NFL Standings shake-up: Mahomes, Hurts and Lamar Jackson ignite wild playoff race
08.02.2026 - 23:44:18
The NFL Standings just got a full-blown reset after a wild slate of games that felt more like January than mid-season. With Patrick Mahomes carving up secondaries, Jalen Hurts grinding out another clutch finish and Lamar Jackson putting on a dual-threat clinic, the race for top seeds and the Super Bowl contender label is officially wide open.
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Mahomes and the Chiefs remind everyone who runs the AFC
Every time the conversation drifts away from Kansas City, Mahomes yanks it back. In a statement win that shook up the NFL Standings, he shredded a playoff-caliber defense with pinpoint accuracy, working the short passing game early before uncorking classic off-script bombs once he settled into a rhythm in the pocket.
The Chiefs offense looked far more balanced, with the run game finally keeping defenses honest and creating clean platforms for Mahomes in the Red Zone. Multiple scoring drives went the length of the field, capped by touchdown strikes that had defenders shaking their heads. It was vintage Mahomes: effortless arm talent, elite pocket presence and the kind of situational awareness that flips third-and-long into a dagger.
Inside the locker room, the tone matched the performance. Coaches emphasized that this looked and felt like "January football" and players echoed that this was the first week where all three phases truly clicked. For a team that is judged only by Super Bowl expectations, this kind of complete performance reasserts the Chiefs as a top-tier Super Bowl contender and stabilizes their position near the top of the AFC playoff picture.
Jalen Hurts and the Eagles survive another slugfest
On the NFC side, Jalen Hurts once again turned a grinder into a gut-check win. The Eagles did not put up video-game numbers, but they played grown-man football when it mattered. Hurts bulldozed his way for key first downs, took hits, bounced back and kept drives alive with both his legs and his poise.
In a game that swung on a handful of snaps, Hurts delivered in the two-minute drill, rifling tight-window throws outside the numbers and using quick tempo to keep the defense from substituting. A late touchdown drive, capped by a short-yardage plunge near the goal line, flipped what looked like a trap loss into a statement win that locks the Eagles into the upper tier of the NFC NFL Standings.
Defensively, Philadelphia still showed some cracks in coverage, especially against vertical concepts and deep crossers, but the pass rush cranked up when they needed it. Multiple sacks in the fourth quarter swung field position and forced a desperate offense into low-percentage throws. It felt like a playoff atmosphere, and Hurts once again looked like a steady MVP Race presence.
Lamar Jackson powers another Ravens statement
Lamar Jackson’s MVP case is not built on empty calories. This week, he dismantled a quality defense with a blend of precision passing and devastating scrambles. He spread the ball around to multiple targets, consistently hitting intermediate routes in stride and turning routine completions into chain-movers.
On the ground, Jackson broke the pocket just enough to punish man coverage but not so often that the offense devolved into backyard ball. His rushing numbers were efficient rather than gaudy, but key third-down scrambles extended drives and left defenders gasping by the fourth quarter. In total, Jackson accounted for several touchdowns and more than 300 combined yards, the kind of stat line that keeps him smack in the heart of the MVP Race.
The Ravens’ defense did its part too, generating pressure with four-man rushes and forcing hurried throws that turned into picks. A fourth-quarter interception effectively sealed the game and underscored why this roster is built for a deep run. In the current NFL Standings, Baltimore is firmly in the hunt for the AFC’s No. 1 seed, and the road to the Super Bowl might run right through their home turf.
Game highlights: late drama, clutch kicks and defensive swings
Across the league, this week felt like a Red Zone roller coaster. Several games came down to final drives, and the margin between heartbreakers and heroics was a single snap. One matchup turned on a missed field goal in the final seconds, pushing a would-be playoff hopeful deeper into the Wild Card race. Another tilt saw a defense steal a win with a late Pick-Six, flipping a three-point deficit into a double-digit victory.
Quarterbacks were under siege almost everywhere. There were multiple games where pass rushers racked up three or more sacks, collapsing pockets and forcing offenses out of rhythm. One edge rusher, in particular, posted a three-sack performance with a forced fumble that swung momentum right before halftime. Those kinds of splash plays are why defensive stars are creeping into the MVP Race conversation more than usual this season.
On the offensive side, wide receivers dominated highlight reels with acrobatic sideline grabs and deep shots over single coverage. A couple of young playmakers topped 100 receiving yards, including one breakout performance that could reshape his team’s passing identity for the rest of the year. These are the kinds of game highlights that fuel debate shows and ignite fanbases from Monday all the way to Thursday night.
The playoff picture: who controls the AFC and NFC?
With the dust settling on this week’s results, the NFL Standings tell a clear story at the top: a handful of teams control their division races, while a crowded middle class is jostling for Wild Card spots. The No. 1 seeds in both conferences remain up for grabs, but signature wins by the Chiefs, Eagles and Ravens have given them a slight edge over the pack.
Here is a compact look at how the current division leaders stack up in the playoff picture:
| Conference | Division | Team | Record | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC | West | Chiefs | Leading | Mahomes back in full command |
| AFC | North | Ravens | Leading | Lamar in MVP form |
| AFC | East | Contender | In mix | Offense finding rhythm |
| AFC | South | Contender | In mix | Physical, run-heavy identity |
| NFC | East | Eagles | Leading | Hurts grinding out wins |
| NFC | West | Contender | In mix | Explosive offense, tough defense |
| NFC | North | Contender | In mix | Balanced, opportunistic D |
| NFC | South | Contender | In mix | On the bubble in Wild Card race |
Behind those division leaders, the Wild Card race is chaos in the best way. Several teams sit within a game of each other, and tiebreakers are already looming large. Conference record, head-to-head results and divisional splits are all in play. One or two late-season upsets could reshuffle the entire bracket.
Coaches around the league are framing every week as a "must-win" without actually saying it, but the urgency is obvious. Snap counts for star players are rising, game plans are tightening and teams are leaning harder on what they do best. It feels like the margin for error in the Wild Card race shrinks with every Sunday.
Injury Report: how health is reshaping the Super Bowl race
The latest Injury Report is just as influential as any box score in determining real Super Bowl contender status. Several key starters on both sides of the ball landed on the report this week, and a couple of high-impact players are now considered week-to-week with soft-tissue issues or lingering hits from earlier in the season.
One contending offense lost a starting wide receiver to a lower-body injury, forcing the coaching staff to shift more targets to tight ends and backs in the passing game. Another playoff hopeful saw its left tackle leave with an apparent ankle problem, immediately changing how the quarterback handled pressure and limiting deep-shot opportunities.
On defense, a premier cornerback popped up with a hamstring concern, and his status for next week’s matchup against a pass-heavy opponent is cloudy. If he cannot go, that defense might have to lean more on two-high shells and softer zone looks, potentially opening the door for big yardage totals through the air.
Front offices are watching the trade and free-agent markets closely, knowing that one well-timed move at a premium position could swing their Super Bowl chances. Several teams are already working out veteran linemen and depth receivers, quietly trying to patch holes before the stretch run exposes them.
MVP Radar: Mahomes, Lamar, Hurts and the rising stars
The MVP Race tightened again this week. Mahomes reinserted himself near the top with a clean, efficient performance that featured multiple touchdowns, over 250 passing yards and zero turnovers. Beyond the box score, his command of the offense — adjusting protections, checking into favorable run looks and attacking mismatches pre-snap — is exactly what voters notice late in the year.
Lamar Jackson, meanwhile, stacked another elite outing, posting over 300 combined yards and accounting for multiple scores through the air and on the ground. His ability to keep defenses honest with designed runs and scrambles opened wide throwing lanes, and he repeatedly punished blitz looks with quick-hitting throws that turned into explosive gains.
Jalen Hurts did not light up the stat sheet in the same way, but his clutch factor continues to define Philadelphia’s identity. A rushing touchdown, a handful of tight-window completions in third-and-medium and clean decision-making in the two-minute offense all bolster his case. Voters keep an eye on those "winning plays" when splitting hairs in the MVP conversation.
Do not sleep on non-QB candidates either. A dominant edge rusher who just posted a three-sack game with a forced fumble and several pressures is quietly building a Defensive Player of the Year resume, and if his team keeps climbing the NFL Standings, his name will surface in broader MVP chatter as well.
Next week’s must-watch games and Super Bowl outlook
The coming slate is loaded with matchups that will directly reshape the playoff picture and the NFL Standings. A marquee AFC showdown featuring Mahomes against another top-tier quarterback could decide early tiebreakers for the No. 1 seed. Every third-down conversion, every Red Zone trip and every special-teams snap in that game will carry January-level weight.
In the NFC, the Eagles face another physical opponent that wants to drag them into a line-of-scrimmage battle. Hurts will be tested by disguised coverages and heavy pressure packages, and Philadelphia’s ability to run the ball consistently will determine whether they stay ahead of the surging pack in the conference.
Fans should also circle a sneaky-good Wild Card race clash between two teams hovering around .500. The loser could fall firmly "on the bubble," while the winner grabs a crucial head-to-head edge. In a year where parity reigns, that kind of swing game could be the difference between playing on Wild Card weekend and watching from the couch.
As of now, the inner circle of Super Bowl contenders still runs through the Chiefs, Ravens and Eagles, but there is room at the table. One hot month of football, one breakout star, or one perfectly timed return from the Injury Report can flip the narrative in a heartbeat. Do not blink next Sunday, do not skip Sunday Night Football, and keep one eye on those live updates, because the NFL Standings are changing faster than ever.
