With four weeks remaining in the 2025 NFL regular season, the playoff picture remains wide open as no teams have secured berths yet. The Denver Broncos, New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams are positioned to clinch playoff spots in Week 15 depending on their results and other outcomes. This could provide early clarity in a tightly contested race.
The 2025 NFL season has seen nine teams eliminated from playoff contention after Week 14, leaving 23 teams still alive. Division races are particularly close, with the AFC North featuring the 9-4 Jacksonville Jaguars, 8-5 Houston Texans and 8-5 Indianapolis Colts vying for the crown and wild-card spots. Similarly, the NFC North includes the 9-3-1 Green Bay Packers, 9-4 Chicago Bears and 8-5 Detroit Lions in a tight battle.
In Week 15, the Broncos (11-2) host the Packers and can clinch a playoff berth with a win. They can also secure a spot via a tie combined with a Jaguars loss, Chargers loss, Colts loss or tie, Texans loss or tie, or through specific combinations of losses or ties by the Colts and Texans.
The Patriots (11-2), leading the AFC East, face the Bills and can clinch the division with a victory. For a playoff berth, they need a tie plus a Jaguars loss, Chargers loss, Colts loss or tie, or Texans loss or tie.
In the NFC, the Rams (10-3) host the Lions and can clinch with a win, bolstering their position atop the conference.
Current AFC playoff projections include the Broncos as the No. 1 seed, Patriots No. 2, Jaguars No. 3, Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) No. 4, Los Angeles Chargers (9-4) No. 5, Buffalo Bills (9-4) No. 6 and Texans (8-5) No. 7. NFC leaders are the Rams No. 1, Packers No. 2, Philadelphia Eagles (8-5) No. 3, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6) No. 4, Seattle Seahawks (10-3) No. 5, San Francisco 49ers (9-4) No. 6 and Bears No. 7.
These scenarios highlight the high stakes, with key matchups like Broncos-Packers, Patriots-Bills and Rams-Lions potentially reshaping the postseason landscape.
