There are just four weeks to go in the 2023 NFL season and the league's playoff race is starting to heat up in a big way.
The AFC and NFC playoff races are expected to be tightly packed to close the regular season. Entering Week 15, there were 11 AFC teams within at least one game of a playoff berth with records of 7-6. The same was true in the NFC, where 11 teams had records of at least 6-7 and were, at most, one game out of a playoff berth.
It will be hard to project exactly who will make the playoffs in each conference because of the crowded nature of the field. Still, several teams will have clinching opportunities over the next month, and one postseason berth has already been clinched.
The 49ers are postseason-bound and have been since the Packers lost to the Giants on "Monday Night Football" in Week 14. Now, they are jockeying for position in the NFC playoff race and have the inside track to the No. 1 seed.
MORE: Updated NFL playoff picture for Week 15
The 49ers can clinch their division in Week 15 while several other teams may also be able to join them as playoff-bound. Here's everything to know about the NFL teams that have clinched playoff spots so far.
NFL teams to clinch playoff spot
- San Francisco 49ers
- Dallas Cowboys
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Baltimore Ravens
The 49ers entered play on Sunday as the only team that had clinched a playoff berth. They did so after beating the Seahawks in Week 14 and seeing the Giants upset the Packers on "Monday Night Football." But by winning against the Cardinals, they also clinched the NFC West, becoming the first NFL team to wrap up its division in 2023.
The Cowboys became the second team to guarantee passage to the postseason after the Panthers beat the Falcons 9-7. The Cowboys are still battling to clinch the NFC East and the conference's No. 1 seed, but they have at least put themselves into the playoffs with a month left in the 2023 season.
The Eagles also managed to backdoor their way into the playoffs. They did so by virtue of the Falcons' loss to the Panthers and the 49ers' win over the Cardinals. Now, they can focus on trying to win Monday night to take control of the NFC East after the Cowboys lost to the Bills.
The Ravens became the first team to actually clinch a playoff spot with a win of their own, as a Sunday night victory over the Jaguars secured a second consecutive playoff berth for Baltimore. The Ravens enter Week 16 in control of the AFC North and in possession of the No. 1 seed in the AFC at 11-3.
Who could clinch a playoff spot in Week 15?
One more team can clinch a playoff spot in Week 15:
- Detroit Lions
The Lions have already won in Week 15, so now, they just need some help to get in. A loss by the Seahawks on Monday would be the simplest way for them to qualify for the postseason.
To see all of the NFL clinching scenarios in NFL Week 15, click here.
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Projected NFL playoff bracket 2023
Below is a look at the NFL's projected playoff bracket as it stands in Week 15. This will be updated as the week's results are finalized.
AFC
1. Baltimore Ravens (BYE)
2. Miami Dolphins vs. 7. Indianapolis Colts
3. Kansas City Chiefs vs. 6. Cincinnati Bengals
4. Jacksonville Jaguars vs. 5. Cleveland Browns
NFC
1. San Francisco 49ers (BYE)
2. Philadelphia Eagles vs. 7. Los Angeles Rams
3. Detroit Lions vs. 6. Minnesota Vikings
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. 5. Dallas Cowboys
Updated NFL playoff picture
Here's how the standings in both conferences break down entering Week 15, along with the other teams that are still in the playoff hunt.
AFC
| Rank | Team | Record | Clinched |
| 1 | Ravens | 10-3 | N/a |
| 2 | Dolphins | 10-4 | N/a |
| 3 | Chiefs | 9-5 | N/a |
| 4 | Jaguars | 8-5 | N/a |
| 5 | Browns | 9-5 | N/a |
| 6 | Bengals | 8-6 | N/a |
| 7 | Colts | 8-6 | N/a |
In the hunt: Texans (8-6), Bills (7-6), Steelers (7-7), Broncos (7-7), Raiders (6-8), Chargers (5-9)
NFC
| Rank | Team | Record | Clinched |
| 1 | 49ers | 11-3 | NFC West champions |
| 2 | Eagles | 10-3 | Playoff berth |
| 3 | Lions | 10-4 | N/a |
| 4 | Buccaneers | 7-7 | N/a |
| 5 | Cowboys | 10-4 | Playoff berth |
| 6 | Vikings | 7-7 | N/a |
| 7 | Rams | 7-7 | N/a |
In the hunt: Saints (7-7), Seahawks (6-7), Falcons (6-8), Packers (6-8), Giants (5-9), Bears (5-9)
