NFL playoff picture after Week 15: Vikings beat Bears, control path to NFC North title
Every week for the duration of the 2024 NFL regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the league's ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting after Sunday afternoon's late games and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday's and Thursday's games or Saturday's, if applicable).read more
What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference's seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 5.
Here's where things stand with Week 15 of the 2024 season complete:
NFC playoff picture
x – 1. Detroit Lions (12-2), NFC North leaders: After getting stomped by Buffalo on Sunday, they could be in a three-way tie atop the conference and deadlocked for the division lead by the time Monday night is over. A Week 7 win over Minnesota and conference record (8-1) that's one game better than Philly are the tiebreakers currently serving the Lions, who may still need to win out to keep their divisional throne. Remaining schedule: at Bears, at 49ers, vs. Vikings