What if NFL playoffs were made like CFP rankings? Here's a bracket

What if NFL playoffs were made like CFP rankings? Here's a bracketStory byWhat if NFL playoffs were made like CFP rankings? Here's a bracketNick Brinkerhoff, USA TODAYWed, November 26, 2025 at 12:46 PM UTC·6 min read

The NFL certainly doesn't need a playoff committee, but what if it wanted one?

As the College Football Playoff (CFP) committee continues to make headlines for their decision-making, it gave us an idea to bring that over to the NFL playoff picture. There is just over a month left in the regular season before 14 teams get into the dance for a chance to take home the Lombardi Trophy.

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It's a bracket that has, for the most part, been determined by the wins and losses, but they don't always get it right. Those division winners with a losing record or a weak wild-card teams sneak in looking like that polar bear in Texas meme.

Bottom line, the CFP afforded college teams the opportunity to make every regular season game have meaning, for better or worse.

If you thought the college version was a mess, just imagine what would happen in the NFL.

Here are the rules:

• Five automatic qualifiers: These are awarded to the five best division winners based on overall record. Those five teams will be reseeded, 1-5.

• Seven at-large bids: This is left to the committee to sort through strength of schedule, common opponents, recent form, injuries and more

This is a fun exercise in the constantly evolving world of sports, where sometimes, the most insane idea happens to also be the best. Without further ado, let's see what kind of mayhem a committee approach to the NFL playoffs would bring.

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What if the NFL playoffs were determined like CFP rankings?

1. Los Angeles Rams (9-2) – auto

We've all seen this movie before. It's about a veteran player that is in the twilight of their career that is suddenly reborn with the chance to win again. Everyone wondered over the offseason if injuries would stop Matthew Stafford from competing going forward. Now everyone wants to know if there's anything that can stop the MVP-favorite.

The league's best team lands the top spot in our rankings. The script writers will love this one.

2. Denver Broncos (9-2) – auto

"Defense wins championships," they say. The Broncos better hope that's the case, considering the offense is like that person at work or school before the holidays – doing the bare minimum.

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3. New England Patriots (10-2) – auto

The sequel is almost never as good as the original, but the Evil Empire 2.0 is in its infancy and a terrifying opponent already.

Maybe that Tom Brady cloning operation is further along than we are being led to believe.

4. Philadelphia Eagles (8-3) – auto

It feels like a good time to remind everyone that the Eagles play in the "City of Brotherly Love," but that appears to be in short supply this season. Supply chains these days, right?

Philadelphia get the benefit of an automatic bid, but no one should fear the Eagles in their current state – especially off a 21-point collapse in Dallas. Ouch.

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5. Indianapolis Colts (8-3) – auto

Maybe it's something in the Indianapolis water, but this city reached contender status with Daniel Jones just months after Tyrese Haliburton's wild run through the NBA's Eastern Conference – all while the Indiana Hoosiers hold down the second seed in the CFP rankings.

Yeah, consider us confused as well. The Colts earn the last automatic bid to the dance as the fifth-best division leader in the league right now.

6. Seattle Seahawks (8-3)

The Emerald City found a diamond in the rough with Sam Darnold.

It remains to be seen whether he'll turn into a pumpkin again when the lights shine brightest, but this is the NFL's best team that everyone forgets exists.

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7. Chicago Bears (8-3)

It's been a whichever way the wind blows-type season for the Bears. Caleb Williams and the "Monsters of the Midway" have enjoy that breeze at their back all season.

The forecast remains cloudy though, considering a 6-1 record in one-possession games could easily be the opposite as things change quickly.

8. San Francisco 49ers (8-4)

The 49ers' Week 1 roster looks like triage at an emergency room. Nick Bosa and Fred Warner are out for the season. Brock Purdy missed time and you'd have a better chance of finding Waldo on a football field than Brandon Aiyuk right now.

It doesn't matter. They just keep winning. Somehow, someway.

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9. Buffalo Bills (7-4)

Josh Allen plays like it's him against the world. That's not exactly far from the truth this season.

Buffalo will need a lot more from everyone if they want to be a real threat in the AFC, but, at this point, it's all about getting into the dance.

10. Green Bay Packers (7-3-1)

Green Bay snags one of the last three spots, but it's hard to feel good about it. They have flirted with disaster all season, but continue to beat the bad teams.

Time will tell whether they are good, bad or average.

11. Detroit Lions (7-4)

Dan Campbell is starting to look like that person in the group project that isn't willing to risk getting a bad grade. He wrote the paper and now he plans on making the slideshow as well, taking over play calling for the Lions.

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We'll trust that this team's overwhelming talent will eventually get on the same page.

12. Kansas City Chiefs (6-5)

You didn't think we were getting through this exercise without the Chiefs, right? Kansas City gets the Notre Dame treatment in this bracket as the big brand that sneaks into the rankings despite some key losses.

It's fine. The beauty of a committee is that we can just pretend those losses never happened.

First teams out: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Chargers

Welcome to the "2023 Florida State" portion of the program. That Seminoles team was famously left out of the then-four team bracket because of an injury to Jordan Travis.

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Tampa and L.A.'s AFC representative both quality for that honor in 2025. The Bucs are without just about every star on their team and the Chargers lost both tackles in addition to almost every running back.

It's not too late for them, but we're getting close to the point of no return.

NFL playoff bracket

If the league were to adopt these rankings for the upcoming postseason, these are the matchups we'd be treated to:

1. Los Angeles Rams: BYE

2. Denver Broncos: BYE

3. New England Patriots: BYE

4. Philadelphia Eagles: BYE

5. Indianapolis Colts vs. 12. Kansas City Chiefs

6. Seattle Seahawks vs. 11. Detroit Lions

7. Chicago Bears vs. 10. Green Bay Packers

8. San Francisco 49ers vs. 9. Buffalo Bills

Start popping the popcorn.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: NFL playoff picture inspired by CFP rankings: Full bracket

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