“It is beginning to look a lot like clinching time, everywhere you go.” Hope you are in the holiday spirit because the best time of the year is right around the corner — the NFL playoff, obviously! As Week 16 comes to an end, here is the updated playoff bracket and standings for both the AFC and NFC.
NFC Playoff Race | Week 16
1. Detroit Lions (13-2)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)
3. Los Angeles Rams (9-6)
4. Atlanta Falcons (8-7)
5. Minnesota Vikings (13-2)
6. Green Bay Packers (11-4)
7. Washington Commanders (10-5)
In The Hunt
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)
9. Seattle Seahawks (8-7)
Eliminated From Playoffs
10. Dallas Cowboys (7-8)
11. Arizona Cardinals (7-8)
12. San Francisco 49ers (6-9)
13. New Orleans Saints (5-10)
14. Chicago Bears (4-11)
15. Carolina Panthers (4-11)
16. New York Giants (2-13)
AFC Playoff Race | Week 16
1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-1)
2. Buffalo Bills (12-3)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)
4. Houston Texans (9-6)
5. Baltimore Ravens (10-5)
6. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)
7. Denver Broncos (9-6)
In The Hunt
8. Indianapolis Colts (7-8)
9. Miami Dolphins (7-8)
10. Cincinnati Bengals (7-8)
Eliminated From Playoffs
11. New York Jets (4-11)
12. Cleveland Browns (3-12)
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12)
14. Tennessee Titans (3-12)
15. Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)
16. New England Patriots (3-12)
Updated Week 16 Results and Recap
Detroit Lions With Another Blowout Win
The Lions have lost a ton of key players to injuries as of late, but it didn’t matter in Week 16, as they dominated the Bears 34-17. Ben Johnson and the Lions called perhaps the best trick play in recent memory, as Jared Goff and Jahmyr Gibbs executed a fake stumble that resulted in a touchdown pass to Sam LaPorta. Johnson is one of the most creative play-callers in the NFL, and it’s no surprise that he is getting head-coaching buzz.
WATCH: Ben Johnson’s Crazy Trick Play
The Lions also got some great news about injured running back David Montgomery. While it initially seemed that Detroit’s star running back would be out for the remainder of the season, he sought a third opinion and opted to rehab his MCL rather than undergo surgery. Now, he’s targeting a return in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
PFN’s Playoff Predictor is a big fan of the Lions, as they have a 21.8% chance to win the Super Bowl — double the odds of the next-highest team.
Commanders Shock Eagles
Entering Week 16, the Washington Commanders had zero wins against teams with a winning record, as they were 0-4 when facing teams who are .500 or better this season. However, in Week 16, the Commanders delivered their most impressive win of the campaign, defeating the Eagles 36-33. Yes, Jalen Hurts left in the first quarter with a concussion, but still, Washington deserves credit for this victory.
Also, let’s give some props to Jayden Daniels, who became the third quarterback in NFL history to record five passing touchdowns and 80 rushing yards in a single game, joining Lamar Jackson and Cam Newton. Daniels is the first rookie to post this stat line.
Also, there have been two go-ahead touchdown passes in the final 10 seconds of regulation this season: Daniels in Weeks 8 vs. the Bears and Daniels in Week 16 vs. the Eagles. He’s the first player since at least 2000 with multiple go-ahead passing TDs in the final 10 seconds of regulation in a single season.
Vikings Remain Competitive in NFC No. 1 Seed Race
Entering the season, sportsbooks had the Vikings’ over/under set at 6.5 wins — they doubled that projection with their win over the Seahawks on Sunday.
The Vikings are the biggest surprise of the 2024 season, and Sam Darnold just became the third quarterback in the last 55 years to win 13 games in his first season with a new team, joining Peyton Manning (Broncos) and Steve McNair (Ravens).
Minnesota sealed this victory by picking off Geno Smith, which was Minnesota’s 30th takeaway of the season — the second-most in the NFL.
Dolphins Sticking Around
With their Week 16 win over the 49ers, the Dolphins have now won five of their last seven games, but it may be too little, too late. Miami has just a 3.8% chance of making the playoffs, as they need a ton of help from other teams to sneak in.
Had Tua Tagovailoa stayed healthy all season, who knows what the Dolphins could have achieved this season? But injuries are obviously part of the game, and now it’s looking very likely that Miami will miss the postseason.
Packers Destroy Saints
With their 34-0 blowout win over the Saints on Monday Night Football, Green Bay officially clinched an NFC Wild Card spot. This marked the first shutout of the 2024 NFL season.
The Packers have had the NFL’s hardest schedule to this point, yet they are still 11-4. It’s worth noting that Green Bay’s only losses have come against other teams ranked inside the top five: against the Eagles in Week 1, the Vikings in Week 4, and the Lions in Weeks 9 and 14. Also, two of those losses came with Jordan Love hobbled by injuries.
That’s the downside of playing in the NFL’s toughest division. While they are in third place in the NFC North, the Packers are a legitimate contender.