NFL playoff race: Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, Buffalo Payments and Detroit Lions amongst groups battling for locations in 2025 season

The 2025 playoff race is heating up, with simply six weeks of the common season left and many pushing for place or precariously positioned clinging on to a spot. Right here, we check out the groups within the combine…

Which groups are at risk of lacking out?

Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (6-5)

In seven seasons because the Chiefs’ beginning quarterback, Patrick Mahomes has by no means not led his workforce to the AFC Championship sport, which he subsequently become to 5 Tremendous Bowl appearances and three rings.

BUT, that stellar document is severely below risk in 2025 because the Chiefs at present sit outdoors of the playoff image within the AFC, battling for a wild card spot.

An additional time win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 12 corrected a two-game skid and gave hope to a late run, however they’ve left themselves an uphill battle down the stretch.

Chiefs remaining fixtures: @ Cowboys, vs Texans, vs Chargers, @ Titans, vs Broncos, @ Raiders

Buffalo Payments (7-4)

Josh Allen and the Payments have perennially performed bridesmaid to the Chiefs’ bride within the AFC however, even with Kansas Metropolis faltering in 2025, Buffalo are failing to take benefit.

The Payments have disappointing losses to the New England Patriots, at residence, in addition to the Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins and Houston Texans on their document – Atlanta and Miami each holding shedding data and Houston when fielding their backup QB.

The Payments are at present clinging on to a wild card spot, however they’re at risk of losing a golden alternative for a deep playoff run – or perhaps a first journey to the Tremendous Bowl in additional than three a long time.

Payments remaining fixtures: @ Steelers, vs Bengals, @ Patriots, @ Browns, vs Eagles, vs Jets

Detroit Lions (7-4)

The Lions have been on the cusp of the Tremendous Bowl for the previous two seasons, with head coach Dan Campbell’s explosive offense taking them to the NFC Championship sport in 2023 after which the NFL’s joint-best document (15-2) a 12 months in the past, solely to go one-and-done within the playoffs.

They’re nowhere close to hitting such heights in 2025, nonetheless, and are at risk of lacking out on a wild card spot as they at present path each the upstart Chicago Bears, boasting their former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their first-year head coach, and the Inexperienced Bay Packers of their division.

Lions remaining fixtures: vs Packers, vs Cowboys, @ Rams, vs Steelers, @ Vikings, @ Bears

Dallas Cowboys (5-5-1)

Ever the enigma, the Cowboys weren’t precisely tipped by many to even make the playoffs – particularly after buying and selling away arguably the most effective defender within the NFL, Micah Parsons, to the Packers on the eve of the season.

That transfer definitely hasn’t helped their trigger, with their protection among the many league’s worst in each yards and factors allowed per sport. BUT, their offense, one of many league leaders, has repeatedly bailed them out of bother.

Dallas have been maddeningly inconsistent, with a tie in opposition to the Packers and win over the Eagles giving nod to their skills, solely to additionally distinction massively with defeats to the likes of the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals.

The Cowboys merely should discover some consistency down the stretch if they’re to drive their approach into the NFC playoff image.

Cowboys remaining fixtures: vs Chiefs, @ Lions, vs Vikings, vs Chargers, @ Commanders, @ Giants

What different playoff battles are unfolding?

Battle for the AFC North

The Baltimore Ravens (6-5) and Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) are each flirting with hazard when it comes to securing an AFC wild card spot, making their battle for the AFC North division title much more essential.

It at present seems to be benefit Ravens, who’ve received their final 5 straight and have star quarterback Lamar Jackson again from damage simply when the Steelers are attempting to deal with a banged up Aaron Rodgers at QB.

The 2 groups are nonetheless to play one another twice, although – together with on the ultimate day of the season – so anticipate this race to go proper all the way down to the wire.

Ravens remaining fixtures: vs Bengals, vs Steelers, @ Bengals, vs Patriots, @ Packers, @ Steelers

Steelers remaining fixtures: vs Payments, @ Ravens, vs Dolphins, @ Lions, @ Browns, vs Ravens

Can 49ers or Panthers sneak within the NFC?

The San Francisco 49ers (7-4) and Carolina Panthers (6-5) are jostling for place within the NFC playoff image, one which is ready to look a complete lot clearer following the 2 groups’ assembly on Monday Evening Soccer – stay on Sky Sports activities NFL, Tuesday, 1.15am – to spherical off the Week 12 motion.

The 49ers, regardless of battling devastating accidents to lots of their star names, at present boast one of many NFC wild card spots, holding the Lions, Panthers and Cowboys at bay – however can they maintain on to that place down the stretch?

Defeat on Monday evening would, most clearly, open the door to Carolina, who, if they need to lose will probably have to modify their focus to profitable their NFC South division as their approach in.

49ers remaining fixtures: vs Panthers, @ Browns, BYE WEEK, vs Titans, @ Colts, vs Bears, vs Seahawks

Panthers remaining fixtures: @ 49ers, vs Rams, BYE WEEK, @ Saints, vs Buccaneers, vs Seahawks, @ Buccaneers

Is the NFC North nonetheless up for grabs?

That is proper, the Panthers probably have one other route into the playoffs, with present NFC South division leaders the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5) having slipped again to the pack with three-straight defeats and 4 of their final 5.

The Bucs are one other workforce badly banged up – star QB Baker Mayfield the most recent to go down with a shoulder damage within the Week 12 loss to the Los Angeles Rams – and so immediately Carolina and co have a sniff within the South.

The Atlanta Falcons (4-7), who at one level had misplaced 5 straight, might arguably but throw their hat within the ring with a late run.

Buccaneers remaining fixtures: vs Cardinals, vs Saints, vs Falcons, @ Panthers, @ Dolphins, vs Panthers

Falcons remaining fixtures: @ Jets, vs Seahawks, @ Buccaneers, @ Cardinals, vs Rams, vs Saints

Which groups are preventing for the highest seeds?

AFC

The AFC has a distinctly mid 2000s and early 2010s really feel about it, with the New England Patriots (10-2), Denver Broncos (9-2) and Indianapolis Colts (8-3) battling it out for supremacy in scenes harking back to when these sides had been led by all-time QB greats and rivals Tom Brady (Patriots) and Peyton Manning (Colts, Broncos).

The Patriots have received a staggering 9 straight, a mark the Broncos aren’t removed from matching, within the midst of a run of eight in a row.

As for the Colts, they misplaced a bit little bit of floor with a heartbreaking additional time loss to your traditional AFC powerhouse of the Chiefs, however boast the NFL’s highest-scoring offense so are definitely to not be counted out.

Patriots remaining fixtures: vs Giants, BYE WEEK, vs Payments, @ Ravens, @ Jets, vs Dolphins

Broncos remaining fixtures: @ Commanders, @ Raiders, vs Packers, vs Jaguars, @ Chiefs, vs Chargers

Colts remaining fixtures: vs Texans, @ Jaguars, @ Seahawks, vs 49ers, vs Jaguars, @ Texans

NFC

Within the NFC, the Los Angeles Rams (9-2) at present maintain a slender benefit over defending Tremendous Bowl champions the Philadelphia Eagles (8-3) and 2025 shock package deal the Chicago Bears (8-3) – the latter two set to face one another in an important Week 13 conflict.

The Eagles – regardless of grumblings over their sputtering offense, and off the again of a probably pricey Week 12 loss to the Cowboys after main 21-0 – arguably have the benefit as they at present cruise in the direction of one other division title, whereas each the Rams and Bears nonetheless have battles on their palms in that respect.

The Rams have the Seattle Seahawks (8-3) to deal with within the NFC West, whereas the Bears’ greatest challengers within the North are the Inexperienced Bay Packers (7-3-1), each of whom might but throw their names into the hat for the No 1 seed with a late run.

Rams remaining fixtures: @ Panthers, @ Cardinals, vs Lions, @ Seahawks, @ Falcons, vs Cardinals

Eagles remaining fixtures: vs Bears, @ Chargers, vs Raiders, @ Commanders, @ Payments, vs Commanders

Bears remaining fixtures: @ Eagles, @ Packers, vs Browns, vs Packers, @ 49ers, vs Lions

Packers remaining fixtures: @ Lions, vs Bears, @ Broncos, @ Bears, vs Ravens, @ Vikings

Seahawks remaining fixtures: vs Vikings, @ Falcons, vs Colts, vs Rams, @ Panthers, @ 49ers

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