The 2023 NFL Standings Heading into Week 7

Oct 15, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell looks up at the scoreboard in the second half against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

We are officially a third of the way through the NFL season, but there are still plenty of tight divisional races across the league following the Week 6 slate.

In fact, five of the eight divisions across the league are decided by one game or less, and it is shaping up to be a tight playoff race as we approach the second half of the season. With Week 7 fast-approaching, here is a look at what the NFL standings currently look like.

2023 NFL Standings Heading into Week 7

NFL: Los Angeles Chargers at Minnesota Vikings
Sep 24, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell takes the field before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

AFC East

  1. Miami Dolphins (5-1)
  2. Buffalo Bills (4-2)
  3. New York Jets (3-3)
  4. New England Patriots (1-5)

The AFC East saw three teams earn victories in Week 6 with only the New England Patriots losing this past weekend. As a result, the division leaders continue to pull away from the once-juggernaut of a franchise.

Buffalo’s win didn’t come without some speculation as they beat the New York Giants by just five points, but Miami cruised over the Panthers while the Jets had a very impressive win against the Philadelphia Eagles to get back into the playoff hunt.

AFC North

  1. Baltimore Ravens (4-2)
  2. Cleveland Browns (3-2)
  3. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)
  4. Cincinnati Bengals (3-3)

With the Steelers on their bye, every other team in the AFC North got a win on Sunday. Heading into Week 7, each team in the division now has at least a .500 record. Baltimore jumped up to first in the division with their victory while the Browns evened their record with Pittsburgh’s.

AFC South

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)
  2. Indianapolis Colts (3-3)
  3. Houston Texans (3-3)
  4. Tennessee Titans (2-4)

In a head-to-head matchup for the lead in the AFC South, the Jacksonville Jaguars got the better of Gardner Minshew and the Indianpolis Colts, forcing three turnovers along the way.

NFL Standings
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) celebrates his pass for a touchdown score to wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Indianapolis Colts 37-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

Meanwhile, the Texans also evened their record with Indianapolis by defeating the New Orleans Saints at home. The Titans, though, fell further behind the pack with their loss to the Ravens.

AFC West

  1. Kansas City Chiefs (5-1)
  2. Las Vegas Raiders (3-3)
  3. Los Angeles Chargers (2-3)
  4. Denver Broncos (1-5)

Kansas City maintained their two-game lead over the rest of the AFC West by defeating the Denver Broncos on Thursday night, and they are about to meet the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead to potentially increase that lead further.

The Raiders were able to snatch a victory over the Patriots in order to keep pace in the divisional race, but LA fell in a heartbreaker to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night.

NFC East

  1. Philadelphia Eagles (5-1)
  2. Dallas Cowboys (4-2)
  3. Washington Commanders (3-3)
  4. New York Giants (1-5)

Heading over to the NFC, the Cowboys were able to gain a game on the Eagles by beating the aforementioned Chargers while Philly lost to the Jets.

Oct 15, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) reacts as he walks off the field during the fourth quarter against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Washington also snatched a victory over the Atlanta Falcons, but New York continues to tumble further and further behind with their loss against the Bills.

NFC North

  1. Detroit Lions (5-1)
  2. Green Bay Packers (2-3)
  3. Minnesota Vikings (2-4)
  4. Chicago Bears (1-5)

Detroit continues to build on their chokehold over the NFC North. They cruised past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, and with a head-to-head victory over the Green Bay Packers, they essentially have a 3.5-game lead in that division.

The Packers rested up on their bye week while the Vikings were able to sneak past the Bears on Sunday, avoiding the basement of the division.

NFC South

  1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
  2. New Orleans Saints (3-3)
  3. Atlanta Falcons (3-3)
  4. Carolina Panthers (0-6)

The NFC South has been the armpit of the NFL for a couple years now, and that shone through again in Week 6. Every team in the division lost on Sunday, meaning Tampa Bay remains on top with both Atlanta and New Orleans a half-game behind. The stumbling Panthers also lost their sixth-straight game to begin the year and are the only winless team in the league.

Oct 15, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) drops back to pass against the Detroit Lions in the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

NFC West

  1. San Francisco 49ers (5-1)
  2. Seattle Seahawks (3-2)
  3. Los Angeles Rams (3-3)
  4. Arizona Cardinals (1-5)

The 49ers finally lost a regular season game after a 5-0 start, but Seattle was unable to take advantage of the loss to gain ground. The Seahawks fell to Cincinnati, meaning they remain 1.5 games behind San Francisco.

Then, Los Angeles cruised to a win over the Cardinals, gaining ground on both division leaders. If the season ended today, they would be the No. 7 seed in the NFC.

Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.

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