The Kansas City Chiefs' magic strikes again. They've clinched the AFC West division title for the ninth consecutive season and are well-positioned to secure the coveted top seed in the AFC playoff race.
This was not an easy night for the Chiefs. While the first half went well, entering halftime up 13-0, the second half told a different story. The Chargers scored touchdowns on both third-quarter drives, taking a one-point lead. The teams then traded field goals before the Chiefs received the ball with 4.5 minutes remaining. They methodically ran down the clock, setting up Matthews Wright's last-second kick that dramatically hit the left upright before squeezing through to win the game.
After the fourteenth week of the 2024-25 NFL season, which teams in the AFC and NFC are still fighting for playoff positioning?
NFC Playoff Standings, Week 15
- Detroit Lions (12-1)
- Philadelphia Eagles (11-2)
- Seattle Seahawks (8-5)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)
- Minnesota Vikings (11-2)
- Green Bay Packers (9-4)
- Washington Commanders (8-5)
In the hunt: Los Angeles Rams (7-6), Atlanta Falcons (6-7), Arizona Cardinals (6-7), and San Francisco 49ers (6-7).
The Lions narrowly defeated the Packers after a bold Dan Campbell fourth-down decision. The Buccaneers routed the Raiders at home. Kirk Cousins' return saw the Vikings dominate the Falcons. The Saints edged the Giants after a missed late field goal by New York. The Eagles narrowly avoided an upset by the Panthers, with Bryce Young showing promise.
The Seahawks beat the Cardinals for the second time in three weeks, putting themselves in a good position for the NFC West title. The 49ers overwhelmed the Bears in the first game following Matt Eberflus's dismissal. The Rams narrowly held off a Buffalo Bills comeback to win the highest-scoring game of the season so far. On Monday Night Football, the Cowboys fell to the Bengals after a catastrophic special teams error late in the game.
The NFC is clearly deeper than the AFC when it comes to Super Bowl contenders. The Lions, Eagles, Packers, and Vikings all have the record of a Super Bowl, though there are questions with every team. Detroit is dealing with countless injuries on defense, coaching is a concern with Philadelphia, and Jordan Love and Sam Darnold are question marks in the playoffs for Green Bay and Minnesota, respectively.
A look at the NFC playoff odds
According to Team Rankings, the Lions are the heavy favorites to secure the NFC's #1 seed with a 79.4% chance. The Eagles are behind them at 15.7%, while the Vikings (4.9%) still have a small glimmer of hope.
The Lions are also the favorites in the NFC to win Super Bowl LIX at a whopping 33.0%. The Eagles are second with a 9.5% chance to win it all. They're followed by the Packers at 4.8%, while the Vikings (4.1%), Buccaneers (1.8%), Commanders(1.1%), and Seahawks (1.1%) are right behind them.