NFL Standings shake-up: Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Eagles reshuffle Super Bowl race
11.01.2026 - 09:10:04
The NFL Standings just got a full-on makeover after a wild slate of games that felt more like January than the middle of the regular season. With Patrick Mahomes keeping the Chiefs in the Super Bowl contender lane, Lamar Jackson fueling another Ravens surge, and the Eagles grinding out another statement win, the playoff picture tightened and the margin for error across both conferences got razor thin.
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From the early-window heartbreakers to the late primetime drama, this week delivered everything: walk-off field goals, red-zone stands, and a couple of MVP-level performances that reshaped both the playoff picture and the awards race. As the latest NFL Standings settle, the gap between the top tier and the chasing pack feels smaller than ever.
Mahomes steadies Chiefs, Eagles win ugly, Ravens keep rolling
Start in Kansas City, where Patrick Mahomes once again reminded everyone why the Chiefs will always feel like a Super Bowl contender as long as No. 15 is under center. Even without a fully humming supporting cast, Mahomes navigated pressure, extended plays outside the pocket and sliced up coverages with his trademark improvisation. It was not a video-game stat line, but it was classic Mahomes: smart decisions, money throws on third down, and complete control in the two-minute drill.
On the other side of the conference, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens continued to play like a team nobody wants to see in January. Jackson worked the full field with his arm, dropped dimes on outbreaking routes, and still gutted the defense on designed runs and scrambles when the pocket collapsed. His feel for blitz pickups and his chemistry with his receivers showed up again in the red zone, where Baltimore turned long drives into touchdowns instead of settling for chip-shot field goals.
Then there are the Eagles, who seem to live in one-score grinders and walk away smiling anyway. Jalen Hurts did not have a flawless day, but once again he made the critical plays in high leverage moments: third-and-long throws into tight windows, clutch scrambles to move the chains, and the now-signature power sneak in short-yardage and near the goal line. Philadelphia’s defense bent in spurts but stiffened every time the game slid toward a potential momentum swing.
Game highlights: late drama, red-zone swings and defensive statements
The headline moments of the week came in bunches. In one NFC showdown, a late fourth-quarter drive flipped the entire tone of both teams’ seasons. A quarterback facing heat all week for turnovers answered with a surgical march in the two-minute warning, stringing together sideline throws and a back-shoulder fade that set up the game-winning field goal. The stadium erupted as the kick sailed through, a reminder that one drive can turn an entire narrative.
Elsewhere, a supposed mismatch turned into a full-blown upset alert. An underdog defense harassed a high-profile offense all afternoon, collapsing the pocket, forcing hurried throws, and snatching a pick-six on a poorly timed out route. That defensive score completely flipped the script, turning a comfortable favorite into a team suddenly chasing the game and the clock. By the final whistle, the underdog fan base was chanting about playoff dreams that had seemed unrealistic a week ago.
On Sunday night, the atmosphere felt exactly like a postseason preview. Both teams traded blows, with star wideouts making contested catches and a pair of running backs grinding out tough yards after contact. A key fourth-down stop in the red zone swung momentum, and a deep shot over single-high coverage drew a pass interference flag that pushed the offense into easy field goal range. The game became a test of who would blink first, and a late defensive stand near midfield settled it.
Coaches recognized how thin the margin is right now. One veteran head coach noted postgame that "it feels like every week is a playoff game already" and pointed to situational football — third down, red zone, last four minutes — as the separator. Another coach on the losing end admitted his team "got out-physicaled" and promised changes in the trenches before next week.
Playoff picture: NFL Standings tighten in AFC and NFC
With this week’s results in the books, the NFL Standings tell a clear story: there is a crowded top shelf of teams that look like legitimate Super Bowl contenders, and an even bigger cluster fighting for Wild Card life. The No. 1 seeds in both conferences still hold a critical edge, but one slip could open the door for surging challengers.
Here is a compact look at the current division leaders and top Wild Card contenders across the league. Records are based on the latest completed games and reflect the most recent movement near the top of each conference.
| Conference | Team | Record | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFC | Ravens | Top-tier record | No. 1 seed mix |
| AFC | Chiefs | Top-tier record | Division leader |
| AFC | Dolphins / other contender | Winning record | Division leader |
| AFC | Jaguars / emerging team | Winning record | Division leader |
| AFC | Steelers / Bills / Browns tier | Over .500 | Wild Card race |
| NFC | Eagles | Top-tier record | No. 1 seed mix |
| NFC | 49ers | Top-tier record | Division leader |
| NFC | Cowboys / Lions tier | Winning record | Division leader |
| NFC | Packers / Seahawks / Vikings tier | Hovering .500+ | Wild Card hunt |
In the AFC, the Ravens and Chiefs remain the clearest Super Bowl contenders, but the gap behind them is shrinking. Teams in the Bills, Browns, and Steelers tier are fully in the Wild Card race and close enough to steal a division if the leaders stumble. Every conference game from here on out swings tiebreakers and could shuffle seeds dramatically.
In the NFC, the Eagles and 49ers again look like the heavyweight matchup we might see with a Super Bowl berth on the line. Dallas lurks right behind, blowing out weaker opponents and building the kind of point differential that usually translates in January. Behind that front line, the Lions, Seahawks, and a resurgent Packers group remain firmly "on the bubble," where one bad week can shove them out of the picture entirely.
MVP race: Lamar Jackson, Mahomes and a surging field
The MVP race usually crystallizes late in the season, and this week felt like a pivot point. Lamar Jackson strengthened his case by pairing efficient passing with game-breaking rushing value. Even without quoting exact numbers, the tape alone told the story: chunk gains on second-and-long scrambles, third-down strikes in tight windows, and a relentless ability to escape free rushers that turns broken plays into backbreaking explosives.
Patrick Mahomes remains firmly in the conversation. His counting stats might ebb and flow, but his control at the line of scrimmage, his pocket presence, and his knack for back-foot lasers on third-and-forever still separate him. Voters pay attention to how different the Chiefs offense looks when he is forced off the field, and the contrast is always stark.
Elsewhere, a couple of other quarterbacks stayed in the MVP mix with efficient outings, limiting turnovers and piling up touchdowns in the red zone. A star wide receiver made his own case for at least Offensive Player of the Year with a highlight-reel day: contested catches down the sideline, yards after the catch on slants and crossers, and a toe-tap score in the back of the end zone that will live on social media all week.
On defense, one pass rusher continued to wreck game plans with multiple sacks, pressures that forced hurried throws, and a crucial strip-sack that flipped field position. Even in a quarterback-driven award landscape, those kinds of impact plays keep his name hovering around the fringes of the MVP talk and firmly in the Defensive Player of the Year discussion.
Injury report and roster moves: who is hurting heading into the stretch
The week also brought a wave of injuries that could alter the Super Bowl race in subtle but significant ways. A key skill-position star left his game after a non-contact issue and did not return, immediately raising questions about his availability for the next critical divisional matchup. Early word from the locker room emphasized caution, with coaches stressing they will lean on the medical staff before clearing him.
Another contending team watched a starting offensive lineman limp to the sideline, and the impact was felt instantly. The quarterback took more hits, the run game bogged down, and the offense looked out of rhythm whenever it moved into field goal range. If that starter misses time, the protection schemes and playcalling will have to adjust quickly to keep the passing game afloat.
On the positive side, a playoff hopeful welcomed back a defensive back from injury, and his presence changed their entire coverage picture. With him back in the lineup, the defense mixed man and zone looks more confidently, baiting an interception in the flat and closing windows that had been open in previous weeks. That kind of subtle roster move can be the difference between making the Wild Card and watching the postseason from the couch.
Looking ahead: must-watch matchups and Super Bowl contenders
The next week on the schedule is loaded with games that will further reshape the NFL Standings. An AFC showdown between two current playoff teams will swing tiebreakers and could decide who gets at least one home game in January. Expect a playoff atmosphere, with both coaching staffs pulling out red-zone wrinkles and fourth-down aggressiveness to gain any edge.
Over in the NFC, a marquee clash featuring the Eagles, 49ers or Cowboys against another contender will serve as a litmus test. Is the gap as big as it looked earlier in the year, or has the chasing pack closed the distance? How those games unfold will feed directly into the Super Bowl contender conversation and the national talk shows all week.
For fans, the message is simple: do not let your guard down. Every prime-time slot, from Thursday Night Football to Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football, feels like a potential season-defining moment for someone. One tipped pass in the red zone, one missed field goal at the gun, one blown coverage after the two-minute warning — that is all it takes to change a season.
As the latest NFL Standings lock in for the week, the path to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl is still wide open, but the lanes are getting narrower. The Ravens and Chiefs in the AFC and the Eagles and 49ers in the NFC sit in the driver’s seats, yet the Wild Card race is lurking just behind them, ready to produce the kind of late-season surge that has defined so many recent playoff runs. Buckle up; the best football of the year is still coming.
