The 2022 NFL season is officially two-thirds of the way done. While some teams have retreated from contention and have little to do but bide their time before next offseason, the bulk of the league remains in contention for 14 playoff slots.
No one has officially clinched a spot, but we’ve already got a good idea what the top halves of each bracket will look like. The Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans (thanks to the weakness of the AFC South) can all be penciled on on the AFC side. In the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings should all feel comfortable with a cushion of at least two games separating each from their conference’s eighth seed.
Here’s what the 2022 NFL Playoffs would look like if the season ended after Week 12.
AFC Division Champions
1. AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs (9-2)
2. AFC East: Miami Dolphins (8-3): Holds tiebreaker over the Bills based on head-to-head win.
3. AFC South: Tennessee Titans (7-4): Holds tiebreaker over the Ravens based on winning percentage in conference games.
4. AFC North: Baltimore Ravens (7-4)
AFC Wild Cards
5. Buffalo Bills (8-3)
6. Cincinnati Bengals (7-4): Holds tiebreaker over the Jets based on head-to-head win.
7. New York Jets (7-4)
In the hunt: New England Patriots (6-5), Los Angeles Chargers (6-5)
NFC Division Champions
1. NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles (10-1)
2. NFC North: Minnesota Vikings (9-2)
3. NFC West: San Francisco 49ers (7-4)
4. NFC South: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6)
NFC Wild Cards
5. Dallas Cowboys (8-3)
6. New York Giants (7-4)
7. Washington Commanders (7-5)
In the hunt: Seattle Seahawks (6-5), Atlanta Falcons (5-7), Detroit Lions (4-7)
