last place, AFC East
9. Los Angeles Chargers (6-5), second place, AFC West
The Patriots lost to the Vikings on Thursday to slip out of playoff position. That opens the door for the Chargers to push past them and the Jets into a wild-card spot soon.
Who's likely out?
10. Indianapolis Colts (4-7-1), second place, AFC South
11. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-7), third place, AFC South
12. Las Vegas Raiders (4-7), third place, AFC West
13. Cleveland Browns (4-7), third place, AFC North
14. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-7), last place, AFC North
15. Denver Broncos (3-8), last place, AFC West
16. Houston Texans (1-9-1), last place, AFC South
The Texans have little competition for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft here. For any of the 3-7 teams to make the playoffs, they would need to go at least 6-1 down the stretch, an unlikely scenario.
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NFC playoff picture
1. Philadelphia Eagles (10-1), first place, NFC East. The Eagles rebounded from their upset loss to the Commanders in Week 10 by beating the Colts in Week 11 and Packers in Week 12. They remain in great shape for the No. 1 seed because they beat the Vikings in Week 2, but also need to worry about the division a little with the Cowboys staying hot on their heels, only two games behind.
2. Minnesota Vikings (9-2), first place, NFC North. The Vikings got a much-needed rebound home win in Week 12 over the Patriots after losing badly there to the Cowboys in Week 11. The Vikings also saw their division lead grow to five games over the Lions, who lost to the Bills to open Week 12.
3. San Francisco 49ers (7-4), first place, NFC West. The 49ers have complete control of this division despite being only game ahead of the Seahawks because they beat that team at home in Week 2. They are red-hot offensively with Christian McCaffrey adding to the mix and kept rolling defensively against the Saints at home.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6), first place, NFC South. The Buccaneers were supposed to roll out of their bye with the offense playing better and the defense delivering complementary football. But Tom Brady and the passing game were inconsistent in Cleveland, despite getting the running game going. The Bucs still lead the division by a half-game and a head-to-head tiebreaker over the also-losing Falcons.
5. Dallas Cowboys (8-3), second place, NFC East. The Cowboys made sure the Giants didn't jump them by finishing a season sweep of their division rivals at home in Week 12. They have rebounded well after the upset loss vs. the Packers in Week 10, getting that key win over the Vikings. They will keep pushing the Eagles.
6. New York Giants (7-4), third place, NFC East. The Giants still have two games left with the Eagles and Commanders to try to build their case in the division and wild-card races, but the two losses to the Cowboys hurt. They are still looking good for a playoff berth with limited conference competition.
7. Washington Commanders (7-5), last place, NFC East. The Commanders jumped here after they beat the Falcons and the Seahawks were upset at home by the Raiders. That means all four NFC East teams would make the playoffs.
Who's in the hunt?
8. Seattle Seahawks (6-5), second place, NFC West
9. Atlanta Falcons (5-7), second place, NFC South
10. Detroit Lions (4-7), second place, NFC North
The Seahawks dropped out of a wild-card spot by falling to the Raiders. The Falcons' best path is through the NFC South. The Lions, shockingly, still have a shot after losing to the Bills as the best 4-7 team.
Who's likely out?
11. Green Bay Packers (4-8), third place, NFC North
12. Arizona Cardinals (4-8), third place, NFC West
13. Carolina Panthers (4-8), third place, NFC South
14. New Orleans Saints (4-8), last place, NFC South
15. Los Angeles Rams (3-8), last place, NFC West
16. Chicago Bears (3-9), last place, NFC North
The Packers, Cardinals and Rams will be three displaced playoff teams from 2021. The Bears are not looking good to dig out of the NFC cellar with their defensive issues.
