There’s still plenty to sort out in the NFL playoff picture as we get ready for Week 16 action. Just four teams have clinched spots, while six teams have been officially eliminated from contention. That leaves 22 teams still alive in the hunt for the 10 remaining seeds.
Clinching scenarios are in play as we get set for a busy week, and nearly every game will have at least something at stake. Down below, we review the NFL playoff odds and examine what the seeds and matchups would look like if the playoffs started today.
AFC playoff odds in Week 16
Based on the current standings, here’s how the seeds and matchups would shake out on the AFC side of the postseason bracket:
- (1) Baltimore Ravens
- (2) Miami Dolphins vs. (7) Indianapolis Colts
- (3) Kansas City Chiefs vs. (6) Cincinnati Bengals
- (4) Jacksonville Jaguars vs. (5) Cleveland Browns
The Ravens were the first AFC team to clinch a playoff spot and are in the lead in the race for the conference’s top seed, which comes with a bye through the first round. The club has a stiff test on tap this week as it will be on the road versus the 49ers on Monday Night Football in a potential Super Bowl preview.
Both the Dolphins and Chiefs have clinching scenarios in play and can earn spots with victories in their respective games. Miami will be at home to host the Cowboys on Sunday, while Kansas City welcomes the Raiders on Monday. Here are the current odds for the AFC contenders, listed in order by their current place in the conference standings:
- Miami Dolphins
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Cleveland Browns
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Indianapolis Colts
- Houston Texans
- Buffalo Bills
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Denver Broncos
- Las Vegas Raiders
The Jaguars continue to hold down the top spot in the AFC South and are the favorites to win it in the latest division odds. However, the club has been struggling and will attempt to snap a three-game skid this week when it takes on the Buccaneers. The Browns are 9-5 and winners of two straight. The club can lock up a spot with a win and some help.
The Bengals have surged into sixth place. The team has won three straight to get to 8-6. The Colts, Texans, and Bills have the same record, but Cincinnati holds the advantage on tiebreakers, which also work in the favor of Indianapolis for the seventh seed. There are several conference games this week that could shake up the standings.
- Bengals at Steelers
- Bills at Chargers
- Browns at Texans
- Raiders at Chiefs
The Texans are eighth in the conference. They could be without C.J. Stroud for a second consecutive game as he remains in the league’s concussion protocol. The Bills have been climbing both the standings and the odds board. The club has won two straight — over the Chiefs and Cowboys — to get to 8-6, and it is a big road favorite versus Los Angeles.
The Raiders face a must-win situation if they hope to keep their faint postseason hopes alive, as a loss would officially eliminate them from contention. The Chargers are still mathematically alive as well, but a defeat to the Bills would take care of that. Meanwhile, the Steelers have dropped three straight to tumble to 10th in the conference at 7-7.
NFC playoff odds in Week 16
Here are the NFC seeds and matchups based on the latest standings.
- (1) San Francisco 49ers
- (2) Dallas Cowboys vs. (7) Los Angeles Rams
- (3) Detroit Lions vs. (6) Minnesota Vikings
- (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. (5) Philadelphia Eagles
Three teams have clinched spots in the NFC: the 49ers, Cowboys, and Eagles. San Francisco holds the lead for the top seed with a record of 11-3. On Monday, the club will put its six-game winning streak on the line versus the Ravens. Dallas and Philadelphia continue to battle it out for the NFC East crown.
The clubs have matching records of 10-4 and have split a pair of games this season. The Cowboys are at the Dolphins on Sunday, while the Eagles host the Giants on Monday. The Lions can clinch a spot — and the NFC North — with a win over the visiting Vikings. NFC contenders and odds are below, in order of the current standings:
- Detroit Lions
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Minnesota Vikings
- Los Angeles Rams
- Seattle Seahawks
- New Orleans Saints
- Atlanta Falcons
- Green Bay Packers
The Buccaneers and Saints have matching records of 7-7. Tampa Bay holds down the top spot in the NFC South due to a head-to-head tiebreaker over New Orleans. The division rivals square off again in Week 17. The Falcons have dropped to third in the division at 6-8 and will try to snap a two-game skid when they host the Colts.
The Vikings and Rams are both 7-7, as are the Seahawks and Saints. Minnesota and Los Angeles have the lead for the conference’s final two wild card spots for now due to tiebreakers. The Packers have plummeted to 11th in the standings after losing two straight. This week, here are the NFC vs. NFC matchups that could impact the board:
- Saints at Rams
- Lions at Vikings
- Packers at Panthers
- Giants at Eagles
The Saints and Rams will do battle on Thursday Night Football. Minnesota trails Detroit by three games in the division standings. A loss for the Vikings would wrap up the NFC North, but they can still remain alive in the wild card hunt with a defeat.
Green Bay will attempt to right the ship at the Panthers, a team that got its second win of the season at the expense of the Falcons last week. The Giants are still alive at 5-9, but they’re headed to Philadelphia as heavy underdogs to an Eagles team that will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak.
Projected Super Bowl 58 matchups for Week 16
Just three weeks remain in the NFL regular season, and betting odds on the winner of Super Bowl 58 continue to shift. At most legal online sportsbooks, just six teams have odds of +1000 or less to win the big game.
- San Francisco 49ers
- Baltimore Ravens
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Miami Dolphins
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Dallas Cowboys
Based on the latest odds, potential matchups for Super Bowl 58 include the following:
- 49ers vs. Ravens
- 49ers vs. Chiefs
- 49ers vs. Dolphins
- Ravens vs. Eagles
- Ravens vs. Cowboys
- Chiefs vs. Eagles
- Chiefs vs. Cowboys
- Dolphins vs. Eagles
- Dolphins vs. Cowboys
Two games on this week’s schedule could be potential Super Bowl previews:
- Cowboys at Dolphins
- Ravens at 49ers
The result of those two games will almost assuredly have an impact on Super Bowl odds once the week is through. The Chiefs and Eagles are both heavy favorites for this week’s games. Victories for both will likely keep them among the top contenders, while defeats for either could take a toll on their odds.
Behind the top six contenders, two clubs are lurking, and both have the potential to move upward with strong performances in Week 16. The Bills have won two straight as they get set to face the Chargers on Saturday night. The Lions can wrap up the NFC North with a victory over the Vikings on Sunday.
