While powerhouses like the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, and San Francisco 49ers stand on the brink of playoff berths, the remaining weeks of the regular season offer ample opportunities for surprises and upsets.
The NFL’s current playoff format allows for seven teams from each conference to compete for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. This expansion, introduced in 2020, increased the number of playoff participants from 12 to 14, offering more teams a chance to chase glory.
For underdogs like Jacksonville Jaguars, the path to the playoffs is often paved with challenges. They must overcome top opponents, often division rivals who have their number, while dealing with the pressure of mounting expectations and the constant scrutiny of the media.
2023 Playoffs standings: [updated 12/4/2023]
The list below shows the status of each of the teams that have an almost guaranteed spot to play in the playoffs, the last weeks of the regular season are crucial, each victory is more important than the other but they also depend on other factors such as H2H.
According to the new format, only two top seeded teams enter the playoffs, one from each conference, while another three teams from each conference will be able to play in the Wild Card rounds.
However, despite this expansion, the odds stacked against underdogs remain formidable. The NFL is a league built on dynasties, where established teams with deep pockets and star players often dominate the top seeded spots.
For the 2023 season, it is expected that at least 3 underdogs will reach the Wild Card rounds and some of them will advance to the divisional round.
Do the current Super Bowl champions get a playoffs bye?
No, the current Super Bowl champions do not automatically receive a bye in the NFL playoffs. They must still earn their way through the playoffs like any other team. If they keep the same strategy and roster its eassier to get to the big game again.
What happens if a team loses a playoff game?
The NFL playoffs are a single-elimination tournament, which means that once a team loses a game, they are eliminated from the playoffs. There isn’t second chance like in other sports where teams play a best of seven games or and away and home game.
