NFL playoff picture 2017: Where teams stand after Week 12

Three games on Thanksgiving got Week 12 started, but Sunday was when the playoff race really had a chance for a shakeup.

Ten of the 12 teams that ended Week 11 in position for a playoff spot played Sunday, but only the matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints pit two postseason teams against each other. No other game on the weekend schedule featured two teams with winning records.

Thanksgiving helped to sort out the NFC picture a little bit, though. With a win over the Lions, the Vikings essentially slammed the door on the NFC North race, and a loss to the Chargers meant the Cowboys have no shot at an NFC East title. The win for Los Angeles puts the Chargers right in the mix for a spot in the AFC Wild Card race.

The Browns, 49ers, and Giants were all officially eliminated this week, so they can start getting ready for the 2018 NFL draft.

Here’s how things currently stand:

Buffalo Bills (6-5)
Cincinnati Bengals (5-6)
Los Angeles Chargers (5-6)
Oakland Raiders (5-6)

Houston Texans (4-7)
New York Jets (4-7)
Miami Dolphins (4-7)
Denver Broncos (3-8)
Indianapolis Colts (3-8)

Cleveland Browns (0-11)

The Patriots held on to a first-round bye with a win over the Dolphins. The Steelers did the same Sunday night, with an incredible last-minute win to avoid a upset at the hands of the Brett Hundley-led Packers.

With no team close enough in the rearview mirror, the Chiefs couldn’t be bumped from the top four, regardless of their loss to the Bills. But that was also Kansas City’s fifth loss in its last six games. Buffalo got a much-needed victory, but the Ravens held on to the No. 6 seed with a win over the Texans on Monday Night Football.

The Jaguars lost the AFC South lead after losing a wild one to Cardinals. That allowed the Titans, who knocked off the Colts, to jump back into first place in the division. Both teams are now 7-4, but Tennessee beat Jacksonville in Week 2. Their rematch is in the final week of the season and could decide who wins the division crown.

Seattle Seahawks (7-4)
Detroit Lions (6-5)
Green Bay Packers (5-6)
Dallas Cowboys (5-6)
Washington (5-6)
Arizona Cardinals (5-6)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7)
Chicago Bears (3-8)

New York Giants (2-9)
San Francisco 49ers (1-10)

With the Vikings already grabbing a win, the Eagles kept hold of top spot with a blowout win over the Bears. If the Cowboys lose to Washington on Thursday, the Eagles will clinch the NFC East.

The Rams jumped the Saints with a 26-20 win in LA. The Saints and Panthers are both 8-3, but New Orleans owns the tiebreaker in the NFC South for now due to a head-to-head win over Carolina in Week 3.

The Falcons and Panthers got through the Buccaneers and Jets, respectively, to keep things stay ahead in a tight wild card race. The banged-up Seahawks got a road win against the one-win 49ers to keep pace.