The Chaotic 2023 NFL Standings Heading into Week 18
Josh Frey
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Only one week remains in the NFL regular season.
After that, 18 teams will turn their focus to the upcoming offseason while the remaining 14 will try and figure out how to navigate a path towards a Lombardi Trophy. As we head into the final weekend of the season, here is a look at the updated 2023 NFL standings.
2023 NFL Standings: Week 18
AFC East
- Miami Dolphins (11-5)
- Buffalo Bills (10-6)
- New York Jets (6-10)
- New England Patriots (4-12)
Well, it all comes down to one game for the AFC East crown this year. The Miami Dolphins fell to the Baltimore Ravens last weekend while Buffalo used a dominant defensive performance to get past the New England Patriots.
Fittingly, Week 18 will feature the Bills and Dolphins facing off in Miami on Sunday night. If Buffalo wins, they will have their fourth consecutive division title. If Miami wins, they will hold their first division title since 2008.
AFC North
- Baltimore Ravens (13-3)
- Cleveland Browns (11-5)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)
- Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
There isn’t much mystery in the AFC North anymore as we head into the final weekend. Baltimore secured the division crown last weekend with their aforementioned win over the Dolphins, and Cleveland will finish second and with a Wild Card spot in the playoffs following their victory over the Jets last Thursday.
Of course, both Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are still fighting for their playoff lives. Mike Tomlin’s Steelers earned their ninth victory of the season last weekend, and once again, Tomlin’s streak of winning seasons remains unbroken.
AFC South
- Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7)
- Indianapolis Colts (9-7)
- Houston Texans (9-7)
- Tennessee Titans (5-11)
The AFC South has been one of the more surprising divisions of the season, and Week 17 brought all three of Jacksonville, Indianapolis, and Houston clinching winning records. It is the first time since 2018 that the division has featured three teams with winning records.
Of course, the race for the title remains a heated one too. Indianapolis and Houston will face off on Saturday hoping to secure a playoff spot while Jacksonville can clinch the AFC South with a win over the Titans.
AFC West
- Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)
- Denver Broncos (8-8)
- Las Vegas Raiders (7-9)
- Los Angeles Chargers (5-11)
With their win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs were able to secure another AFC West title, and they will host a playoff game during the Wild Card round as the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. Denver’s hopes of the playoffs came crashing down this week as well.
NFC East
- Dallas Cowboys (11-5)
- Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)
- New York Giants (5-11)
- Washington Commanders (4-12)
Once again, the Cowboys were able to snatch control of the NFC East after they defeated the Detroit Lions on Saturday night while the Eagles lost to the Arizona Cardinals. Dallas heads into Week 18 with a chance to secure the division crown on the road against the Washington Commanders while Philly needs to beat the Giants and hope that Washington pulls off a miracle.
NFC North
- Detroit Lions (11-5)
- Green Bay Packers (8-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (7-9)
- Chicago Bears (7-9)
The Lions lost on Saturday night, and while it cost them possession of the No. 2 seed in the conference, they have no worries within the NFC North.
On the other hand, Minnesota’s loss to Green Bay on Sunday night resulted in the Packers not only jumping the Vikings in the division standings, but they also now hold the No. 7 spot in the conference. A win for Green Bay against the Chicago Bears means they get the final playoff seed.
NFC South
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8)
- New Orleans Saints (8-8)
- Atlanta Falcons (7-9)
- Carolina Panthers (2-14)
Well, the NFC South got interesting again. New Orleans upset Tampa Bay on the road in Week 17, keeping their hopes of a division title alive. Now, the Saints need to beat the Falcons this weekend, while they also need to Tampa Bay to lose to the Carolina Panthers.
If both things happen, the Saints will clinch the NFC South, but the Buccaneers can still clinch with their own win on Sunday. Finally, the Falcons can also sneak into the top of the division if they beat the Saints and Tampa Bay loses to Carolina.
NFC West
- San Francisco 49ers (12-4)
- Los Angeles Rams (9-7)
- Seattle Seahawks (8-8)
- Arizona Cardinals (4-12)
San Francisco has clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and the Rams also clinched a playoff berth of their own. Meanwhile, Seattle fell out of the playoff picture because of their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, and now, they need a win against the Arizona Cardinals and a Packers loss to the Chicago Bears in order to sneak into the playoffs.
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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.