NFL playoffs: These teams have clinched or been eliminated from contention so far

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NFL playoffs: These teams have clinched or been eliminated from contention so far originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Kansas City Chiefs will officially carry their three-peat bid into the postseason .

The two-time defending Super Bowl champions on Friday became the first NFL team in the 2024 season to clinch a spot in the playoffs — and they did it with yet another nail-biter of a win.

With Kansas City clinging to a two-point lead late, quarterback Aidan O’Connell and the Las Vegas Raiders’ offense drove from their own 8-yard line to within range for a potential game-winning field goal on the road. But, on a 3rd-and-3 with 15 seconds left, the Raiders botched the snap and the Chiefs recovered the loose ball for a game-sealing turnover.

The 11-1 Chiefs have now won nine games by seven points or fewer. And their latest thriller secured the franchise’s 10th straight postseason berth — one shy of the New England Patriots ‘ all-time playoff streak record (2009-19).

Between now and the end of the regular season, several other teams will book trips to the postseason for a chance to compete for the Lombardi Trophy. As the playoff field starts to take shape, here’s what to know:

How many teams make the NFL playoffs?

A total of 14 teams — seven from each conference — make the NFL playoffs.

How many NFL wild-card teams are there?

The playoff field in each conference consists of four division winners and three wild-card teams.

Which teams are in the NFL playoffs so far?

The Chiefs are the only team to clinch a playoff spot entering Sunday’s Week 13 action .

One team in each conference has been eliminated from playoff contention so far:

AFC

Las Vegas Raiders

NFC

New York Giants

How many teams get a bye in the NFL playoffs?

Only the top seed in each conference gets a bye to the Divisional Round.

How do the NFL playoffs work?

Teams are seeded No. 1 through No. 7 in each conference, with the four division winners ranked by regular-season record followed by … Read More