On Thursday night, we had a great game to kick off Week 14 in the NFL, with two of the top teams not just in the NFL North, but in the entire NFL, facing off against each other. It lived up to the hype.
Heading into the game, the Detroit Lions were in first place in the NFC at 11-1, but that was only a one-game lead in their conference and division. Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers remained in third place in the NFC North despite a strong record of 9 wins and 3 losses.
The game was a back-and-forth affair all night long, with many defensive stops and turnovers, but also a lot of points. The Lions ultimately converted a late fourth down to run out the clock and kicked a field goal in the final minute to win the game.
Another battle on Sunday involving two potential NFC playoff teams will see the 10-2 Minnesota Vikings take on the 6-6 Atlanta Falcons, who currently lead the NFC South. This will have a big impact on the ranking of the North Division.
The 10-2 Philadelphia Eagles will host the Carolina Panthers, while the NFC West leader Seattle Seahawks will take on their divisional rival Arizona Cardinals, who will take first place with a win.
The Washington Commanders are currently in seventh place with an 8-5 record, but were given a bye in Week 14. The team has fallen considerably behind with 6 wins and 6 losses.
The current rankings are as follows.
Week 14 NFC Standings
1. detroit lions (12-1)
2. philadelphia eagles (10-2)
3. seattle seahawks (7-5)
4. atlanta falcons (6-6, 2-0 vs TB)
5. minnesota vikings (10-2)
6. green bay packers (9-4)
7. commander of washington (8-5)
8. tampa bay buccaneers (6-6, 0-2 vs ATL, 6-3 NFC)
9. arizona cardinals (6-6, win over LAR, 3-5 NFC)
10. Los Angeles Rams (6-6, lost to ARI)
11. san francisco 49ers (5-7, victory over DAL)
12. dallas cowboys (5-7, lost to SF)
13. new orleans saints (4-8, 2-3 NFC South, 3-5 NFC)
14. chicago bears (4-8, 2-5 NFC)*
15. carolina panthers (3-9)
16. new york giants (2-10)* excluded
AFC standings after week 13
1.×-kansas city chiefs (11-1)
2.xy-buffalo bills (10-2)
3. pittsburgh steelers (9-3)
4. houston texans (8-5)
5. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4)
6. baltimore ravens (8-5, victory over DEN)
7. denver broncos (8-5, lost to BAL)
8. indianapolis colts (6-7)
9. miami dolphins (5-7)
10. cincinnati bengals (4-8)
11. cleveland browns (3-9, 3-4 AFC, SOV 19 wins)
12. new york jets (3-9, 3-5 AFC, won over TEN)*
13. tennessee titans (3-9, 3-4 AFC, SOV 16 wins, loss to NYJ)
14. new england patriots (3-10)* excluded
15. jacksonville jaguars (2-10)* excluded
16. las vegas raiders (2-10)* excluded
Note: In a three-way tie between Cleveland, New York, and Tennessee, the Jets are eliminated first due to poor AFC record, and then the Titans are eliminated due to poor win strength. However, the tiebreaker will then be redone, so a Jets win over Tennessee will affect the standings.
Teams marked with an asterisk have been eliminated from the divisional race.
Teams marked with an “x” qualify for the playoffs
The team with “y” won the division
Week 14 playoff key takeaways
Which NFL teams qualified for the playoffs?
The Kansas City Chiefs won 11 games in Week 13, becoming the first NFL team to qualify for the playoffs. The Buffalo Bills won the AFC East last Sunday night, securing a berth in a home playoff game. The Lions clinched a playoff spot with Thursday night's win.
– Kansas City Chiefs
– Buffalo Bills
– Detroit Lions
Which NFL team was eliminated from the playoffs?
In Week 13, the Giants became the first team this season to be officially eliminated from the playoff race. On Black Friday, the Raiders joined them with their 10th loss of the season and were also eliminated. On Sunday, the Patriots were also eliminated with a loss, and the Chargers and Texans won. The Jacksonville Jaguars were eliminated from the playoffs as the Denver Broncos won on Monday night.
– New York Giants
– New England Patriots
– Jacksonville Jaguars
– Las Vegas Raiders
NFL Division Standings
AFC East standings
- Buffalo Bills, 10-2 clinched
- Miami Dolphins, 5-7
- New York Jets, 3-9
- New England Patriots, 3-10
AFC North Division Standings
- Pittsburgh Steelers, 9-3
- Baltimore Ravens, 8-5
- Cincinnati Bengals, 4-8
- Cleveland Browns, 3-9
AFC South Division Standings
- Houston Texans, 8-5
- Indianapolis Colts, 6-7
- Tennessee Titans, 3-9
- Jacksonville Jaguars, 2-10
AFC West Division Standings
- Kansas City Chiefs, 11-1
- Los Angeles Chargers, 8-4
- Denver Broncos, 8-5
- Las Vegas Raiders*, 2-10
NFC East standings
- Philadelphia Eagles, 10-2
- Washington Commanders, 8-5
- Dallas Cowboys, 5-7
- New York Giants*, 2-10
NFC North Standings
- Detroit Lions, 12-1
- Minnesota Vikings, 10-2
- Green Bay Packers, 9-4
- Chicago Bears, 4-8
NFC South Standings
- Atlanta Falcons, 6-6
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 6-6
- New Orleans Saints, 4-8
- Carolina Panthers, 3-9
NFC West Standings
- Seattle Seahawks, 7-5
- Arizona Cardinals, 6-6
- Los Angeles Rams, 6-6
- San Francisco 49ers, 5-7
