Every week for the duration of the 2025 NFL regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the league’s ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting after Sunday afternoon’s late games and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable. And, when the holidays roll around, we’ll be watching then, too.)
What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 4.
Here’s where things stand with Week 10 of the 2025 season nearly complete:
NFC playoff picture
1. Seattle Seahawks (7-2), NFC West leaders: They reside atop the conference and division … for now. Winners of four in a row, they currently have a better record in NFC West games than the Rams, who are also 7-2. But those clubs will meet in LA in Week 11. Also, Seattle could lose the No. 1 spot Monday night. Remaining schedule: at Rams, at Titans, vs. Vikings, at Falcons, vs. Colts, vs. Rams, at Panthers, at 49ers
2. Philadelphia Eagles (6-2), NFC East leaders: Something catastrophic (not uncommon in Philly) would have to occur for the defending champs not to be the first back-to-back winners of this division since they last did it … 21 years ago. A superior record in NFC games would allow the Eagles to move ahead of the Seahawks if they can win at Green Bay on Monday. Remaining schedule: at Packers, vs. Lions, at Cowboys, vs. Bears, at Chargers, vs. Raiders, at Commanders, at Bills, vs. Commanders
3. Green Bay Packers (5-2-1), NFC North leaders: With losses to Cleveland and Carolina, it’s certainly been an uneven campaign to date for an ultra-talented team. But a loss Monday to the Eagles would drop the Pack from first place to third in their division. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, at Giants, vs. Vikings, at Lions, vs. Bears, at Broncos, at Bears, vs. Ravens, at Vikings
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3), NFC South leaders: You can afford to drop two of three in a division the Bucs have ruled since 2021. Remaining schedule: at Bills, at Rams, vs. Cardinals, vs. Saints, vs. Falcons, at Panthers, at Dolphins, vs. Panthers
5. Los Angeles Rams (7-2), wild card No. 1: Winners of four straight, all in dominant fashion, they have a strong case as the league’s best team at the moment. Yet a Week 3 loss at Lincoln Financial Field could come back to haunt them when the NFC playoff field is seeded. Remaining schedule: vs. Seahawks, vs. Buccaneers, at Panthers, at Cardinals, vs. Lions, at Seahawks, at Falcons, vs. Cardinals
6. Detroit Lions (6-3), wild card No. 2: The offense responded Sunday as Dan Campbell assumed the offensive play-calling. Detroit could assume first place in the NFC North on Monday night. Remaining schedule: at Eagles, vs. Giants, vs. Packers, vs. Cowboys, at Rams, vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at Bears.
7. Chicago Bears (6-3), wild card No. 3: They’ve won six of seven since an 0-2 start but have struggled to beat seemingly weaker teams − as happened Sunday against the Giants. Remaining schedule: at Vikings, vs. Steelers, at Eagles, at Packers, vs. Browns, vs. Packers, at 49ers, vs. Lions
AFC playoff picture
1. Indianapolis Colts (8-2), AFC South leaders: The schedule’s been soft, but you can’t control whom you play − though the second-half lineup seems much less forgiving. A 6-1 record in conference games currently gives Indy the advantage over Denver and New England. Remaining schedule: BYE, at Chiefs, vs. Texans, at Jaguars, at Seahawks, vs. 49ers, vs. Jaguars, at Texans
2. Denver Broncos (8-2), AFC West leaders: They’re also winning a lot of ugly games − as they did Thursday night against Las Vegas. But wins are wins − and the Broncos have one more in AFC play than the Patriots do right now. Remaining schedule: vs. Chiefs, BYE, at Commanders, at Raiders, vs. Packers, vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs, vs. Chargers
3. New England Patriots (8-2), AFC East leaders: They’re in position to win the division for the first time since Tom Brady led them to first place in 2019 and maybe their first No. 1 seed since 2017. Not a whole lot of seemingly tough matchups from here on out. Remaining schedule: vs. Jets, at Bengals, vs. Giants, BYE, vs. Bills, at Ravens, at Jets, vs. Dolphins
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4), AFC North leaders: Don’t look now, fellas, but you’re only one game up on Baltimore for the division lead. Remaining schedule: vs. Bengals, at Bears, vs. Bills, at Ravens, vs. Dolphins, at Lions, at Browns, vs. Ravens
5. Los Angeles Chargers (7-3), wild card No. 1: They manhandled Pittsburgh in prime time, offering fresh evidence that maybe they can overcome their litany of injuries. Remaining schedule: at Jaguars, BYE, vs. Raiders, vs. Eagles, at Chiefs, at Cowboys, vs. Texans, at Broncos
6. Buffalo Bills (6-3), wild card No. 2: They’re starting to lose sight of the Patriots atop the AFC East after a pathetic performance at Miami on Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Buccaneers, at Texans, at Steelers, vs. Bengals, at Patriots, at Browns, vs. Eagles, vs. Jets
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4), wild card No. 3: Tough loss at Houston on Sunday. But their Week 5 defeat of the Chiefs, who are also 5-4, could eventually loom large for both teams. Remaining schedule: vs. Chargers, at Cardinals, at Titans, vs. Colts, vs. Jets, at Broncos, vs. Colts, at Titans