NFL Playoff Standings 2016: Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots Can Clinch Playoff Spots In Week 14

NFL playoff standings for 2016 now have the New England Patriots alone as the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Oakland Raiders fell out of a tie for the top spot and now reside as a Wild Card team after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night football (Dec. 8). In the updated NFL standings, the Chiefs take over that No. 2 seed, with an outside shot at still catching the Patriots down the stretch.

The Raiders blew a golden opportunity to secure an important win in the race for the 2017 NFL Playoffs, while the Chiefs finished off a season sweep of the AFC West rival. This gives the Chiefs a huge advantage with just three regular season games left. The Denver Broncos aren’t out of things yet, though, as the 8-4 team is also still mathematically in the race for the division. That quest continues on the Week 14 NFL schedule with a game against the Tennessee Titans.

As for the rest of the NFL playoff standings for the AFC, the Baltimore Ravens (7-5) lead the AFC North and have the No. 3 seed, the Indianapolis Colts (6-6) lead the AFC South and have the No. 4 seed, and the Broncos reside in the second Wild Card slot. Just outside of the 2017 NFL Playoffs are the Miami Dolphins (7-5), Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5), and Houston Texans (6-6). The Steelers and Texans are actually tied for first place in their respective divisions, showing just how easily everything could shift based on the Week 14 games.

In the NFC playoff standings, the Dallas Cowboys have become the first team to clinch a spot in the postseason. The team moved to 11-1 by beating the Minnesota Vikings in Week 13, gaining a lot of rest before heading out on the road to play the New York Giants on December 11. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, there are a lot of football analysts who feel that the Giants are going to beat the Cowboys in this NFC East matchup. That game itself is scheduled for primetime on Sunday evening at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The rest of the NFL playoff standings remained the same atop the NFC, with the exception of one big change at the end of Week 13. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won again, improving to 7-5 and moving into the second Wild Card slot. Now the Giants and Buccaneers hold those spots, just ahead of the 6-5-1 Washington Redskins. The Seattle Seahawks can now clinch a spot in the postseason with a victory over the Green Bay Packers and a loss by the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14.

The Seahawks are still the No. 2 seed and first place in the NFC West with an 8-3-1 record, while the Detroit Lions are the No. 3 seed at first place in the NFC North with an 8-4 record. The Atlanta Falcons still lead the NFC South by way of tie-breakers with the Buccaneers, giving the team the No. 4 seed. The Redskins, Packers (6-6), and Vikings (6-6) are still trying to remain close behind in the latest NFL playoff standings. One important Week 14 game, in that regard, comes when the Packers host the Seahawks on December 11.

The Monday night game (Dec. 12) for the week has the New England Patriots hosting the Baltimore Ravens. This is a great showdown for the AFC, with both teams needing to secure an important victory. The Patriots can take a stronger hold on the No. 1 seed in the conference, while the Ravens can keep first place in the AFC North. A loss for either team could shift how the updated NFL playoff standings look on Monday evening. A victory by the Patriots, coupled with a loss by the Dolphins, would clinch a playoff spot for Tom Brady and his team.

Full 2016 NFL Playoff Standings

AFC Playoff Standings

1 – New England Patriots (10-2)
2 – Kansas City Chiefs (10-3)
3 – Baltimore Ravens (7-5)
4 – Houston Texans (6-6)
5 – Oakland Raiders (10-3)
6 – Denver Broncos (8-4)

7 – Miami Dolphins (7-5)
8 – Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)
9 – Tennessee Titans (6-6)
10 – Buffalo Bills (6-6)
11 – Indianapolis Colts (5-6)
12 – San Diego Chargers (5-7)
13 – Cincinnati Bengals (4-7-1)
14 – New York Jets (3-8)
15 – Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10)
16 – Cleveland Browns (0-12)

NFC Playoff Standings

1 – Dallas Cowboys (11-1)
2 – Seattle Seahawks (8-3-1)
3 – Detroit Lions (8-4)
4 – Atlanta Falcons (7-5)
5 – New York Giants (8-4)
6 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)

7 – Washington Redskins (6-5-1)
8 – Green Bay Packers (6-6)
9 – Minnesota Vikings (6-6)
10 – Arizona Cardinals (5-6-1)
11 – Philadelphia Eagles (5-7)
12 – New Orleans Saints (5-7)
13 – Los Angeles Rams (4-8)
14 – Carolina Panthers (4-8)
15 – Chicago Bears (3-9)
16 – San Francisco 49ers (1-11)

[Featured Image by Jim Rogash/Getty Images]