NFL Week 17 picks include Jaguars, Steelers and Niners
Lorenzo Reyes shares his three picks for NFL games through Christmas week.
The NFL playoff picture is rapidly coming into focus as the final two weeks of the 2025 NFL season wrap up.
Entering play Dec. 28, a total of 12 playoff berths have been clinched. It’s possible all 14 could be spoken for by the end of Week 17, though it’s also possible the AFC North and NFC South could come down to win-or-go-home games in the season’s final week.
How does the 2025 NFL playoff bracket look with less than two weeks remaining in the season? Here’s a look at the NFL playoff picture for Week 17.
A total of 12 teams have officially clinched playoff berths for 2025. They are:
AFCNFC
A total of 10 teams had clinched passage to the postseason entering Week 17. The latest additions to the group are the Packers and Texans.
Green Bay made it into the postseason by virtue of the Detroit Lions‘ Christmas Day loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Meanwhile, Houston beat the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday to clinch a playoff berth, despite starting the 2025 NFL season 0-3.
No additional playoff berths will be clinched in Week 18, as the Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers both lost. That kept the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers alive in their respective division races.
While 12 playoff berths have been clinched, just four teams have won their divisions. Below is a full look at the list:
AFCAFC East: New England PatriotsAFC North: TBDAFC South: TBDAFC West: Denver BroncosNFCNFC East: Philadelphia EaglesNFC North: Chicago BearsNFC South: TBDNFC West: TBD
The Broncos earned their first division title since 2015 in Week 17. They beat the Kansas City Chiefs – who won nine consecutive AFC West titles – on Christmas Day and then saw the Chargers lose to the Texans on Saturday, guaranteeing Denver would take home the division title.
The Packers’ Dec. 27 loss to the Ravens secured the rival Bears’ hold of the NFC North.
And, most recently, the Patriots’ victory over the New York Jets coupled with the Bills’ loss to the Eagles in Week 17 gave New England its first AFC title since 2019.
AFC playoff bracket
1. Denver Broncos (13-3, AFC West winners): BYE
The Broncos clinched the AFC West in Week 17 by virtue of their Christmas Day win over the Chiefs and the Chargers’ loss to the Texans on Saturday. Denver now just needs to earn a win in Week 18 to clinch the AFC’s No. 1 overall seed, a first-round bye and an assurance that the AFC playoffs will go through Empower Field at Mile High Stadium.
2. New England Patriots (13-3, AFC East winners) vs. 7. Buffalo Bills (11-5, wild card No. 3)
The Patriots have officially clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2021 and an AFC East title for the first time since 2019. Their next goal will be to challenge the Broncos for the AFC’s No. 1 seed before New England tries to win its first playoff game since the Tom Brady era. Currently, the Patriots are on track to play the Bills to open the playoffs, as Buffalo dropped to the No. 7 seed following its one-point loss to the Eagles in Week 17.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4, AFC South leaders) vs. 6. Los Angeles Chargers (11-5, wild card No. 2)
The Jaguars won their seventh consecutive game in Week 17 to keep themselves in striking distance of the AFC’s No. 1 seed. They will get a top-three seed regardless of what happens and are currently projected to play the Chargers in the first round of the postseason. This would be a rematch of a 2022 playoff game Jacksonville won 31-30 after trailing Los Angeles 27-0 in the first half.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7, AFC North leaders) vs. 5. Houston Texans (11-5, wild card No. 1)
The Steelers are clinging to a lead in the AFC North but will need to win or tie in their head-to-head matchup with the Ravens in Week 18 to clinch the division. Meanwhile, the Texans won their eighth consecutive game to move into the No. 5 seed after battling back from an 0-3 start to the season. Houston’s defense ranks No. 1 overall league-wide in defensive EPA per play, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, so they will make a tough matchup for whichever team draws them in the wild-card round.
NFC playoff bracket
1. Seattle Seahawks (13-3, NFC West leaders): BYE
The Seahawks hold an advantage in the race for the NFC’s No. 1 seed entering Week 17 after beating the Rams on “Thursday Night Football.” Seattle’s defense ranks second in the NFL in defensive EPA per play while Sam Darnold has enjoyed a strong, efficient first season with the Seahawks. Their well-balanced team will be hard to knock off in the postseason, provided Darnold can avoid sacks and turnovers whenever Seattle plays its first game.
2. Chicago Bears (11-5, NFC North winners) vs. 7. Green Bay Packers (9-6-1, wild card No. 3)
The Bears and Packers met twice in the regular season and split their two-game series. Both games came down to the final minutes, with Caleb Williams throwing a game-ending interception in one but hitting DJ Moore for a game-winning touchdown in overtime the next time they played. A postseason matchup between the two would likely be close, though Micah Parsons’ season-ending ACL tear could put a damper on the Packers’ chances of advancing.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5, NFC East winners) vs. 6. Los Angeles Rams (11-4, wild card No. 2)
The Eagles won’t have an easy path to defend their Super Bowl title. They are currently tracking to play the Rams, who nearly beat them en route to their Super Bowl 59 victory last season. Los Angeles is engaged in a tight battle for the NFC West and could end up seeded anywhere from No. 1 overall to No. 7 in the NFC playoff picture. It would be interesting to see if they would be favored over the Eagles, even on the road, thanks to the strong performance of Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua.
4. Carolina Panthers (8-8, NFC South leaders) vs. 5. San Francisco 49ers (12-4, wild card No. 1)
This game would be a rematch of a Week 12 “Monday Night Football” battle against these two teams. The 49ers earned a 20-9 victory in a defensive battle and would look to use a similar formula to stymie Bryce Young, who threw two interceptions in the contest. The Panthers have played well in recent weeks and recently earned a critical head-to-head win over the Buccaneers to take control of the NFC South. Carolina will need to win (or tie) in Week 18 to guarantee a playoff berth, however, so Dave Canales’ squad still has work to do to close the season.
AFCDenver Broncos (13-3, AFC West winners)*New England Patriots (13-3, AFC East winners)*Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4, AFC South leaders)*Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7, AFC North leaders)Houston Texans (11-5, wild card No. 1)*Los Angeles Chargers (11-5, wild card No. 2)*Buffalo Bills (11-5, wild card No. 3)*
In the hunt: Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
NFCSeattle Seahawks (13-3, NFC West leaders)*Chicago Bears (11-5, NFC North winners)*Philadelphia Eagles (11-5, NFC East winners)*Carolina Panthers (8-8, NFC South leaders)San Francisco 49ers (12-4, wild card No. 1)*Los Angeles Rams (11-4, wild card No. 2)*Green Bay Packers (9-6-1, wild card No. 3)*
In the hunt: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
* Denotes team that has clinched a playoff berth.