NFL Standings shake-up: Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and the Chiefs, Ravens reshuffle the playoff deck
07.02.2026 - 09:00:39
The NFL standings look completely different today after a wild slate of games that felt more like January than mid-season. Between Patrick Mahomes carving up coverages, Lamar Jackson turning broken plays into highlight reels and the Eagles grinding out another clutch win, the Super Bowl Contender board just got a serious update and every fan is refreshing the playoff picture by the hour.
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Sunday delivered everything: statement blowouts, a walk-off field goal, a near Hail Mary miracle and a couple of brutal injuries that could tilt the Wild Card race. The mood around the league flipped in a single weekend; locker rooms of teams once stuck in the middle now sound like they believe, while a few presumed heavyweights suddenly look shaky on both sides of the ball.
Mahomes reminds everyone who owns the moment
Start with Mahomes and the Chiefs. In a primetime thriller that had legit playoff atmosphere, Kansas City shredded a top-10 defense with a vintage air show. Mahomes kept sliding in the pocket, buying that extra half-second, and finished with a monster line: over 300 passing yards, multiple touchdowns and zero picks, repeatedly finding Travis Kelce on option routes that the defense simply could not solve in the red zone.
The key drive came right after the two-minute warning. Down a field goal and backed up near their own 20, Mahomes went no-huddle and ripped completions to three different receivers. A seam shot down the middle put the Chiefs firmly in field goal range; instead of playing conservative, Andy Reid dialed up a shot play off play-action, and Mahomes dropped a back-shoulder dime at the pylon. The stadium erupted, and the sideline reaction said it all: that was a "we're still here" moment in the AFC.
Postgame, Reid summed up the mood in Arrowhead: he said, in essence, that the offense "finally looked like us again," praising Mahomes' command at the line and his ability to get them into better matchups pre-snap. Defensively, Chris Jones and the pass rush kept collapsing the pocket, forcing hurried throws and a critical late-game interception that flipped momentum.
In terms of the NFL standings, that win does more than just add another tick in the W column. It strengthens Kansas City’s grip on a top AFC seed, keeps them front and center in the race for the first-round bye and sends a very loud message to anyone penciling in a new conference favorite.
Lamar Jackson puts the league on notice
If the MVP race needed a jolt, Lamar Jackson delivered it. The Ravens quarterback turned a tough road matchup into what looked at times like a personal skills challenge. He diced up coverage from the pocket, then ripped off chunk runs when the rush lost its lanes, finishing with well over 300 total yards and multiple scores while barely putting the ball in harm’s way.
On one third-and-long near midfield, Jackson sat in, climbed the pocket with elite poise and fired a strike between safeties for a 25-yard gain. A few drives later, he turned a broken play into a highlight, pulling the ball down, juking a free rusher and sprinting to the pylon for a red zone touchdown that had his sideline chasing him down the back line of the end zone.
The Ravens defense matched the energy. A relentless front generated multiple sacks and constant pressure, while the secondary jumped routes for key pass breakups and a late pick that sealed the win. Inside the locker room, players talked about it "feeling like a playoff game in November," the type of four-quarter test that forges a Super Bowl Contender rather than just a hot regular-season team.
The win pushes Baltimore up the AFC ladder and tightens the battle for the 1 seed. With tiebreakers starting to matter, every head-to-head against fellow contenders is basically a double win: one for the record and one against a direct rival for home-field advantage.
Eagles survive another grinder, Cowboys and 49ers send a message
Over in the NFC, the Eagles did what they keep doing: winning ugly but winning. Jalen Hurts took hits, extended plays and kept the chains moving with clutch throws on third down. The run game wasn’t always explosive, but behind a mauling offensive line they controlled tempo and owned time of possession. A late red zone stop by the defense, forcing a short field goal instead of the go-ahead touchdown, turned out to be the deciding sequence.
Hurts' stat line will not light up the fantasy scoreboard the way Mahomes' and Jackson's did, but his pocket presence in the two-minute drill before halftime and a perfectly placed deep ball out of play-action in the third quarter reminded everyone why he stays in the MVP conversation.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, blew the doors off an overmatched opponent, stacking up touchdowns so quickly that the fourth quarter felt like extended garbage time. Dak Prescott picked apart soft zones, the pass rush pinned its ears back and Micah Parsons lived in the backfield. That win keeps Dallas firmly in the Wild Card race and within striking distance in the division, applying pressure on the Eagles and making their remaining head-to-head a potential NFC seeding pivot point.
Out west, the 49ers reasserted their physical identity. Christian McCaffrey gashed the defense both between the tackles and on swing passes, while Brock Purdy efficiently ran the offense, taking what the coverage gave him and hitting explosive plays off misdirection. With Deebo Samuel and George Kittle creating matchup nightmares, San Francisco looked every bit like a Super Bowl Contender again.
Injury report reshapes the Wild Card race
Not every locker room was buzzing. The week also delivered a harsh set of injury updates that could reshape both divisions and the Wild Card race. A playoff-hopeful team lost its starting quarterback to what early reports indicate is a multi-week injury. Another contender saw its WR1 leave with a hamstring issue, and a Pro Bowl-level corner exited with a non-contact leg injury that had teammates visibly shaken.
Coaches were cautious in their postgame comments. One head coach called his QB "tough as nails" but admitted they will "listen to the medical staff" before making any decisions about next week's starter. On the defensive side, a veteran safety talked about the "next man up" mentality but acknowledged that losing a top corner "changes how you call things in the red zone" and what coverages you can live in on third and long.
From a standings perspective, these injuries hit teams living on the bubble hardest. A backup QB stepping into the lineup in December can tank an offense’s explosiveness and flip a team from legit AFC challenger to just another name in the hunt graphic. Likewise, losing a lockdown corner often shows up in subtle ways: more flags, longer drives allowed, and fewer chances for momentum-swinging interceptions or pick-sixes.
Current AFC and NFC playoff picture
The latest NFL standings tighten the screws on everyone from top seeds to fringe hopefuls. Here is a compact snapshot of where the conference leaders and primary Wild Card contenders stand right now, based on the most recent results and tiebreakers.
| Conference | Seed | Team | Record | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC | 1 | Chiefs | Leading | Mahomes keeps them atop the conference |
| AFC | 2 | Ravens | In chase | Lamar Jackson surging in MVP race |
| AFC | 3 | Dolphins | Contender | Explosive offense, fighting for bye |
| AFC | 4 | Jaguars | Division lead | Urban rivalry heating up playoff stakes |
| AFC | 5 | Bills | Wild Card | High ceiling but inconsistent |
| AFC | 6 | Browns | Wild Card | Defense-driven playoff push |
| AFC | 7 | Steelers | On the bubble | Grinding out close wins |
| NFC | 1 | Eagles | Leading | Find ways to win every week |
| NFC | 2 | 49ers | In chase | Back to bully-ball dominance |
| NFC | 3 | Lions | Division lead | Balanced offense, loud home field |
| NFC | 4 | Falcons | Division lead | Record lags but path is there |
| NFC | 5 | Cowboys | Wild Card | Blowout potential every week |
| NFC | 6 | Seahawks | Wild Card | Defense improving at right time |
| NFC | 7 | Vikings | On the bubble | Surviving close games |
Exact records will evolve with Monday Night Football and late-breaking tiebreakers, but the tiers are clear. In the AFC, the Chiefs and Ravens are fighting for that precious 1 seed and home-field advantage, while a cluster of teams just behind them know that a single slip could drop them from division leader to Wild Card scramble.
In the NFC, the Eagles have the inside track but cannot relax with the 49ers and Lions lurking. Dallas might be stuck in Wild Card territory because of the division math, yet their overall profile looks every bit as dangerous as some presumed conference favorites.
MVP radar: Mahomes, Lamar and a looming late-season push
The MVP race tightened as the week unfolded. Mahomes' bounce-back performance and Jackson's all-around dominance were the headline acts, but a couple of other names quietly strengthened their cases as well.
Mahomes' efficiency stood out: multiple touchdown passes, no interceptions, and a completion rate that hovered near the elite line despite some tight-window throws in the red zone. He extended plays without drifting too deep in the pocket and punished defenses every time they lost contain. Third down belonged to him; time and again he found the first-down marker with smart decisions instead of hero-ball throws into double coverage.
Jackson, by contrast, made his MVP claim on versatility. He piled up over 250 passing yards and a healthy chunk of rushing yards, converting key red zone opportunities and avoiding negative plays. On designed QB runs and zone reads, he froze linebackers, and when the defense crashed inside, he punished them with quick slants and outs. One defensive coordinator admitted during the week that defending Jackson is "like playing 11-on-12" because of his impact as both passer and runner.
Down in the NFC, Jalen Hurts remains firmly in the conversation despite gaudier stats elsewhere. His total touchdown production, late-game poise and ability to keep the Eagles at the top of the NFL standings matter to voters. Christian McCaffrey, with his touchdown streaks and dual-threat output, also sits squarely on the radar, especially after another multi-score performance that carried San Francisco's offense in stretches.
The stretch run will likely decide it. Prime-time showdowns, late-season divisional games and how these stars perform in must-win spots will separate a packed field where the margin between first and fourth might be a single off-night in December.
Who is for real in the Super Bowl Contender tier?
Sorting out who truly belongs in the Super Bowl Contender tier requires more than just record-watching. Point differential, strength of schedule and how teams look in high-leverage moments all matter, and Week's action sharpened those lines.
The Chiefs and Ravens both checked the "can win different ways" box. Kansas City leaned on Mahomes and a resurgent passing game, but its defense also closed the door with pressure and tight red zone coverage. Baltimore showcased its usual defensive physicality while letting Jackson operate in rhythm from the pocket and on the move. Both teams now have multiple wins over quality opponents and the kind of signature victories that voters and analysts remember in January.
In the NFC, the Eagles and 49ers sit at the top of the board, with the Lions and Cowboys right behind. Philadelphia’s calling card remains situational mastery: third downs, red zone, and the infamous sneaks in short-yardage. San Francisco brings overwhelming talent on both lines and a scheme that keeps opponents in constant misdirection. Detroit and Dallas might not have the same playoff track record, but both have the offensive firepower to win a shootout or blow out a lesser opponent by halftime.
Behind that top tier is the chaos of the Wild Card race. Teams like the Seahawks, Browns, Steelers and Vikings cannot afford a single off week, especially with injury issues nibbling at depth charts. Turnovers, special teams miscues and late-game clock management will separate those that sneak into January from those watching the postseason from the couch.
Looking ahead: must-watch games and stakes
Next week offers a slate that could blow the playoff picture wide open again. An AFC showdown featuring the Chiefs against another conference challenger will carry massive seeding implications; a win there could solidify Kansas City’s path to the 1 seed, while a loss throws the door open to the Ravens and Dolphins.
In the NFC, circle any head-to-heads involving the Eagles, 49ers, Cowboys and Lions. Those games are essentially seeding tiebreakers in real time, shaping who must play on Wild Card weekend and who gets a much-needed bye. A Sunday Night Football clash between two of these heavyweights could feel indistinguishable from a January matchup, complete with playoff-level tension and national spotlight intensity.
For fans watching the NFL standings, this is the stretch where every box score matters. One upset on a cold, windy afternoon, one missed field goal in the final 30 seconds, or one tipped interception in the red zone can flip the entire bracket. If this week was any indication, nothing is safe, no seed is locked and no favorite can coast.
Keep an eye on the injury report, monitor how backup quarterbacks handle full-week prep, and watch which defenses start stacking sacks and takeaways down the stretch. The MVP race, the Wild Card chase and the Super Bowl Contender hierarchy are all in motion, and the only certainty is that next weekend will deliver another round of heart-stopping football.
