The Houston Texans won their division for a second straight year.
The Texans clinched the AFC South on Sunday afternoon, securing their playoff spot. They beat the Miami Dolphins 20-12, which pushed the Dolphins to the brink of playoff elimination, then officially won their division after the Denver Broncos came back to beat the Indianapolis Colts 31-13 .
The Colts completely fell apart against the Broncos, both after Jonathan Taylor fumbled on what should have been a touchdown and the team threw a terrible interception on a trap play in the fourth quarter.
The Texans are the fourth team to officially clinch a playoff spot in the AFC, following the Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills.
On the other side of the league, the Chicago Bears were officially eliminated from playoff contention without playing a single game on Sunday. The Bears were eliminated from the playoffs after the Washington Commanders’ close 20-19 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. The Bears will finish Week 15 on Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Bears are just 4-9 heading into Monday’s game in Minneapolis, so it’s not much of a surprise considering how the year has gone for them. They also fired head coach Matt Eberflus earlier this season, in a rare in-season personnel change for the organization. Chicago, after starting the season 4-2, has lost seven straight games. The Bears will now officially miss the playoffs for a fourth straight campaign. They haven’t won a single playoff game since the 2010 season.
The Bears are the third NFC team to be eliminated from the playoffs, joining the Carolina Panthers and New York Giants.
With their loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, the Giants took back the No. 1 overall draft pick from the Las Vegas Raiders. However, the Raiders will also play Monday night against the Atlanta Falcons. They could regain the first pick in the event of a defeat.
Here’s a look at where the playoffs stand as Week 15 of the NFL season comes to a close.
NFC Playoff Photo
As of December 15, this is what the playoff race looks like in the NFC
1. Detroit Lions (12-2)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2) vs. 7. Washington Commanders (9-5)
3. Seattle Seahawks (8-5)* vs. 6. Green Bay Packers (9-4)*
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6) vs. 5. Minnesota Vikings (11-2)*
On the bubble
8. Los Angeles Rams (8-6)
9. Arizona Cardinals (7-7)
10. Atlanta Falcons (6-7)*
11. San Francisco (6-8)
12. Dallas Cowboys (6-8)
13. New Orleans Saints (5-9)
AFC Playoff Photo
As of December 15, this is what the playoff race looks like in the AFC
1. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1)
2. Buffalo Bills (11-3) vs. 7. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4) vs. 6. Denver Broncos (9-5)
4. Houston Texans (9-5) vs. 5. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
On the bubble
8. Indianapolis Colts (6-8)
9. Miami Dolphins (6-8)
10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8)
Complete NFC rankings
As of December 15, here’s where things stand in the NFC. Daring teams have clinched a playoff spot. Teams in italics were eliminated from the playoffs.
NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2)
2. Washington Commanders (9-5)
3. Dallas Cowboys (6-8)
4. New York Giants (2-12)
NFC North
1. Detroit Lions (12-2)
2. Minnesota Vikings (11-2)*
3. Green Bay Packers (9-4)*
4. Chicago Bears (4-9)*
NFC South
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6)
2. Atlanta Falcons (6-7)*
3. New Orleans Saints (5-9)
4. Carolina Panthers (3-11)
NFC West
1. Seattle Seahawks (8-5)*
2. Los Angeles Rams (8-6)
3. Arizona Cardinals (7-7)
4. San Francisco 49ers (6-8)
Complete AFC standings
As of December 15, here is where things stand within the AFC. Daring teams have clinched a playoff spot. Teams in italics were eliminated from the playoffs.
AFC East
1. Buffalo Bills (11-3)
2. Miami Dolphins (6-8)
3. New York Jets (4-10)
4. New England Patriots (3-11)
AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4)
2. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8)
4. Cleveland Browns (3-11)
AFC South
1. Houston Texans (9-5)
2. Indianapolis Colts (6-8)
3. Tennessee Titans (3-11)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11)
AFC West
1. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1)
2. Denver Broncos (9-5)
3. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)
4. Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)*
NFL draft order
While there will likely be a lot of movement here in the coming weeks, the New York Giants currently hold the top pick in next spring’s draft.
This is what the top of the draft order looks like at the end of week 15:
1. New York Giants (2-12)
2. Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)*
3. New England Patriots (3-11)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11)
5. Carolina Panthers (3-11)
6. Tennessee Titans (3-11)
7. Cleveland Browns (3-11)
8. New York Jets (4-10)
9. Chicago Bears (4-9)*
10. New Orleans Saints (5-9)
11. Miami Dolphins (6-8)
12. Indianapolis Colts (6-8)
13. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8)
14. Dallas Cowboys (6-8)
15. San Francisco 49ers (6-8)
16. Atlanta Falcons (6-7)*
17. Arizona Cardinals (7-7)
18. Los Angeles Rams (8-6)
—
19. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6)
21. Seattle Seahawks (8-5)*
22. Washington Commanders (9-5)
23. Denver Broncos (9-5)
24. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
25. Houston Texans (9-5)
26. Green Bay Packers (9-4)*
27. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4)
28. Minnesota Vikings (11-2)*
29. Buffalo Bills (11-3)
30. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2)
31. Detroit Lions (12-2)
32. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1)
*There are two Monday Night Football games this week. The Chicago Bears will face the Minnesota Vikings and the Atlanta Falcons will face the Las Vegas Raiders.
*The Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks face off on Sunday night.
