NFL playoff picture Week 17: Chiefs extend AFC West streak, Rams grab wild-card spot

Every week for the duration of the 2023 NFL regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide real-time updates to the league's ever-evolving playoff picture − starting after Sunday afternoon's late games and then moving forward for the remainder of the schedule (through Thursday's game or Saturday's, if applicable).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference's seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on the evening of Jan. 7.

Here's where things stand at the moment:

NFL playoff picture after Week 17

AFC playoff picture

yz – 1. Baltimore Ravens (13-3), AFC North champions: They brought home the division crown, conference first-round bye and home-field advantage by pummeling Miami on Sunday. The only question left for the regular season is how Baltimore approaches its finale against archrival Pittsburgh and whether the Ravens will give many (or any) key players multiple weeks off. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers

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x – 2. Miami Dolphins (11-5), AFC East leaders: They saw their hopes for home-field advantage go up in a massive cloud of smoke Sunday in Baltimore. Lose next week, and the Dolphins likely won't be playing any postseason home games as such a defeat would confer the division title to Buffalo. Remaining schedule: vs. Bills

y – 3. Kansas City Chiefs (10-6), AFC West champions: It took longer than usual, but they secured their eighth consecutive division crown while locking into the third seed. The victory also eliminated the Bengals and Broncos. Remaining schedule: at Chargers

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7), AFC South leaders: Much-needed win over hapless Carolina means the Jags are one win from repeating as division champions by virtue of what would be a 5-1 record against AFC South foes. Remaining schedule: at Titans

x – 5. Cleveland Browns (11-5), wild card No. 1: They've now won four in a row, enough to graduate to postseason for the third time since their 1999 rebirth. However Baltimore's win Sunday locks the Dawg Pound into the fifth seed and a likely wild-card round visit to the AFC South champions. Remaining schedule: at Bengals

6. Buffalo Bills (10-6), wild card No. 2: They've got pretty much everything they wanted – meaning end the regular season on a five-game winning streak next Sunday night in Miami, and Buffalo will have resurrected itself into AFC East champions ... again. Remaining schedule: at Dolphins

7. Indianapolis Colts (9-7), wild card No. 3: Huge game next Saturday night against Houston will determine if they're a wild card ... or even kings of the AFC South. Remaining schedule: vs. Texans

8. Houston Texans (9-7), out of playoff field: Huge game next Saturday night at Indianapolis will determine if they're a wild card ... or even kings of the AFC South. Remaining schedule: at Colts

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7), out of playoff field: They extended Mike Tomlin's career-long streak of non-losing seasons as a head coach after taking out the Seahawks. Still, head-to-head losses to Houston and Indianapolis seemingly remain crippling. Remaining schedule: at Ravens

NFC playoff picture

yz – 1. San Francisco 49ers (12-4), NFC West champions: They won this weekend, while the Eagles and Lions didn't – meaning the Niners won't be leaving the Bay Area for another football game ... unless they reach Super Bowl 58. Remaining schedule: vs. Rams

x – 2. Dallas Cowboys (11-5), NFC East leaders: They extended their winning streak at AT&T Stadium to 16 games by virtue of a dubious win over Detroit on Saturday night. But "America's Team" reclaimed first place in the division Sunday thanks to Philly's loss and a better record (8-3) in conference games. Beat Washington next week, and the NFC East's run of non-consecutive champions since 2005 will extend another year. Remaining schedule: at Commanders

y – 3. Detroit Lions (11-5), NFC North champions: They went for the win in Dallas, and came up short ... apparently. Looking more like they'll be welcoming Rams QB Matthew Stafford home in a few weeks as Lions can't be worse than third seed. Remaining schedule: vs. Vikings

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8), NFC South leaders: They came up short Sunday against New Orleans, Tampa's four-game winning streak halted. but Bucs can still earn third straight division crown by beating Carolina in Week 18. Remaining schedule: at Panthers

x – 5. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5), wild card No.1: Shocking loss to Arizona puts exclamation point on reigning NFC champs' late-season meltdown. They need a win next week plus a Dallas loss to retain NFC East throne. Remaining schedule: at Giants

x – 6. Los Angeles Rams (9-7), wild card No. 2: They narrowly escaped the Giants on Sunday afternoon. But they got a gift after the win, the Steelers' defeat of the Seahawks buckling LA into a wild-card spot. Remaining schedule: at 49ers

7. Green Bay Packers (8-8), wild card No. 3: Seattle's loss opened the door to a wild card. Beat Chicago next Sunday, and the Pack are postseason-bound, partially due to a strength-of-victory tiebreaker advantage on the Seahawks. Remaining schedule: vs. Bears

8. Seattle Seahawks (8-8), out of playoff field: Major loss to Steelers, but they can get back into the field with a Week 18 win and Green Bay loss. Remaining schedule: at Cardinals

9. New Orleans Saints (8-8), out of playoff field: Crucial win at Tampa on Sunday keeps them alive for division title (win next week plus a Bucs loss) or wild card. Remaining schedule: vs. Falcons

10. Minnesota Vikings (7-9), out of playoff field: Still a remote shot despite getting blown out by Green Bay on Sunday night. Remaining schedule: at Lions

(Note: The Chicago Bears are in 11th place overall in the NFC standings but have been eliminated from playoff contention.)

12. Atlanta Falcons (7-9), out of playoff field: Still a faint heartbeat for the NFC South championship after three losses in four weeks. They'd need to beat New Orleans and hope the Bucs lose at Carolina. Remaining schedule: at Saints

x – clinched playoff berth

y – clinched division title

z – clinched first-round bye and home-field advantage

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.