Week 9 marks the halfway point of the NFL season, which means it’s no longer too early to start thinking about the playoffs.
Let’s examine the current NFL standings and playoff picture, as well as the Week 9 games that had the biggest impact.
Current NFL Playoff Picture
AFC Playoff Picture
1. Kansas City Chiefs, 8-0 (beat Buccaneers on Monday)
2. Buffalo Bills, 7-2 (beat Dolphins on Sunday)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers, 6-2 (BYE)
4. Houston Texans, 6-3 (lost to Jets on Thursday)
5. Baltimore Ravens, 6-3 (beat Broncos on Sunday)
6. Los Angeles Chargers, 5-3 (beat Browns on Sunday)
7. Denver Broncos, 5-4 (lost to Ravens on Sunday)
In the Hunt
8. Indianapolis Colts, 4-5 (lost to Vikings on Sunday)
9. Cincinnati Bengals, 4-5 (beat Raiders on Sunday)
10. New York Jets, 3-6 (beat Texans on Thursday)
11. Tennessee Titans, 2-6 (beat Patriots on Sunday)
12. Miami Dolphins, 2-6 (lost to Bills on Sunday)
13. Cleveland Browns, 2-7 (lost to Chargers on Sunday)
14. Jacksonville Jaguars, 2-7 (lost to Eagles on Sunday)
15. Las Vegas Raiders, 2-7 (lost to Bengals on Sunday)
16. New England Patriots, 2-7 (lost to Titans on Sunday)
NFC Playoff Picture
1. Detroit Lions, 7-1 (beat Packers on Sunday)
2. Washington Commanders, 7-2 (beat Giants on Sunday)
3. Atlanta Falcons, 6-3 (beat Cowboys on Sunday)
4. Arizona Cardinals, 5-4 (beat Bears on Sunday)
5. Minnesota Vikings, 6-2 (beat Colts on Sunday)
6. Philadelphia Eagles, 6-2 (beat Jaguars on Sunday)
7. Green Bay Packers, 6-3 (lost to Lions on Sunday)
In the Hunt
8. Chicago Bears, 4-4 (lost to Cardinals on Sunday)
9. Los Angeles Rams, 4-4 (beat Seahawks on Sunday)
10. San Francisco 49ers, 4-4 (BYE)
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4-5 (lost to Chiefs on Monday)
12. Seattle Seahawks, 4-5 (lost to Rams on Sunday)
13. Dallas Cowboys, 3-5 (lost to Falcons on Sunday)
14. Carolina Panthers, 2-7 (beat Saints on Sunday)
15. New Orleans Saints, 2-7 (lost to Panthers on Sunday)
16. New York Giants, 2-7 (lost to Commanders on Sunday)
Chiefs Remain Unbeaten, Survive OT Thriller Against Buccaneers
The Kansas City Chiefs entered Week 9 as the NFL’s final remaining undefeated team. After an overtime battle against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Chiefs improved to 8-0 and remain unbeaten.
Despite an injury scare involving superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City escaped with a 30-24 victory and remain the top seed in the NFL. Mahomes’ reliable connection with Travis Kelce was firing on all cylinders once again, as the star tight end hauled in 16 receptions for 100 yards against the Buccaneers.
Yet it was Kansas City’s latest addition that had a massive performance in his home debut for the Chiefs. DeAndre Hopkins had eight receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns, as his relationship with Mahomes continues to grow.
Vikings Leap Ahead of Packers in NFC Wild Card Race
Following Green Bay’s loss to Detroit earlier in Week 9, Minnesota capitalized on their opportunity on “Sunday Night Football.” The Vikings defeated the Colts to improve to 6-2, as they leaped ahead of the Packers and Eagles to currently hold the fifth seed in the NFC.
While Minnesota’s 21-13 victory over the Colts certainly wasn’t pretty, they won despite Sam Darnold having three total turnovers. The Vikings’ defense stepped up once again, as they sacked Colts quarterback Joe Flacco three times and forced one interception.
Minnesota will continue their slate against the AFC South in the coming weeks, as they’ll visit the Jaguars and the Titans over their next two games. The Vikings must capitalize on the opportunity to play against two-win teams in back-to-back weeks.
Lions Seize Control of NFC North at Lambeau Field
The Lions are increasingly looking like the best team in the NFC if not the entire NFL. The Lions solidified the top seed and NFC North lead by dismantling the Packers in a rainy road game.
The conditions favored the smashmouth Lions, who were out-gained 411-261 by the Packers but benefited from 10 Green Bay penalties and a Kerby Joseph pick-six off Jordan Love.
KERBY JOSEPH PICK-6! His 6th INT of the season
📺: #DETvsGB on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/sJrkdGgLqA— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2024
The Lions have now won six in a row since their Week 2 loss to Tampa Bay and have a +110 point differential — no other team is above +90. It’s also Detroit’s best through eight games since 1954.
Rams Walk-Off in Seattle for Critical NFC West Win
Many left the Rams for dead after a 1-4 start. But even with Puka Nacua ejected and Kyren Williams held scoreless for the first time all year, the Rams overcame a 10-point deficit on the road for a 26-20 overtime win over the Seahawks.
Matthew Stafford passed for 298 yards and two touchdowns, his first game with multiple touchdowns since the season-opener. That included a walk-off 39-yarder to Demarcus Robinson after the defense came up with a game-saving 4th-and-1 stop.
MATTHEW STAFFORD TO DEMARCUS ROBINSON ONE-HANDED TD TO WIN THE GAME FOR THE @RAMSNFL! pic.twitter.com/xqFG6xQ4eS
— NFL (@NFL) November 4, 2024
The Rams are up to second place in the NFC West thanks to their Week 3 head-to-head win over the 49ers. Offensive injuries threatened to doom L.A.’s season early, but now the Rams are in a strong spot with upcoming games against Miami and New England in the next two weeks.
Cardinals Maintain Control of NFC West Lead
The only team above .500 in the NFC West … is the Cardinals? Arizona exceeded its 2023 win total with a 29-9 thumping of Chicago, moving to 5-4. The Cardinals playoff chances jumped 37 pct on Sunday per PFN’s metrics and chances to win the West jumped 30 pct.
The Cardinals put up 213 rush yards, even though Kyler Murray was limited to six yards on the ground. Arizona’s ground game has been an underrated part of its resurgence, as the Cardinals rank second with 5.3 yards per rush, behind only the Baltimore Ravens.
EMARI DEMERCADO 53-YARD TD!
📺: #CHIvsAZ on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/B7dXbOt3Fu— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2024
Meanwhile, the Bears have regressed after entering the bye with a promising 4-2 record. Caleb Williams increased his EPA per play in each of his first six career games but has averaged a woeful -0.33 EPA per play in two games since the bye.
Chicago won’t be a serious team until it demonstrates an ability to win on the road. The Bears are an unfathomable 3-18 on the road under Matt Eberflus, second-worst ahead of only the Panthers (3-19).
Improbably, all three wins were on a day other than Sunday, so the Bears are 0-18 in Sunday road games under Eberflus.
Bills Escape Dolphins With 61-Yard FG
Buffalo has the largest division lead in the NFL. With their last-second escape against the Dolphins, the Bills could conceivably clinch the division by the end of this month.
The game featured seven consecutive scoring drives to end the game, excluding Miami’s final five-second drive. Embattled kicker Tyler Bass hit a 61-yard field goal to deliver Buffalo its 30-27 win. It was the first 60+ yard FG made in Bills history.
TYLER BASS!!!!!!!!!!!!
📺: @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/0YUMp5a5qI
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) November 3, 2024
Miami’s flickering playoff hopes are likely extinguished with the loss, making the Dolphins an intriguing potential seller ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. Meanwhile, the Bills are likely the only AFC team that could conceivably steal home-field advantage from Kansas City. The two teams will meet in Buffalo, N.Y., in Week 11.
Ravens Demolish Broncos in AFC Wild Card Battle
After a head-scratching loss to Cleveland, Baltimore bounced back with a 41-10 thrashing of Denver.
Lamar Jackson bolstered his MVP case, posting his fourth career game with a perfect passer rating. That’s the most in NFL history (min. 15 attempts in a game), surpassing Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, and Kurt Warner.
Lamar lobs it perfectly to Justice Hill for the big gain!
📺: #DENvsBAL on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/LMft1O63Nq— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2024
Derrick Henry added a pair of touchdowns on the ground, including the 100th rushing score of his career. Henry is the 10th player in NFL history to reach triple-digit scores on the ground.
💯 career rushing TDs for the King! @kinghenry_2
📺: #DENvsBAL on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/6TZTDmKdJD— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2024
Baltimore has a short turnaround in another critical AFC Wild Card matchup, hosting 4-5 Cincinnati on Thursday night. The Ravens won a thrilling overtime game on the road against the Bengals in Week 5 (41-38), one of the best games of the season.