The final week of the 2023 NFL regular season is here, and there is still plenty on the line for a number of teams.
While a majority of teams in the league know their fate after the regular season concludes, the entire playoff picture is not in clear view yet. Heading into the final slate of games before the postseason, four divisions remain up for grabs, as well as five total playoff spots.
Only two divisions are decided in each conference. The Ravens already claimed the AFC North and the No. 1 seed in the conference. The same goes for the 49ers, who have earned the NFC West and top playoff seed in the NFC.
For the eighth consecutive year, the Chiefs are the champions of the AFC West, while for the first time in 30 years, the Lions are the winners of the NFC North.
In addition to the divisions, the AFC has two open wild-card spots remaining, while the NFC has one up for grabs. It is going to make for an entertaining final weekend of the regular season, and — given how many spots are available — there will be plenty of chatter about tiebreakers.
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So what are the tie-breaking procedures for divisional winners and wild-card teams? The Sporting News explains:
NFL tiebreakers for divisional ties
The NFL has a pretty complex system to determine tiebreakers, so it can get confusing. However, with that system, the NFL has ensured it has covered all of its bases in order to fairly determine which team has the edge in the case of a tiebreaker.
If there is a two-way tie for the division, these are the tiebreakers used to determine the divisional winner, in order from first to last.
- Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).
- Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
- Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
- Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
- Strength of victory in all games.
- Strength of schedule in all games
- Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
- Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
- Best net points in common games.
- Best net points in all games.
- Best net touchdowns in all games.
- Coin toss
If it is three or more clubs that are tied for the division, then the following rules are used.
To note, if two clubs remain tied after one or more clubs are eliminated at any point, tiebreaker restarts at Step 1 of two-club format. If three clubs remain tied after a fourth club is eliminated during any step, tiebreaker restarts at Step 1 of three-club format.
- Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the clubs).
- Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
- Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
- Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
- Strength of victory in all games.
- Strength of schedule in all games.
- Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
- Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
- Best net points in common games.
- Best net points in all games.
- Best net touchdowns in all games.
- Coin toss
NFL tiebreakers for wild-card ties
To break a tie in a wild-card race, it depends on the teams involved. If the tied clubs are all from the same division, then the rules from above apply.
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However, if the tied clubs are from different divisions, this is how it is determined for two teams:
- Head-to-head, if applicable.
- Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
- Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
- Strength of victory in all games.
- Strength of schedule in all games.
- Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
- Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
- Best net points in conference games.
- Best net points in all games.
- Best net touchdowns in all games.
- Coin toss.
If it is three or more clubs that are tied for a wild-card spot, then the following rules are used.
To note, if two clubs remain tied after one or more clubs are eliminated at any point, tiebreaker restarts at Step 1 of two-club format. If three clubs remain tied after a fourth club is eliminated during any step, tiebreaker restarts at Step 2 of three-club format.
- Apply division tiebreaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. The original seeding within a division upon application of the division tiebreaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the two Wild-Card participants.
- Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)
- Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
- Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
- Strength of victory in all games.
- Strength of schedule in all games.
- Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
- Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
- Best net points in conference games.
- Best net points in all games.
- Best net touchdowns in all games.
- Coin toss
When the first wild card team has been determined, the procedure is repeated to name the second and third wild card teams, if necessary.