Only one game remains on the Week 9 slate in the NFL.
The 6-1 Buffalo Bills head to Minnesota to host the 6-1 Vikings, a big challenge for both teams.
But thanks to results around the league on Sunday, the NFL playoff picture continues to take shape. Here’s a look at where things stand in both conferences ahead of Monday night’s big game, as well as how Bills-Vikings could change the playoffs in the AFC and NFC.
Here are the current playoff standings in the AFC ahead of Monday night’s big matchup between the Vikings and Bills.
1. Buffalo Bills (6-1)
2. Denver Broncos (7-2)
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2)
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
5. Kansas City Chiefs (6-2)
6. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2)
7. New England Patriots (5-4)
8. Cleveland Browns (5-4)
9. Las Vegas Raiders (4-5)
10. Baltimore Ravens (4-5)
11. Houston Texans (3-5)
12. New York Jets (2-7)
13. Indianapolis Colts (2-7)
14. Miami Dolphins (1-7)
15. Tennessee Titans (1-7)
16. Los Angeles Chargers (0-8)
If the NFL playoffs started now, the Bills would have home-field advantage in the AFC. Note that even if the Bills lose to the Vikings tonight, Buffalo will remain at the top of the conference as they have the better record in AFC games (4-1 for Buffalo vs. 3-1 for the Denver Broncos). Denver will be the No. 2 seed.
Then the Jacksonville Jaguars will be the No. 3 seed ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh beat the Bengals to move ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North. Kansas City is ahead of Cincinnati at No. 5 as the Chiefs have a 6-1 record in AFC games, compared to the Bengals’ 4-2 record.
The 5-4 New England Patriots will be No. 7 even with a loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon ahead of the 5-4 Cleveland Browns. Again it comes down to AFC record, giving New England a 5-1 edge to Cleveland’s 3-3.
Here are the projected playoff matchups if the AFC playoffs begin today:
- No. 7 New England at No. 2 Denver
- No. 6 Cincinnati at No. 3 Jacksonville
- No. 5 Kansas City at 4 Pittsburgh
What is the NFC playoff picture?
Here’s how things stand in NFC:
1. San Francisco 49ers (7-1)
2. Minnesota Vikings (6-1)
3. New York Giants (5-2-1)
4. Carolina Panthers (3-5)
5. Chicago Bears (7-2)
6. Detroit Lions (6-2)
7. Green Bay Packers (6-3)
8. Seattle Seahawks (5-4)
9. Los Angeles Rams (5-4)
10. Dallas Cowboys (4-5)
11. New Orleans Saints (3-5)
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6)
13. Atlanta Falcons (3-6)
14. Arizona Cardinals (3-6)
15. Washington Chiefs (2-5-1)
16. Philadelphia Eagles (2-7)
If the NFL playoffs started today, the Carolina Panthers would host the playoffs despite sitting two games under .500. The Panthers are 1-1 in the division and the Saints are 0-1 in the finals against the New Orleans Saints, giving Carolina the lead in the division.
Seattle currently has a point difference over the Los Angeles Rams because the Seahawks have the better record in the divisional games. With Sunday night’s loss to the Chicago Bears, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dropped to 3-6, joining the Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals with the same record. Tampa Bay is ahead of the two with a win over the Falcons and a better conference record than the Cardinals.
Here are the projected playoff matchups if the NFC playoffs begin today:
- No. 7 Green Bay at No. 2 Minnesota
- No. 6 Detroit at No. 3 New York
- No. 5 Chicago at No. 4 Carolina
What about the Bills and Vikings?
Monday night’s game between the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings will feature a pair of teams at or near the top of their respective conferences.
If the Bills win, Buffalo will improve to 7-1 and remain in the AFC conference standings. If the Bills lose, they drop to 7-2 with the same record as the Broncos, while the Bills remain in the No. 1 spot for the best conference record (4-1 for the Bills vs. 3-1 for the Broncos).
If the Vikings win, Minnesota will improve to 7-1 and move ahead of the San Francisco 49ers for the top spot in the conference. The Vikings will have a chance to break even based on the strength of their win against the 49ers.
Minnesota’s loss drops the Vikings to 6-2 and drops them to No. 6 in the NFC. The Bears, at 7-2, lead the NFC North. Then between Detroit and Minnesota, the Lions hold the point difference due to Detroit’s Week 8 win over the Vikings, dropping Minnesota to No. 6.