Every week for the duration of the 2023 NFL regular season, NEWSEMBASSY Sports will provide real-time updates to the league’s ever-evolving playoff picture − starting after Sunday afternoon’s late games and then moving forward for the remainder of the schedule (through Thursday’s game 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 night, Jan. 7.
Here’s where things stand with Week 15 of the 2023 season nearly complete:
AFC playoff picture
x –1. Baltimore Ravens (11-3), AFC North leaders: The first AFC club to 11 wins, Baltimore is also the first in the conference to clinch a playoff berth after Sunday night’s win in Jacksonville. But retaining the No. 1 seed won’t get any easier in the coming weeks. Remaining schedule: at 49ers, vs. Dolphins, vs. Steelers
2. Miami Dolphins (10-4), AFC East leaders: They got back on track by grounding the Jets on Sunday. But now a team that doesn’t own a win over anyone with a winning record in 2023 hits the serious part of its season with three formidable opponents approaching. Still, win out, and the Fins clinch home field and the bye. Remaining schedule: vs. Cowboys, at Ravens, vs. Bills
3. Kansas City Chiefs (9-5), AFC West leaders: A 7-2 record in AFC games and wins over Miami and Jacksonville keep K.C. viable to play a sixth consecutive AFC title game at Arrowhead Stadium. But the Chiefs probably need to run the table … and can after a fairly comfortable win at New England on Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, vs. Bengals, at Chargers
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-6), AFC South leaders: They’ve lost three in a row and four of six … meaning they’re really trying to hang on for the division crown as opposed to achieving much else in terms of playoff positioning. Fortunately, the Jags currently hold the tiebreakers to hold off the Texans and Colts – they swept Indy – who have both pulled even at 8-6. Remaining schedule: at Buccaneers, vs. Panthers, at Titans
5. Cleveland Browns (9-5), wild card No. 1: They’ve won two in a row … barely. But Sunday’s escape from the Bears allows the Brownies to continue operating above the rest of the conference’s wild-card fray. Remaining schedule: at Texans, vs. Jets, at Bengals
6. Cincinnati Bengals (8-6), wild card No. 2: QB2 Jake Browning’s impressive performances the past three weeks, including Saturday’s furious comeback against Minnesota, have them back in the projected postseason field – at least temporarily. A winless mark (0-4) against the division and 3-6 record in conference matchups could be very tough to overcome in the tiebreaker department. Yet victories over the Colts and Bills could also become positively decisive. Remaining schedule: at Steelers, at Chiefs, vs. Browns
7. Indianapolis Colts (8-6), wild card No. 3:Beating Pittsburgh was as huge a win for them as it was a loss for the Steelers. Indy is currently behind Cincinnati due to its Week 14 loss to the Bengals. be nice to get RB Jonathan Taylor back from thumb surgery soon. Remaining schedule: at Falcons, vs. Raiders, vs. Texans
8. Houston Texans (8-6), out of playoff field: Nice rebound from their Week 14 loss to the Jets, beating the Titans … in Nashville … in their throwback Houston Oilers uniforms … and without concussed rookie QB C.J. Stroud. The regular-season finale at Indianapolis could be huge. Remaining schedule: vs. Browns, vs. Titans, at Colts
