Week 8 of the NFL season saw some teams doing their best to stay in the mix for a playoff spot, while other squads suffered huge losses that significantly impacted their postseason chances.
The contenders and pretenders are getting separated right now. As the 2025 NFL season progresses, let’s take a look at how the NFL playoff picture stacks up. With Week 8 in the books, here’s a snapshot of the postseason picture.
Week 8 Standings and Playoff Picture
AFC Playoff Picture
1. Indianapolis Colts, 7-1 (beat Titans on Sunday)
2. New England Patriots, 6-2 (beat Browns on Sunday)
3. Denver Broncos, 6-2 (beat Cowboys on Sunday)
4. Pittsburgh Steelers, 4-3 (lost to Packers on SNF)
5. Buffalo Bills, 5-2 (beat Panthers on Sunday)
6. Los Angeles Chargers, 5-3 (beat Vikings on Thursday)
7. Kansas City Chiefs, 4-3 (beat Commanders on Monday)
In the Hunt
8. Jacksonville Jaguars, 4-3 (bye week)
9. Houston Texans, 3-4 (beat 49ers on Sunday)
10. Cincinnati Bengals, 3-5 (lost to Jets on Sunday)
11. Las Vegas Raiders, 2-5 (bye week)
12. Baltimore Ravens, 2-5 (beat Bears on Sunday)
13. Cleveland Browns, 2-5 (lost to Patriots on Sunday)
14. Miami Dolphins, 2-6 (beat Falcons on Sunday)
16. New York Jets, 1-7 (beat Bengals on Sunday)
15. Tennessee Titans, 1-7 (lost to Colts on Sunday)
NFC Playoff Picture
1. Green Bay Packers, 5-1-1 (beat Steelers on SNF)
2. Philadelphia Eagles, 6-2 (beat Giants on Sunday)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 6-2 (beat Saints on Sunday)
4. Seattle Seahawks, 5-2 (bye week)
5. Detroit Lions, 5-2 (bye week)
6. Los Angeles Rams, 5-2 (bye week)
7. San Francisco 49ers, 5-3 (lost to Texans on Sunday)
In the Hunt
8. Chicago Bears, 4-3 (lost to Ravens on Sunday)
9. Carolina Panthers, 4-4 (lost to Bills on Sunday)
10. Dallas Cowboys, 3-4-1 (lost to Broncos on Sunday)
11. Atlanta Falcons, 3-4 (lost to Dolphins on Sunday)
12. Minnesota Vikings, 3-4 (lost to Chargers on Thursday)
13. Washington Commanders, 3-5 (lost to Chiefs on MNF)
14. Arizona Cardinals, 2-5 (bye week)
15. New York Giants, 2-6 (lost to Eagles on Sunday)
16. New Orleans Saints, 1-7 (lost to Buccaneers on Sunday)
NFL Teams on the Rise
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs continued their hot streak with a 28-7 victory over the Commanders on Monday night. It was their fifth-straight game scoring at least 28 points after averaging just 20 points over their first three contests.
November will be a pivotal month for Kansas City, with three road games on the schedule. The Chiefs travel to Buffalo on Sunday before their bye week, then face Denver on the road, host the AFC-leading Colts, and visit Dallas for Thanksgiving.
After the Week 8 win, the Chiefs now have a 76% chance of making the playoffs and 30.8% odds of winning their division, according to PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor. Also, Kansas City has a 7.6% chance of winning the Super Bowl.
Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore earned a critical home win against the Bears with backup quarterback Tyler Huntley starting. It appeared Lamar Jackson was set to return, but he was ruled out the day before the game.
The Ravens came out of their bye week to pick up their second win of the season, snapping a three-game losing streak. If Jackson can return next week, Baltimore could be poised to go on a hot streak during a three-game road trip against the Dolphins, Vikings, and Browns. The Ravens have a chance to climb back into the AFC North race in November.
Entering Week 8, the Ravens had just an 8.0% chance of making the playoffs, but after Sunday’s big win, they now have an 18.4% chance of entering the postseason and 15% odds of winning the division, according to PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor.
New England Patriots
New England continued its hot stretch with a 32–13 home win over the Browns, extending its winning streak to five games. It was another great day for Drake Maye, who threw for 282 yards, rushed for 50, and added three passing touchdowns.
The Patriots play five more games before their bye week, with four of them coming against teams with losing records. New England, currently in first place in the AFC East, will host the Bills after the bye in a matchup that could play a huge role in deciding the division.
The Patriots now have a 90% chance of making the playoffs, a 52% chance of winning the division, a 12.9% chance of winning the No. 1 seed, and a 4.2% chance of winning the Super Bowl, according to PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles avenged their earlier loss to the Giants with a comfortable 38–20 home win behind Jalen Hurts’ four-touchdown performance. Saquon Barkley rushed for 150 yards and scored two total touchdowns after gaining just 58 yards on the ground in the Week 6 loss.
The Eagles hold a comfortable lead in the NFC East heading into their bye week. They will return with games against the Packers, Lions, and Cowboys.
The Eagles now have a 90.7% chance of making the playoffs and 83.5% odds of winning the division, according to PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor. Our model also gives Philadelphia a 7.8% chance of winning the Super Bowl and a 20.1% chance of securing the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
NFL Teams on the Decline
Washington Commanders
The Commanders lost to the Chiefs, extending their losing streak to three games. Marcus Mariota, starting in place of Jayden Daniels for the third time this season, passed for 213 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
The loss drops Washington three games behind the Eagles in the NFC East, pushing the Commanders’ playoff hopes into dangerous territory. They have three more games before their bye week, hosting the Seahawks and Lions before traveling to Spain to face the Dolphins.
After their Week 8 loss, the Commanders have just a 15% chance of making the playoffs and an 8% chance of winning the NFC East, according to PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons had one of the most disappointing weeks of any team in the NFL. Atlanta was at home facing a 1–6 Dolphins team and ended up getting blown out with Kirk Cousins starting in place of the injured Michael Penix Jr.
The Falcons have put themselves in a tough spot at 3–4, with consecutive road games coming up against New England and Indianapolis. Atlanta’s offense has scored just 40 total points in the team’s four losses. The postseason is still within reach, but stealing a win on the road over the next two weeks would help make up for the loss to the Dolphins.
After this brutal loss (and the Buccaneers’ win over the Saints), the Falcons now have just a 17.2% chance of making the playoffs and just 4.7% odds of winning the NFC South, according to PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor.
Chicago Bears
Chicago is on the outside of the NFC Wild Card race, but the Bears remain right in the mix as we head into October. They had a chance at a road win in Baltimore, but couldn’t find the end zone often enough. They had to settle for three field goals, including two from inside 35 yards, and couldn’t get enough defensive stops to give Caleb Williams a late shot.
Ben Johnson’s squad heads back on the road next week to face a Bengals team that also needs a win. The loss in Baltimore marked the beginning of a stretch of five road games over the next seven weeks.
The Bears now have a 29.7% chance of making the playoffs and a 6.3% chance of winning the division, according to PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor.
