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What are the tiebreakers for the NFL playoffs?

By Jason Reed

AFC Wild Card Playoffs - Los Angeles Chargers v Jacksonville Jaguars
AFC Wild Card Playoffs - Los Angeles Chargers v Jacksonville Jaguars / Don Juan Moore/GettyImages
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The AFC is extremely crowded in the 2023 season with the NFL playoff picture being very unclear. A lot is going to happen in the final weeks of the season and the LA Chargers are not completely out of the hunt. The odds are completely stacked against them, but winning out and finishing with a 10-7 record would likely be enough to make the playoffs.

With so many AFC teams in the hunt with similar records, the league might have to use more tiebreakers than in traditional years. With the Super Bowl being wide open, these tiebreakers could absolutely decide who is the last team standing in February.

The tiebreakers can certainly get convoluted, so here is everything you need to know ahead of playoff season.

NFL tiebreakers for divisions:

The tiebreaker rules are different depending on the situation. Here is the order of the tiebreakers if teams are tied for first place in a particular division at the end of a season.

Two teams:

  1. Head-to-head record
  2. Best record in games played within the division.
  3. Best record in common games.
  4. Best record in games played within the conference.
  5. Strength of victory in all games.
  6. Strength of schedule in all games
  7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
  8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
  9. Best net points in common games.
  10. Best net points in all games.
  11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
  12. Coin toss

Three or more teams:

  1. Best record in head-to-head games between all tied teams
  2. Best record in games played within the division.
  3. Best record in common games.
  4. Best record in games played within the conference.
  5. Strength of victory in all games.
  6. Strength of schedule in all games.
  7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
  8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
  9. Best net points in common games.
  10. Best net points in all games.
  11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
  12. Coin toss

NFL tiebreakers for wild cards:

These are the tiebreakers that are going to be more influential in the 2023 season with how many teams are vying for a wild card spot in the AFC. Like with the divisions, there are different tiebreaking procedures depending on the number of teams that are tied.

Two teams:

  1. Head-to-head record
  2. Best record in games played within the conference.
  3. Best record in common games (minimum of four)
  4. Strength of victory in all games.
  5. Strength of schedule in all games.
  6. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
  7. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
  8. Best net points in conference games.
  9. Best net points in all games.
  10. Best net touchdowns in all games.
  11. Coin toss.

Three or more teams:

  1. Apply division tiebreaker to eliminate all but the highest-ranked team in each division.
  2. Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one team has defeated each of the others or if one team has lost to each of the others.)
  3. Best record in games played within the conference.
  4. Best record in common games (minimum of four)
  5. Strength of victory in all games.
  6. Strength of schedule in all games.
  7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
  8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
  9. Best net points in conference games.
  10. Best net points in all games.
  11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
  12. Coin toss

For the most part, all of these tiebreakers will help fans determine what their favorite team needs to do in order to be one of the final teams standing in the NFL Playoffs. But of course, because it is football and things are complex, there are more rules that must be considered (such as in the case where certain teams do not play all 17 games, like last season).

For the extended rules and an explanation of when they apply, you can check out the NFL's official rules page.

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