Each conference (AFC and NFC) sends 7 teams to the playoffs:
Seeds 1-4: Four division winners (AFC/NFC East, North, South, West)
Seeds 5-7: Three wild card teams (best remaining teams)
Seeding Order
Step 1: Determine the winner of each division (best team in each of the 4 divisions).
Step 2: Rank division winners by record to assign seeds 1-4.
Step 3: Rank remaining teams by record to determine wild card teams (seeds 5-7).
Tiebreaker Rules
When teams have identical records, the NFL uses these tiebreakers in order:
Division Tiebreakers (same division)
Head-to-head record - Direct matchups between tied teams
Division record - Win percentage in division games
Common games - Win percentage against common opponents (minimum 4)
Conference record - Win percentage in conference games
Strength of victory (SOV) - Combined record of beaten opponents
Strength of schedule (SOS) - Combined record of all opponents
Net points - Points scored minus points allowed
Coin toss - Random selection if still tied
Wild Card Tiebreakers (different divisions)
Head-to-head - If teams played each other
Conference record - Win percentage in conference games
Common games - Win percentage against common opponents (minimum 4)
Strength of victory (SOV) - Combined record of beaten opponents
Strength of schedule (SOS) - Combined record of all opponents
Net points - Points scored minus points allowed
Coin toss - Random selection if still tied
Key Terms Explained
Strength of Victory (SOV)
The combined win-loss record of all the opponents a team has beaten. Higher = team beat tougher opponents.
Strength of Schedule (SOS)
The combined win-loss record of all the opponents a team has faced. Higher = tougher schedule.
Common Games
Games against the same opponents. Used when comparing teams - requires minimum of 4 common opponents.
Conference Record
Win-loss record against teams within the same conference (AFC or NFC).
Division Record
Win-loss record against teams within the same division (e.g., AFC East).
About Our Data
This site uses ESPN's public API to fetch NFL data. Data is cached for 10 minutes to reduce load times.
Note: Due to caching and the complexity of tiebreaker calculations (especially SOV/SOS which change as other teams play), there may be temporary differences between our rankings and the real-time standings at NFL.com.
For the most up-to-date official standings, always refer to NFL.com/standings.