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How the NFL playoff picture shapes up ahead of Bills-Vikings
Las Vegas Raiders v San Francisco 49ers Getty Images
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Just one game remains on the Week 9 slate in the NFL.

And it is a big one.

The 6-1 Buffalo Bills head to Minnesota to take on the 6-1 Vikings, in a big test for both teams.

But thanks to results around the league on Sunday, the NFL playoff picture continues to take shape. Here is where things stand in both conferences ahead of Monday night’s big game, as well as a look at how Bills-Vikings could alter the state of play in both the AFC and the NFC.

AFC playoff picture

Here are the current playoff standings in the AFC, ahead of Monday night’s big matchup between the Vikings and the 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 began right now, the Bills would have home-field advantage in the AFC. Note that even if the Bills were to lose tonight to the Vikings, Buffalo would remain in the top spot in the conference thanks to a better record in AFC games (4-1 for Buffalo versus 3-1 for the Denver Broncos). Denver would be in as the No. 2 seed.

Then the Jacksonville Jaguars would be in as the No. 3 seed, ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers thanks to a better AFC record (5-2 in AFC games for Jacksonville versus 3-2 for the Steelers). Pittsburgh is ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North due to a win over the Bengals. Kansas City would be in as the No. 5 seed ahead of the Cincinnati, as the Chiefs have a 6-1 record in AFC games compared for 4-2 for the Bengals.

The 5-4 New England Patriots would be the No. 7 seed, even with their loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon, ahead of the 5-4 Cleveland Browns. Again it comes down to AFC record, which gives New England the tiebreaker at 5-1 versus 3-3 for Cleveland.

Here are the hypothetical playoff matchups, if the AFC playoffs started today:

  • No. 7 New England at No. 2 Denver
  • No. 6 Cincinnati at No. 3 Jacksonville
  • No. 5 Kansas City at No. 4 Pittsburgh

What is the NFC playoff picture?

Here is how things stand over in the 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 Commanders (2-5-1)
16. Philadelphia Eagles (2-7)

Oh the NFC South …

If the NFL playoffs began today, the Carolina Panthers would host a playoff game despite sitting at two games under .500. Carolina leads the way in the division thanks to a tiebreaker over the New Orleans Saints, as the Panthers are 1-1 in division games, and the Saints are 0-1.

At the moment Seattle has a tiebreaker advantage over the Los Angeles Rams, as the Seahawks have a better record in division games. With the loss Sunday night to the Chicago Bears, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drop to 3-6 and join the Atlanta Falcons and the Arizona Cardinals with that same record. Tampa Bay is above those two in the standings, thanks to a win over the Falcons, and a better conference record than the Cardinals.

Here are the hypothetical playoff matchups if the NFC playoffs started 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 Bills vs. Vikings?

Monday night’s game between the Buffalo Bills and the Minnesota Vikings features 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 atop the AFC conference standings. If the Bills lose, while they will drop to 7-2 with the same record as the Broncos, the Bills will stay in the No. 1 spot thanks to a better conference record (4-1 for the Bills vs. 3-1 for the Broncos).

If the Vikings win, Minnesota will improve to 7-1 and take the top spot in the conference, just ahead of the San Francisco 49ers. The Vikings would have a tiebreaker advantage based on strength of victory over the 49ers.

A loss for Minnesota would drop the Vikings to 6-2, and drop them down to No. 6 in the NFC. The Bears, at 7-2, would take the lead in the NFC North. Then between Detroit and Minnesota, the Lions would hold a tiebreaker because of Detroit’s Week 8 win over the Vikings, dropping Minnesota down to No. 6.

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