NFL Playoffs 2022: Raiders, Steelers, Saints, Others' Chances Of Getting In Bracket

Only one of the 14 spots in the 2022 NFL playoffs have been clinched at the start of Week 16. Three-quarters of the league still has a legitimate chance to make the postseason with three games left on the 2021 regular-season schedule.

The Green Bay Packers have won the NFC North. The three other NFC division leaders, as well as the Los Angeles Rams, are considered virtual locks to be in the final playoff picture. The Kansas City Chiefs are on the cusp of another AFC West championship. There are only remote scenarios in which the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots fail to get into the playoffs.

The AFC wild-card race is the most uncertain part of the playoff bracket. The Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills are the conference’s wild-card teams in Week 16. The Baltimore Ravens share the same 8-6 record as those teams, but the tiebreaker has them as the No. 8 seed and on the outside looking in.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are the No. 9 seed and a half-game out of the wild-card race. The Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos are all one game behind the wild-card leaders.

The Cincinnati Bengals lead the AFC North, but they have the same record as Baltimore and only sit one game ahead of the last-place Browns. The Week 16 schedule will significantly affect that divisional race and the wild-card standings.

Baltimore visits Cincinnati with first place on the line. The Bengals beat the Ravens earlier this season, and another win over Baltimore would give Cincinnati the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Cleveland faces a tall task with a matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day. A loss at Lambeau Field would make the Browns major playoff long shots.

Pittsburgh’s playoff chances are not high because of its upcoming schedule. The Steelers are set to visit the Chiefs, who enter Week 16 as the AFC’s top seed on a seven-game winning streak. In Week 17, the Steelers host the Browns in what could be an elimination game.

Las Vegas hosts Denver Sunday. The loser of that contest will have little to no chance of making the postseason.

ESPN’s NFL Football Power Index projects the Raiders to have a 9.8% chance of making the playoffs, while the Broncos are at 8.2%. The Steelers have a 19.3% chance to make the playoffs, according to the projection. The AFC North is likely to have multiple playoff teams with the Ravens (56.6%), Bengals (49.1%) and Browns (16.8%) contending for the postseason.

Miami’s 5.5% chance of making the playoffs is much higher than it appeared when the Dolphins started the season 1-7. After a six-game winning streak, the Dolphins’ Monday night matchup with the New Orleans Saints could be another unofficial elimination game.

The Saints have the same 7-7 record as the Minnesota Vikings, who enter Week 16 as the NFC’s final wild-card team. The Philadelphia Eagles are also 7-7 and ahead of New Orleans in the standings. The Eagles beat the Saints 40-29 in Week 10.

New Orleans has a 47% chance to make the playoffs, according to ESPN’s projection. The Saints are favored over the Dolphins, and their postseason odds could plummet with a Week 16 loss.

Even after shutting out the Bucs in a Week 15 upset, the Saints have virtually no chance to catch Tampa Bay in the NFC South. One New Orleans loss or Tampa Bay win would give the Bucs the division title.

The Washington Football Team and Atlanta Falcons are a game out of the wild-card race. After losing to Philadelphia in Week 15, Washington ends the season with three games against the NFC East. Atlanta hosts New Orleans in the regular-season finale.

The Falcons have a 0.6% chance to make the playoffs.