NFL Standings 2023
American Football Conference
About NFL Standings 2023
The NFL standings are a ranking system for teams within the National Football League (NFL). Based on a team’s performance in regular season games, the standings shift around with the main impactful factors including wins, losses, and ties. The teams are divided into two conferences, the AFC and the NFC. They stand for the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference.
The two conferences are further split into 4 compass directions - North, South, East, and West.
Each separation is called a division and contains 4 teams based on their geographical location.
The NFC comprises of the following 16 teams:
NFC East
NFC West
NFC North
NFC South
Similarly, the AFC is made up of these 16 teams:
AFC East
AFC West
AFC North
AFC South
The standings help to determine playoff seedings, with the top teams in each division and conference earning berths in the postseason.
NFL Standings Divisions
AFC East: The AFC East division comprises the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, and New York Jets. Historically, the Patriots have been dominant in this division, but the Bills and Dolphins are the most likely contenders from the pack. The uncertainty of the Aaron Rodgers move makes New York a dark horse pick.
AFC North: The AFC North division includes the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers and Ravens have been perennial contenders. Since the turn of the decade, however, it has been Joe Burrow’s division. A returning Lamar Jackson paired up with OBJ could provide some fireworks.
AFC South: The AFC South division consists of the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans. The Colts have traditionally been strong in this division, but this year, The Prince That Was Promised is the only true contender from the pack.
AFC West: The AFC West division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, and Los Angeles Chargers. The Chiefs are the clear-cut favorites with potential GOAT in Patrick Mahomes, along with Travis Kelce and HC Andy Reid.
NFC East: The NFC East division includes the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, and Washington Football Team. This division has a rich history and has seen intense rivalries, with the Cowboys and Giants being particularly notable franchises. However, it is Philadelphia’s division for the foreseeable future with Jalen Hurts and a remarkable team around him.
NFC North: The NFC North division consists of the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings. The Packers have historically been successful, and the division has witnessed fierce matchups between all four teams. This season, the Lions project to dominate the division with no real threat in sight.
NFC South: The NFC South division comprises the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Saints and Buccaneers have been the most successful teams in recent years, with the Buccaneers winning the Super Bowl in the 2020 season. However, the division might draw dead this year. The Saints might look to make some noise with strong additions to their offense, including quarterback Derek Carr.
NFC West: The NFC West division includes the Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks. This division has been highly competitive, with all teams having experienced periods of success and featuring strong quarterbacks. This year, each team faces big questions. However, the 49ers’ elite defense and excellent system should propel them to another division title.
