The regular season is officially in the rearview mirror, and if you're asking to show me the nfl football standings, you aren't just looking for a win-loss record anymore. You're looking for survival. We just wrapped up one of the wildest "Super Wild Card Weekends" in recent memory. Seeing the Kansas City Chiefs completely absent from the bracket for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era feels wrong, honestly. It’s like a glitch in the Matrix. But here we are, January 14, 2026, and the field has been whittled down to a gritty group of eight.
The standings as they sit today tell a story of defensive resurgences and rookie quarterbacks growing up in real-time. Whether you're tracking the dominant run of the Seattle Seahawks or wondering how the Houston Texans turned a Monday night blowout into a statement win, the playoff picture is finally locked for the Divisional Round.
Current NFL Football Standings and Playoff Seeds
Right now, the "standings" are less about divisions and more about the bracket. The Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks spent last week on the couch, reaping the rewards of clinching those coveted No. 1 seeds. Denver finished the regular season at 14-3, narrowly edging out the New England Patriots for the top spot in the AFC thanks to tiebreakers.
In the NFC, Seattle also posted a 14-3 record, asserting themselves as the team to beat under Mike Macdonald's suffocating defensive scheme.
The AFC Landscape
The AFC is wide open. Without Mahomes or Lamar Jackson in the mix this late, the power vacuum is being filled by a mix of veteran defensive units and young arms like Bo Nix and Drake Maye.
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- No. 1 Denver Broncos (14-3): They won the AFC West and earned the bye. Bo Nix has been efficient, but it’s that Denver defense that scares people.
- No. 2 New England Patriots (14-3): They took care of business against the Chargers in a 16-3 defensive slugfest. Drake Maye looked like a seasoned pro in his playoff debut.
- No. 5 Houston Texans (12-5): C.J. Stroud and company absolutely dismantled the Steelers 30-6 on Monday night. Their defense scored twice. Think about that.
- No. 6 Buffalo Bills (12-5): Josh Allen did Josh Allen things, surviving a 27-24 nail-biter against Jacksonville. They are the "dangerous" low seed nobody wants to visit.
The NFC Landscape
Over in the NFC, the West is essentially taking over the world. Three teams from that division made the playoffs, and all of them are still standing.
- No. 1 Seattle Seahawks (14-3): The kings of the NFC West. They’ve been waiting for a third crack at their rivals, the 49ers.
- No. 2 Chicago Bears (11-6): They beat the Packers 31-27 in a game that featured an 18-point comeback. Soldier Field is finally a place of joy again.
- No. 5 Los Angeles Rams (12-5): Matthew Stafford outlasted the Panthers in a 34-31 shootout. Experience matters this time of year.
- No. 6 San Francisco 49ers (12-5): They went into Philadelphia and knocked off the reigning NFC champion Eagles 23-19. Even with George Kittle sidelined, Kyle Shanahan finds a way.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Current Rankings
It’s easy to look at the nfl football standings and assume the No. 1 seeds are locks for the Super Bowl. That’s rarely how this goes. Honestly, the Buffalo Bills being a No. 6 seed is a bit of a statistical lie. They had the same record as the No. 5 Texans (12-5) and are arguably playing better than the No. 2 seeded Patriots right now.
Another misconception is the "strength" of the NFC South. The Carolina Panthers made the playoffs at 8-9. People mocked them. Then they almost beat the Rams. The gap between a 14-win team and an 8-win team in the playoffs is often just a few bounces of a weirdly shaped ball.
The Road to Super Bowl LX
The Divisional Round matchups are set, and the schedule is unforgiving. If you are following the bracket, here is how the next few days look.
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On Saturday, January 17, we start with the Bills heading to Denver. Josh Allen against that Broncos secondary is the "immovable object vs. unstoppable force" cliché, but for real. Later that night, the 49ers travel to Seattle. This is a bloodbath waiting to happen. Seattle won the last meeting in Week 18, but the Niners just took down the Eagles on the road.
Sunday gives us the Texans at the Patriots. It’s a battle of the young QBs, but keep an eye on New England's interim defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr. He has that unit playing like the early 2000s dynasty defenses. Finally, the Rams visit the Bears. Chicago's comeback against Green Bay has the city buzzing, but Stafford's arm is a different beast than Jordan Love’s.
Divisional Round Matchups
- Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos (Saturday, 4:30 PM ET, CBS)
- San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (Saturday, 8:15 PM ET, FOX)
- Houston Texans at New England Patriots (Sunday, 3:05 PM ET, ESPN/ABC)
- Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears (Sunday, 6:40 PM ET, NBC)
Actionable Insights for the Divisional Round
If you're tracking these standings for more than just curiosity—maybe you're looking at betting lines or setting a playoff fantasy roster—keep these nuances in mind.
Watch the Injury Reports for Buffalo.
The Bills' receiving corps is basically a MASH unit. Tyrell Shavers and Gabe Davis both suffered torn ACLs in the Wild Card win. Joshua Palmer is already on IR. Josh Allen is basically throwing to whoever is left standing. This makes the Denver pass rush even more terrifying.
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Don't bet against home-field advantage in Seattle.
The Seahawks are 8-1 at home this season. Lumen Field is notoriously loud, and after a bye week, they are as healthy as they’ve been all year. The 49ers are coming off a physical, emotional win in Philly. Fatigue is a real factor.
The Bears' Defense is the real deal.
Chicago’s late-season surge wasn’t a fluke. They’ve been forcing turnovers at a top-three rate since November. Matthew Stafford is prone to a "head-scratcher" interception once a game, and the Bears are exactly the type of team to take that to the house.
Monitor the weather in Foxborough.
Early forecasts for Sunday show a mix of freezing rain and high winds. This favors a New England team that just won a playoff game by scoring only 16 points. The Texans' explosive turf-style offense might struggle if the field becomes a swamp.
Check the active rosters 90 minutes before kickoff, as several key defensive players for Denver and Seattle are currently listed as "questionable" with lingering soft-tissue issues. Following the official NFL transactions wire is the best way to see who actually suits up for these high-stakes matchups.