The NFL’s 2025 playoff image is starting to type.
Within the NFC, there are clear-cut groups which are out of the hunt — the New York Giants (2-11) at the moment are joined by the New Orleans Saints (2-10) and the Arizona Cardinals (3-9) as formally eradicated from playoff rivalry — however there’s additionally a congested higher stage of the convention that would see its pecking order flip — like a shaken-up snow globe — on a weekly foundation. The NFC has a brand new No. 1 seed getting into Week 14 within the Chicago Bears (9-3), which marks the newest right into a season the Bears have held no less than a share of the most effective file within the convention for the reason that finish of 2006 season. That is after they completed because the NFC’s high seed with a 13-3 file and reached the Tremendous Bowl. Nonetheless, Chicago’s place is precarious as a result of with a loss on the Inexperienced Bay Packers (8-3-1) on Sunday and a Seattle Seahawks win on Sunday towards the struggling, 4-8 Atlanta Falcons, the Bears might tumble right down to the No. 7 seed.
Within the NFC West, the Los Angeles Rams and the Seahawks sit atop their division with similar 9-3 information, and Los Angeles at present wears the crown because of a head-to-head victory in Week 11. The highest three groups within the NFC North — the Chicago Bears (9-3), the Inexperienced Bay Packers (8-3-1) and the Detroit Lions (7-4) — separated by the narrowest of margins. Actually, the 2025 season is the newest right into a yr during which 5 divisions all have a lead beneath one sport. The NFC East, AFC East and AFC West are the one three that are not at present positioned neck-and-neck.
Seven groups will symbolize the NFC within the postseason, with the ultimate three spots going to wild playing cards. Which franchises will break away from the pack to seize the prospect to play soccer into mid-January? Which hopefuls are too far gone to catch up 13 weeks into the season? Here’s a rating of the six groups thought-about to be nonetheless alive within the wild card chase, plus all of these groups’ projected end-of-season information.
Division leaders
- Chicago Bears (9-3, NFC North)
- Los Angeles Rams (9-3, NFC West)
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-4, NFC East)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5, NFC South)
Unofficially out of it
Formally eradicated from playoff rivalry
All odds by way of FanDuel Sportsbook. Guess NFL futures at FanDuel and get $150 in bonus bets with a profitable $5 wager.
Wild card contenders
6. Carolina Panthers (7-6)
- Odds to win NFC South: +450
- Odds to make playoffs: +390
- CBS’ SportsLine mannequin’s playoff share: 15.6%
The Panthers have been an unpredictable curler coaster trip in 2025, and in Week 13, they have been on the up with the largest upset victory of the week: a 31-28 residence win over the then-NFC No. 1 seed Los Angeles Rams as a 10-point underdog. How unlikely was how they gained?
Nicely, quarterback Bryce Younger threw two of his three landing passes on fourth down: a 33-yarder to broad receiver Jalen Coker and a 43-yarder to broad receiver Tetairoa McMillan. Younger has thrown for 3 touchdowns or extra and no interceptions twice within the final three video games, one thing he did simply as soon as previous to Week 11.
Carolina will recharge on their bye this week earlier than ramping as much as face the 9-3 Seahawks and the NFC South-leading 7-5 Buccaneers twice after enjoying the eradicated Saints in New Orleans in Week 15. The highway forward is hard for the Panthers, however they do management their very own future when it comes to their potential path to win the NFC South.
Projected ultimate file: 8-9
5. Detroit Lions (7-5)
- Odds to win NFC North: +1000
- Odds to make playoffs: +134
- CBS’ SportsLine mannequin’s playoff share: 370.8%
The Lions have been capable of survive their uneven play with an extra time win towards the New York Giants in Week 12, however that did not work towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers on Thanksgiving, a sport they misplaced 31-24. They’ve now alternated wins and losses throughout their final eight video games.
The Lions’ schedule is among the 10 hardest remaining within the league, as their opponents have a mixed .575 profitable share, giving Detroit the league’s seventh hardest remaining slate. Video games towards the red-hot Cowboys (on a 3 sport profitable streak), Rams, Steelers and the one-seed Bears ought to be very academic as to how Detroit’s 2025 season will prove. This week’s “Thursday Evening Soccer” showdown with Dallas is an unofficial playoff elimination sport of types. With a loss, Detroit’s possibilities to make the playoffs drop to 19% in line with CBS’ SportsLine mannequin.
Projected ultimate file: 10-7
4. Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1)
- Odds to win NFC East: +650
- Odds to make playoffs: +265
- CBS’ SportsLine mannequin’s playoff share: 24.5%
The Cowboys offense is close to unstoppable in the mean time, averaging the second-most factors per sport at 29.3. Quarterback Dak Prescott (3,261 yards passing, second-best within the NFL), working again Javonte Williams (955 yards speeding, sixth-best within the NFL) and broad receiver George Pickens (1,142 yards receiving, second-best within the NFL) are all producing like high 5 gamers at their respective positions. Dallas is definitely the one crew within the league this season to have a participant within the high 5 of the NFL in passing, speeding and receiving.
Dallas’ protection for the season getting into Week 14 is permitting 28.5 factors per sport, the second most within the NFL. Nonetheless, when zooming in from Week 11 to now when All-Professional defensive deal with Quinnen Williams, veteran linebacker Logan Wilson, explosive linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and third-round rookie cornerback Shavon Revel all entered the lineup, that quantity drops to 21.7 factors per sport allowed. That ranks as center of the pack at sixteenth on this span. Dallas’ run protection ranks because the second-best in soccer since Week 11, permitting simply 69.7 speeding yards per sport.
If Dallas can upset the Lions in Detroit on Thursday, the Cowboys begin fascinated with the playoffs. After Detroit, the Cowboys have video games remaining towards the 3-9 Commanders and the 2-11 Giants along with the quarterback-less, 4-8 Minnesota Vikings. The Chargers (8-4) do not look as scary with quarterback Justin Herbert now banged up after having surgical procedure on his left, non-throwing hand. If Dallas can win on Thursday, their playoff possibilities will leap to 42% in line with Sportsline.
Projected ultimate file: 11-5-1
3. San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
- Odds to win NFC West: +500
- Odds to make playoffs: -1100
- CBS’ SportsLine mannequin’s playoff share: 88.9%
Operating again Christian McCaffrey is producing at a stage close to his 2023 NFL Offensive Participant of the Yr season, with greater than 800 yards speeding (849) and 800 yards receiving (806). He leads the league in each scrimmage yards (1,655) and touches (322) this season. His All-Professional-caliber manufacturing helps paper over quarterback Brock Purdy’s inefficient 9-7 landing to interception ratio.
It is also exceptional that the 49ers have been a high 10 scoring protection (20.7 factors per sport, eighth within the NFL) regardless of dropping each All-Professional edge rusher Nick Bosa and All-Professional inside linebacker Fred Warner to season-ending accidents. That is why they’ve an NFL-worst 16 crew sacks this season. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is a miracle employee within the Bay Space, and that ought to be sufficient for the 49ers to return to the playoffs in 2025. That is very true contemplating the 49ers have the Titans on their schedule after their Week 14 bye. Beating them in Week 14 would give them 10 wins, after which they’d seemingly simply need to win one in every of their three remaining video games on the Indianapolis Colts, residence towards the Chicago Bears and residential towards the Seattle Seahawks.
Projected ultimate file: 12-5
2. Seattle Seahawks (9-3)
- Odds to win NFC West: +210
- Odds to make playoffs: -2200
- CBS’ SportsLine mannequin’s playoff share: 93.8%
The Seattle Seahawks joined the ranks of untamed card squads getting into Week 12 after their slim 21-19 highway defeat on the Los Angeles Rams, which ended on a 61-yard missed discipline purpose. Nonetheless, the Seahawks will face the Rams once more in Week 16. Relying on how that sport and the following few weeks go, Seattle might definitely regain first place within the NFC West, particularly after Los Angeles was upset as a 10-point favourite on the Carolina Panthers.
Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold, nevertheless, is trending within the fallacious route. He is had no passing touchdowns in two of the final three video games, and he’s now tied with Geno Smith and Tua Tagovailoa for essentially the most turnovers within the NFL this season. After seeing the success Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores had towards him regardless of his offense being shut out, it is honest to have considerations about how Darnold will look within the playoffs. Within the NFC wild card spherical a yr in the past with Minnesota, Darnold noticed ghosts and was sacked a playoff single-game file 9 instances.
Projected ultimate file: 13-4
1. Inexperienced Bay Packers (8-3-1)
- Odds to win NFC North: -135
- Odds to make playoffs: -950
- CBS’ SportsLine mannequin’s playoff share: 90.1%
The Packers are at present 8-3-1, and they’re beginning to hit their stride, at present on a three-game profitable streak after their Thanksgiving Day victory on the Detroit Lions (31-24). They’ve probably the greatest defenses in soccer, permitting simply 18.8 factors per sport — the sixth fewest within the NFL.
All-Professional edge rusher Micah Parsons is making a distinction for Inexperienced Bay along with his 67 quarterback pressures, tied for the third-most within the league this season, to associate with 12.5 sacks, the third most within the NFL. These 12.5 sacks are the second-most by a participant of their first 12 video games with a crew within the twenty first Century, trailing simply edge rusher Shaquil Barrett’s 14.5 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019. Professional Bowl edge rusher Rashan Gary is on tempo for a career-high in sacks with 7.5 already, tied for the twelfth most within the NFL, and each linebacker Quay Walker and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper are thriving off of the added consideration Parsons attracts. Oh, and Inexperienced Bay can cease the run, permitting the eighth-fewest speeding yards per sport (98.3) this season
Inexperienced Bay’s offense holding up its finish of the cut price has been a key driver to the crew’s three-game profitable streak, and it is a unit that now ranks among the many 10 finest within the league, averaging 24.5 factors per sport, tenth within the NFL this season). Quarterback Jordan Love is acting at a high 5 stage in 2025 with 0.20 anticipated factors added (EPA) per play, the third-best within the NFL this season and a 104.3 passer ranking, the fifth-best within the league this yr. That is actually fairly spectacular contemplating the next
- Accidents alongside the offensive line to heart Elgton Jenkins have damage, in addition to regression by left deal with Rasheed Walker.
- That is hampered Professional Bowl working again Josh Jacobs‘ effectivity, as he’s averaging 3.9 yards per carry, the second lowest of his profession. Nonetheless, he’s nonetheless discovering the tip zone: his 11 speeding touchdowns are tied for the second most within the NFL this season.
- The offensive line points are an element that Love has been capable of mitigate within the passing: the Packers’ 38.8% quarterback strain price ranks twenty second within the league.
- Having a below-average pass-blocking unit and being with out each tight finish Tucker Kraft (torn ACL) and broad receiver Jayden Reed (foot damage) has led to move coach Matt LaFleur calling a conservative sport plan this season: Inexperienced Bay is asking working performs on 51.3% of their first- and second-down performs this season, the second-highest price within the NFL. LaFleur can also be calling play-action passes at only a 17.8% price, 18th within the league.
Mixing it up with extra passes and extra play-action on early downs to make higher use of Love’s arm and the pace of broad receivers like Christian Watson and first-round rookie Matthew Golden might create much more offensive manufacturing. Reed coming back from damage — his 21-day follow window has been open — would even be important. If that occurs, Inexperienced Bay might simply climb up the standings, and so they might grab first place within the NFC North as early as this week with a win over the Bears on Sunday. The expertise is there, even with the offensive damage points.
Projected ultimate file: 13-3-1
