NFL Standings shake-up: Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Eagles headline wild playoff race
23.02.2026 - 14:00:07 | ad-hoc-news.de
The NFL standings just tightened into a full-blown street fight, with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, plus the Eagles all throwing heavyweight punches that reshaped the Super Bowl contender landscape and the entire playoff picture. From late-game thrillers to season-altering injuries, this week felt less like midseason football and more like January drama arrived early.
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The top of the NFL standings remains crowded, but the way the Chiefs, Ravens and Eagles closed out games said everything about why they sit in the inner circle of Super Bowl contenders. Each team handled a different kind of stress test: Mahomes navigating a two-minute drill under heavy pressure, Lamar Jackson carving up a defense with MVP-level dual-threat efficiency, and Jalen Hurts grinding out a physical statement win that felt like a playoff preview.
Mahomes delivers in the clutch as Chiefs stay in AFC hunt
The Chiefs offense has taken its share of criticism this season, but when the game hit the two-minute warning, it was vintage Mahomes. Working from the pocket and on the move, he shredded man coverage, hitting tight windows on deep outs and seam routes to drag Kansas City into field goal range. One sideline throw on third-and-long, ripped just before the blitz arrived, was pure MVP-level pocket presence.
Stat lines tell part of the story. Mahomes crossed the 300-yard mark again with multiple touchdowns and, more importantly, no back-breaking turnovers. He kept drives alive with off-schedule plays, extending snaps with his legs, forcing the defense to plaster downfield. The Chiefs defense did its part as well, dialing up timely pressure and closing the door with a late sack on a desperate fourth down. In the current NFL standings, that win keeps Kansas City right on the heels of the AFC’s No. 1 seed.
In the locker room afterward, the Chiefs echoed a familiar theme: the offense is still finding its ceiling. Coaches talked about missed Red Zone chances and penalties that stalled drives, but no one doubted the identity of this team. With Mahomes under center and a defense that can flip the field with a single pressure package, Kansas City remains a legitimate Super Bowl contender, even in a loaded AFC playoff picture.
Lamar Jackson and Ravens look like a complete juggernaut
While Mahomes won in late drama, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens chose domination. From the opening drive, Baltimore dictated tempo, pounding the rock between the tackles, then punishing safeties who crept into the box with play-action crossers. Jackson hovered around the 250-yard passing range with multiple touchdown throws and added significant rushing yards, again reminding the league why the MVP race runs through Baltimore right now.
What separates this Ravens team is balance. The defense swarmed to the ball, forcing turnovers in the flat and generating interior pressure that never allowed the opposing quarterback to settle. A crucial Pick-Six midway through the third quarter turned a tight contest into a blowout, and from there the game never felt in doubt. The stadium erupted after each defensive stand, and the Ravens played like a team that expects to host playoff games, not sneak into a Wild Card slot.
In terms of the AFC playoff picture, the Ravens’ win was more than just another W in the column; it was a statement that they are playing the most complete football in the conference. With the way Jackson is distributing the ball and orchestrating the offense, Baltimore is pushing hard for the No. 1 seed and the valuable first-round bye.
Eagles grind out another NFC heavyweight win
Across the conference, the Eagles once again leaned into their identity: physical, relentless, and unafraid of ugly football. Jalen Hurts played through contact, delivering big-time throws off play-action and scrambling for key first downs. The offensive line, one of the best units in football, repeatedly reset the line of scrimmage, especially in short-yardage and Red Zone situations.
One drive symbolized the Eagles’ night: backed up, facing a raucous road crowd, they marched methodically down the field with a mix of inside zone runs, quick slants, and a deep shot that drew a defensive pass interference flag. Hurts capped it with a rushing touchdown that felt like a playoff moment. This sort of grind-it-out performance cements Philadelphia as a top NFC Super Bowl contender while keeping them firmly in the race for the conference’s top seed.
The defense held up its side, generating consistent pressure with a four-man rush and limiting explosive plays. A late fourth-quarter stop in the Red Zone, forcing a field goal instead of a tying touchdown, preserved the margin and underlined why this roster is built for January football.
NFL standings and playoff picture: who controls the board?
Zooming out, the updated NFL standings reveal a clear top tier and a chaotic chase pack. The AFC and NFC each have a handful of teams with realistic paths to the Super Bowl, while the Wild Card race is already a weekly elimination game. Every loss shifts the tiebreaker math, making head-to-head matchups and division records critical.
| Conference | Seed | Team | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFC | 1 | Ravens | Control No. 1 seed, strong tiebreakers |
| AFC | 2 | Chiefs | Chasing bye, division lead solid |
| AFC | 3-4 | Other division leaders | Comfortable but not clinched |
| AFC | 5-7 | Wild Card teams | One-game margin over bubble |
| NFC | 1 | Eagles | Edge for top seed, tough schedule ahead |
| NFC | 2-4 | Other division leaders | Home playoff games likely |
| NFC | 5-7 | Wild Card contenders | Separation minimal, tiebreakers key |
Behind the Ravens and Chiefs in the AFC, a cluster of teams sits within a game or two of each other, making every divisional matchup a potential two-game swing. Meanwhile, the NFC’s Wild Card race is a weekly referendum on who can protect home field and avoid late-game collapses. Upsets this week not only flipped individual games, they redrew the bracket for the Wild Card race, pushing some preseason darlings onto the bubble.
Wild Card race: chaos on both coasts
The bottom of the bracket is where the real drama lives. On the AFC side, teams hovering around .500 know they have no margin for error. A single missed field goal or blown coverage in the final minutes could be the moment fans look back on in January as the difference between a playoff berth and packing up lockers.
The NFC is just as brutal. Squads that started hot have been dragged back to the pack, and suddenly every conference game feels like a must-win. Coaches are leaning heavily into situational football: two-minute drills, Red Zone execution, and special teams discipline. The Wild Card race is less about style points and more about survival.
MVP race: Lamar Jackson, Mahomes and a crowded field
This week’s results poured gasoline on the MVP debate. Lamar Jackson continues to build a resume that checks every box: wins, efficiency, and highlight plays that tilt the field. His combined production in passing yards, rushing yards, and total touchdowns keeps him right at the top of the MVP race, especially with Baltimore stacking victories over winning teams.
Mahomes, for his part, reminded everyone that narrative can flip in one night. A 300-plus yard passing performance with multiple touchdowns in a pressure cooker, plus the drive to set up the game-winning field goal, fits the classic MVP script. His command of the offense in no-huddle, reading blitz looks and changing protections at the line, showed why defenses still fear him even in a "down" season by his standards.
Other stars remain in the conversation, from dominant wide receivers posting monster yardage totals to defensive playmakers racking up sacks and game-sealing interceptions. But after this week, the pulse of the MVP race beats loudest in Kansas City and Baltimore.
Injury report: how health reshapes Super Bowl chances
The injury report coming out of this game week will loom large over the rest of the season. A couple of key starters left games with lower-body injuries, including impact players in the secondary and on the offensive line. Teams are being intentionally vague early in the week, but any extended absence for a Pro Bowl-caliber tackle or shutdown corner can swing Super Bowl odds overnight.
Coaches emphasized the next-man-up mentality, but the tape tells the truth. When a backup tackle struggles to hold the edge, the entire passing game shrinks. When a top corner is out, defenses resort to softer zone shells, opening up underneath throws and yards after the catch. That is how a Super Bowl contender can suddenly look mortal if the wrong name lands on the injury report.
Medical staffs and front offices now have to make tough calls. Do they push a star back for an important division game, or play it safe with an eye on January? Those decisions will quietly shape the NFL standings as much as any spectacular one-handed catch or Hail Mary touchdown.
What this week told us about true Super Bowl contenders
This slate separated pretenders from contenders. The Ravens, Chiefs and Eagles all played like teams that expect to be hosting playoff games. They converted in the Red Zone, protected the football, and closed out games with complementary football: offense milking the clock, defense slamming the door, special teams flipping the field when needed.
Other teams, meanwhile, showed the cracks that make them feel more Wild Card fodder than true threats. Inconsistent quarterback play, shaky protection, and miscommunications in the secondary all showed up at the worst possible moments. In a league where margins are razor-thin, that is the difference between a first-round bye and a first-round exit.
Next week preview: must-watch matchups on deck
Looking ahead, the schedule-makers delivered more playoff-caliber showdowns. The Chiefs face another stiff test against a defense that loves to blitz and disguise coverage, putting Mahomes’ chemistry with his receivers under the microscope again. The Ravens head into a physical matchup that will test their run game and Lamar Jackson’s durability against a front seven built to stuff the box.
The Eagles step into another national spotlight game, where Jalen Hurts will once again have to navigate a fierce pass rush and hostile crowd noise. The atmosphere will feel like January, and the implications in the NFL standings will back that up. One slip, one tipped ball, one busted coverage could derail a bid for the No. 1 seed.
Circle the prime-time slots and settle in. Between the evolving playoff picture, the tightening Wild Card race and an MVP race headlined by Mahomes and Jackson, every snap now carries weight. If this week is any indication, the next one will bring even more drama, more heart-stopping finishes, and another reshuffle of the NFL standings that define who is really built for the Super Bowl stage.
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