Believe it or not, the NFL is entering the second half of the season this week. The first half of the season produced some surprises, such as the Denver Broncos having an above-.500 record, the Washington Commanders leading the NFC East and the Arizona Cardinals leading the NFC West.
Yet in other ways, the more things change, the more they stay the same. The Kansas City Chiefs remain unbeaten and on top of the AFC, with the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills their biggest challengers thus far. In the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles are setting themselves up to challenge the Commanders in the NFC East -- and both may be challenging Detroit as the best team in the NFC. The league is setting itself up for a wild second half.
These standings will obviously change quite a bit over the second half of the season. Below is a breakdown of the conference standings after Week 9:
AFC playoff picture
| Seed | Team | W | L | T | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chiefs | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2 | Bills | 7 | 2 | 0 | .778 |
| 3 | Steelers | 6 | 2 | 0 | .750 |
| 4 | Texans | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 |
| 5 | Ravens | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 |
| 6 | Chargers | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 |
| 7 | Broncos | 5 | 4 | 0 | .556 |
| 8 | Colts | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 |
| 9 | Bengals | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 |
| 10 | Jets | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 |
| 11 | Titans | 2 | 6 | 0 | .250 |
| 12 | Dolphins | 2 | 6 | 0 | .250 |
| 13 | Browns | 2 | 7 | 0 | .222 |
| 14 | Jaguars | 2 | 7 | 0 | .222 |
| 15 | Raiders | 2 | 7 | 0 | .222 |
| 16 | Patriots | 2 | 7 | 0 | .222 |
1. Kansas City Chiefs (8-0)
The Chiefs are the lone undefeated team in the AFC, having a two-game lead in the loss column for the No. 1 seed. They lead the AFC West by three games.
2. Buffalo Bills (7-2)
The Bills lead the AFC East by four games over the Jets and trail the Chiefs by two games in the loss column for the No. 1 seed in the conference.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
The Steelers remain in the AFC North lead as they were off this week. Pittsburgh is a half game behind Buffalo for the No. 2 seed.
4. Houston Texans (6-3)
The Texans dropped to the No. 4 in the conference with their loss to the Jets, but still lead the AFC South by two games over the Colts.
5. Baltimore Ravens (6-3)
The Ravens are the top wild-card team in the AFC, a half game behind the Steelers in the AFC North.
6. Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)
The Chargers are the No. 6 seed, a half game behind the Ravens for the top wild-card spot. They are three games back of the Chiefs in the loss column for the AFC West lead.
7. Denver Broncos (5-4)
The Broncos still hold the final playoff spot in the AFC, even after their loss to the Ravens. They lead the Colts by a game for the final playoff spot.
8. Indianapolis Colts (4-5)
The Colts are a game out of the final wild-card spot in the AFC. They hold the tiebreaker over the Bengals via the conference-record tiebreaker. Indianapolis is 3-3 in the conference while Cincinnati is 2-3.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (4-5)
The Bengals are currently the No. 9 seed in the AFC, one game behind the Broncos for the final wild-card spot. They lose the conference-record tiebreaker to the Colts for the No. 8 seed.
10. New York Jets (3-6)
The Jets are two games out of the final playoff spot in the AFC.
11. Tennessee Titans (2-6)
The Titans are the No. 11 seed in the AFC, winning the tiebreaker over the Dolphins by virtue of their head-to-head victory in Week 4.
12. Miami Dolphins (2-6)
The Dolphins lost to the Titans in Week 4, so lose the tiebreaker for the No. 11 seed.
13. Cleveland Browns (2-7)
The Browns are part of a four-way tiebreaker for the No. 13 seed in the AFC. Cleveland (2-3) has a better conference record than Jacksonville (2-4), Las Vegas (2-5) and New England (2-5), which is how the Browns earned the No. 13 seed.
14. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7)
The Jaguars are the No. 14 seed in the AFC. Jacksonville has a better conference record than Las Vegas (2-5) and New England (2-5), which is how it earned he No. 14 seed.
15. Las Vegas Raiders (2-7)
The Raiders and Patriots have the same conference record (2-5), but the Raiders get the No. 15 seed based on strength of victory (.444 to .389).
16. New England Patriots (2-7)
The Patriots are the No. 16 seed in the AFC, losing the strength of victory tiebreaker to the Raiders.
NFC playoff picture
| Rank | Team | W | L | T | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | .875 | |
| 2 | Commanders | 7 | 2 | 0 | .778 |
| 3 | Falcons | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 |
| 4 | 5 | 4 | 0 | .556 | |
| 5 | Vikings | 6 | 2 | 0 | .750 |
| 6 | Eagles | 6 | 2 | 0 | .750 |
| 7 | Packers | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 |
| 8 | Bears | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 |
| 9 | Rams | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 |
| 10 | 49ers | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 |
| 11 | Buccaneers | 4 | 5 | 0 | .500 |
| 12 | Seahawks | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 |
| 13 | Cowboys | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 |
| 14 | Panthers | 2 | 7 | 0 | .222 |
| 15 | Saints | 2 | 7 | 0 | .222 |
| 16 | Giants | 2 | 7 | 0 | .222 |
1. Detroit Lions (7-1)
The Lions remain on top of the NFC North with their win over the Packers, leading the division by a game over the Vikings (and own the head-to-head tiebreaker). They are also the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
2. Washington Commanders (7-2)
The Commanders are the NFC East leaders by half a game over the Eagles and are the No. 2 seed in the NFC. They are a half game behind the Lions for the top seed.
3. Atlanta Falcons (6-3)
The Falcons lead the NFC South by a game over the Buccaneers in the loss column, but also have swept Tampa Bay and own the head-to-head tiebreaker for the season.
4. Arizona Cardinals (5-4)
The Cardinals lead the NFC West by a half game over the 49ers, but own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the 49ers by defeating them in Week 5.
5. Minnesota Vikings (6-2)
Minnesota is the No. 5 seed in the NFC, trailing Detroit by game for the division lead. The Vikings are the top wild-card team by virtue of owning the strength of victory tiebreaker over Philadelphia (.472 to .333).
6. Philadelphia Eagles (6-2)
The Eagles trail the Commanders by a half game in the NFC East. They are the No. 6 seed due to losing the strength of victory tiebreaker to the Vikings.
7. Green Bay Packers (6-3)
The Packers hold the final wild-card spot in the NFC by a game in the loss column over the Buccaneers.
8. Chicago Bears (4-4)
The Bears hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Rams for the No. 8 seed by virtue of their Week 4 victory. The Rams beat the 49ers in head-to-head back in Week 3, which is why they are ahead of San Francisco in the standings.
9. Los Angeles Rams (4-4)
The No. 9 seed in the NFC, the Rams lose the head-to-head tiebreaker to the Bears but own the same tiebreaker over the 49ers. The Rams are a half game behind the Cardinals for first place in the NFC West.
10. San Francisco 49ers (4-4)
San Francisco was on a bye week this week, falling to the No. 10 seed by virtue of tiebreakers. The 49ers are a half game behind the Cardinals for first place in the NFC West.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5)
The Buccaneers are the No. 11 seed in the NFC after their "Monday Night Football" loss to the Chiefs. They hold the No. 11 seed based on having a better conference record (4-2) than the Seahawks (1-4).
12. Seattle Seahawks (4-5)
The Seahawks sit at No. 12 in the NFC, a game behind the Cardinals for first place in the NFC West.
13. Dallas Cowboys (3-5)
The Cowboys have the No. 13 seed in the NFC, two games in the loss column out of the final playoff spot.
14. Carolina Panthers (2-7)
The Panthers hold the three-way tiebreaker for the No. 14 seed in the NFC. The Panthers (1-4) have a better conference record than the Giants (1-5) and have the division-record tiebreaker over the Saints (Panthers are 1-2 in the division and Saints are 1-3).
15. New Orleans Saints (2-7)
The Saints sit as the No. 15 seed in the NFC, having the conference-record tiebreaker (2-4) over the Giants (1-5).
16. New York Giants (2-7)
The Giants lose the conference-record tiebreaker to the Panthers and Saints. They are last in the NFC.