Week 14 is in the books, and the NFL playoff race is heating up. Surprising contenders and intriguing potential matchups are beginning to fill out the bracket, giving fans a taste of what this year’s path to Super Bowl 60 could look like.
With so much still to be decided, the NFL playoff picture is shifting weekly, but let’s take a peek at where things stand now. Here’s a look at the current NFL postseason bracket, plus a look at which teams are rising and falling in PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor.
Week 14 NFL Standings and Playoff Picture
AFC Playoff Picture
1. Denver Broncos, 11-2
2. New England Patriots, 11-2
3. Jacksonville Jaguars, 9-4
4. Pittsburgh Steelers, 7-6
5. Los Angeles Chargers, 9-4
6. Buffalo Bills, 9-4
7. Houston Texans, 8-5
In the Hunt
8. Indianapolis Colts, 8-5
9. Baltimore Ravens, 6-7
10. Kansas City Chiefs, 6-7
11. Miami Dolphins, 6-7
12. Cincinnati Bengals, 4-9
Eliminated
13. Cleveland Browns, 3-10
14. New York Jets, 3-10
15. Las Vegas Raiders, 2-11
16. Tennessee Titans, 2-11
NFC Playoff Picture
- Los Angeles Rams, 10-3
2. Green Bay Packers, 9-3-1
3. Philadelphia Eagles, 8-5
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7-6
5. Seattle Seahawks, 10-3
6. San Francisco 49ers, 9-4
7. Chicago Bears, 9-4
In the Hunt
8. Detroit Lions, 8-5
9. Carolina Panthers, 7-6
10. Dallas Cowboys, 6-6-1
11. Minnesota Vikings, 5-8
Eliminated
12. Atlanta Falcons, 4-9
13. Arizona Cardinals, 3-10
14. Washington Commanders, 3-10
15. New Orleans Saints, 3-10
16. New York Giants, 2-11
NFL Teams on the Rise
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars entered Week 14 with a crucial AFC South tilt against the Indianapolis Colts. Both teams were 8-4, meaning the winner would claim sole possession of first place in the division. Daniel Jones suffered an Achilles injury early in the game, and the Jaguars ran away with a 36-19 victory.
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With four games left, the Jaguars now control their own destiny. They will see the Colts again in Week 17, another matchup that could have massive playoff implications. According to our Playoff Predictor, Jacksonville has a 94.7% chance of reaching the postseason and a 62.6% chance of winning the AFC South.
Pittsburgh Steelers
It was a dramatic finish, but the Pittsburgh Steelers pulled off a huge 27-22 victory over the rival Ravens in Week 14. With the win, Pittsburgh improves to 7-6, leapfrogging Baltimore for first place in the AFC North. Mike Tomlin’s group now has the inside track to win the division and secure a playoff spot, but the Steelers must continue to win, as they face the Ravens again in the season finale.
Pittsburgh entered the week with a 51.5% chance to win the AFC North. With this win, the team’s chances jumped to 79.7%.
Houston Texans
It might have seemed like an impossible scenario when the season began, but the Houston Texans have scratched and clawed their way back into the playoff picture. Thanks to a defense that has stifled opponents at an unprecedented rate, they are right there in the race for a playoff spot.
Now, at 8-5, they have emerged as a legitimate threat in the AFC and have a chance to win their division despite once trailing the Indianapolis Colts by a wide margin. Let’s break down the chances they have of making it to the playoffs for the third consecutive season, or even winning their division outright.
PFSN’s Playoff Predictor now gives Houston an 86.1% chance of making the playoffs, with the division not out of sight at 36.3% odds (compared to 55.3% for the Jaguars and 8.3% for the Colts).
The fact that the Colts lost Daniel Jones for the remainder of the season to a torn Achilles only helps the Texans’ odds, as Indianapolis will be starting rookie quarterback Riley Leonard down the stretch with Anthony Richardson also sidelined.
NFL Teams on the Decline
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are trending in the wrong direction. After beginning the season 6-2, Todd Bowles’ squad has lost four of its last five games. To be fair, it’s been a pretty tough stretch, with three of those losses coming to playoff teams (NE, LAR, BUF). However, the Week 14 loss to the New Orleans Saints is inexcusable for a team looking to contend.
Tampa Bay remains atop the division, but the 7-6 Carolina Panthers are surging, making every game a must-win. The Buccaneers now have a 50.5% chance to win the NFC South.
Kansas City Chiefs
The 2025 season has taken an unexpected turn for the Kansas City Chiefs. After a shaky 1–2 start, they briefly looked like they were returning to their Super Bowl-caliber form, but a 5–5 stretch since then has pushed them to the edge of the playoff picture.
Now sitting third in the AFC West, with crucial matchups against the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos still ahead, Kansas City faces an increasingly difficult path to secure a postseason berth.
Following their Thanksgiving loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Chiefs fell to 6–6 and entered Week 14 with just a 21.5% chance of making the playoffs, according to PFSN’s Playoff Predictor. Their hopes of winning the AFC West are effectively over, leaving only the Wild Card route as an option.
Week 14 brought a critical matchup against the surging Houston Texans, and a true must-win for Kansas City. A victory would have lifted their playoff odds to 36.8%, keeping their postseason dreams alive.
Unfortunately, they lost to the Texans and now have only an 8.1% chance of making the playoffs. Moreover, Kansas City is mathematically eliminated from winning the AFC West. Their postseason odds dropped by 13.4 percentage points with this loss.
