The following charts seek to answer the following question: If these two (or more) teams finish with the same record, who wins the tiebreaker?
Notes and assumptions:
- No possibility of future tie games.
- Tiebreaker winners are as they would be if the teams were tied at the end of the season, NOT as if the season ended right now.
- Tiebreakers that don’t affect playoff berths or seeding are ignored. If BUF and KC both finish 10-6, KC wins the AFC West but BUF does not win the AFC East.
- Division ties are broken first. If TEN, IND, and PIT all finish 9-7, break the AFC South tie between TEN and IND first, then break the tie between the TEN-IND winner and PIT.
- If three or more teams are tied, apply that tiebreaker, not the two-team tiebreaker.
- Strength of victory is the combined winning percentage (essentially, the number of wins) of the teams a team has beaten. It has nothing to do with point totals.
BAL has clinched the AFC North. KC has clinched the AFC West. CIN, MIA, JAX, NYJ, LAC have been eliminated.
The complete tiebreaker rules are here.
Jump to East | North | South | West | Interdivisional ties 2-way • 3-way • 4-way
AFC East
If these teams tie | at | with these things happening | tie goes to | based on |
---|---|---|---|---|
NE-BUF | 11-5 | NE beats BUF | NE | head-to-head |
NE-BUF |
|
NE | common opponents | |
NE-BUF | 11-5 |
|
NE | division record |
NE-BUF | 11-5 |
|
BUF | division record |
NE-BUF |
|
NE | common opponents |
AFC North
If these teams tie | at | tie goes to | based on |
---|---|---|---|
PIT-CLE | CLE | division record |
AFC South
If these teams tie | at | with these things happening | tie goes to | based on |
---|---|---|---|---|
HOU-TEN | HOU | division record | ||
HOU-IND | 9-7 |
|
IND | common opponents |
HOU-IND |
|
IND | division record | |
HOU-IND | 8-8 |
|
IND | common opponents |
TEN-IND | IND | division record | ||
HOU-TEN-IND | 9-7 | IND |
|
AFC West
If these teams tie | at | with these things happening | tie goes to | based on |
---|---|---|---|---|
KC-OAK | 9-7 | KC | head-to-head | |
OAK-DEN | 8-8 | DEN | division record | |
OAK-LAC | 8-8 | OAK beats DEN | OAK | division record |
OAK-LAC | 8-8 | OAK loses to DEN | OAK | conference record |
LAC-DEN | 8-8 | DEN | head-to-head | |
OAK-DEN-LAC | 8-8 | DEN | head-to-head |
AFC interdivisional ties
2-way
If these teams tie | at | with these things happening | tie goes to | based on |
---|---|---|---|---|
NE-BAL | 12-4 | BAL | head-to-head | |
NE-PIT | NE | head-to-head | ||
NE-HOU | HOU | head-to-head | ||
NE-TEN | TEN | conference record | ||
NE-KC | KC | head-to-head | ||
BUF-BAL | 12-4 | BAL | head-to-head | |
BUF-PIT | 10-6 | BUF beats PIT | BUF | head-to-head |
BUF-PIT | PIT beats BUF | PIT | head-to-head | |
BUF-CLE | 9-7 | CLE | head-to-head | |
BUF-HOU | HOU | conference record | ||
BUF-TEN | BUF | head-to-head | ||
BUF-IND | 9-7 | BUF | common opponents | |
BUF-KC | 11-5 | KC beats CHI, DEN | KC | common opponents |
BUF-KC | 11-5 | KC beats CHI; loses to DEN | ? | strength of victory |
BUF-KC | 11-5 | KC loses to CHI | KC | conference record |
BUF-OAK | 9-7 | OAK | conference record | |
BAL-KC | 12-4 | KC | head-to-head | |
PIT-HOU |
|
? | strength of victory | |
PIT-HOU |
|
HOU | common opponents | |
PIT-HOU | HOU loses to TB | HOU | conference record | |
PIT-TEN | TEN beats NO | PIT | conference record | |
PIT-TEN | 9-7 |
|
PIT | common opponents |
PIT-TEN |
|
? | strength of victory | |
PIT-TEN | PIT loses to ARI | PIT | conference record | |
PIT-IND | PIT | head-to-head | ||
PIT-KC | 11-5 | KC beats CHI | PIT | conference record |
PIT-KC | 11-5 | KC loses to CHI; beats LAC | KC | common opponents |
PIT-KC | 11-5 | KC loses to CHI, LAC | ? | strength of victory |
PIT-OAK | 9-7 | PIT beats NYJ | PIT | common opponents |
PIT-OAK | 9-7 | PIT loses to NYJ | ? | strength of victory |
CLE-HOU | 9-7 | HOU beats TB | CLE | conference record |
CLE-HOU | 9-7 |
|
? | strength of victory |
CLE-HOU | 8-8 |
|
CLE | common opponents |
CLE-HOU | 8-8 |
|
? | strength of victory |
CLE-HOU | 8-8 | CLE loses to ARI | CLE | conference record |
CLE-TEN | TEN | head-to-head | ||
CLE-IND | CLE | conference record | ||
CLE-OAK | 9-7 | CLE | conference record | |
HOU-KC | HOU | head-to-head | ||
HOU-OAK | 9-7 | HOU | head-to-head | |
TEN-KC | TEN | head-to-head | ||
TEN-OAK | 9-7 | TEN | head-to-head | |
IND-KC | 9-7 | IND | head-to-head | |
IND-OAK | 9-7 | OAK | head-to-head |
3-way ties
If these teams tie | at | with these things happening | tie goes to | based on |
---|---|---|---|---|
NE-BAL-KC | 12-4 | KC | head-to-head | |
NE-PIT-HOU | PIT beats BAL | PIT or HOU |
|
|
NE-PIT-HOU | 10-6 | PIT loses to BAL | HOU |
|
NE-PIT-TEN | PIT | conference record | ||
NE-PIT-KC | 11-5 | KC beats CHI | PIT | conference record |
NE-PIT-KC | 11-5 | KC loses to CHI | KC |
|
NE-HOU-KC | HOU |
|
||
NE-TEN-KC | 11-5 | KC beats CHI | TEN |
|
NE-TEN-KC | 11-5 | KC loses to CHI | KC | conference record |
BUF-BAL-KC | 12-4 | KC |
|
|
BUF-PIT-HOU |
|
PIT or HOU |
|
|
BUF-PIT-HOU |
|
HOU |
|
|
BUF-PIT-HOU | HOU loses to TB | HOU | conference record | |
BUF-PIT-TEN | TEN beats NO | PIT | conference record | |
BUF-PIT-TEN | 9-7 | TEN loses to NO | PIT |
|
BUF-PIT-IND | 9-7 | PIT | conference record | |
BUF-PIT-KC | KC beats CHI | PIT | conference record | |
BUF-PIT-KC | 11-5 | KC loses to CHI | KC |
|
BUF-PIT-OAK | 9-7 | PIT beats NYJ | PIT |
|
BUF-PIT-OAK | 9-7 | PIT loses to NYJ | PIT or OAK |
|
BUF-CLE-HOU | 9-7 | HOU beats TB | CLE | conference record |
BUF-CLE-HOU | 9-7 | HOU loses to TB | CLE or HOU |
|
BUF-CLE-TEN | 9-7 | CLE | conference record | |
BUF-CLE-IND | 9-7 | CLE | conference record | |
BUF-CLE-OAK | 9-7 | CLE | conference record | |
BUF-HOU-KC | 11-5 | KC beats CHI | HOU | conference record |
BUF-HOU-KC | 11-5 | KC loses to CHI | HOU |
|
BUF-HOU-OAK | 9-7 | HOU beats TB | HOU |
|
BUF-HOU-OAK | 9-7 | HOU loses to TB | HOU | conference record |
BUF-TEN-KC | 11-5 | KC beats CHI | ? | strength of victory |
BUF-TEN-KC | 11-5 | KC loses to CHI | KC | conference record |
BUF-TEN-OAK | 9-7 | TEN beats NO | OAK | conference record |
BUF-TEN-OAK | 9-7 | TEN loses to NO | TEN |
|
BUF-IND-OAK | 9-7 | OAK | conference record | |
PIT-HOU-KC | 11-5 | KC beats CHI | PIT or HOU |
|
PIT-HOU-KC | 11-5 | KC loses to CHI | KC | common opponents |
PIT-HOU-OAK | 9-7 | HOU beats TB | ? | strength of victory |
PIT-HOU-OAK | 9-7 | HOU loses to TB | HOU | conference record |
PIT-HOU-DEN | 8-8 | DEN |
|
|
PIT-HOU-LAC | 8-8 | HOU |
|
|
PIT-TEN-KC | 11-5 | KC beats CHI | PIT | conference record |
PIT-TEN-KC | 11-5 | KC loses to CHI | KC |
|
PIT-TEN-OAK | 9-7 |
|
PIT |
|
PIT-TEN-OAK | 9-7 |
|
PIT or OAK |
|
PIT-TEN-OAK | TEN loses to NO | ? | strength of victory | |
PIT-TEN-DEN | 8-8 | DEN | conference record | |
PIT-TEN-LAC | 8-8 | PIT or TEN |
|
|
PIT-IND-OAK | 9-7 | PIT beats NYJ | PIT |
|
PIT-IND-OAK | 9-7 |
|
PIT or OAK |
|
PIT-IND-OAK | 8-8 | OAK loses to LAC | PIT |
|
PIT-IND-DEN | 8-8 | DEN | conference record | |
PIT-IND-LAC | 8-8 | PIT | head-to-head | |
CLE-HOU-OAK | 9-7 | HOU beats TB | CLE | conference record |
CLE-HOU-OAK | 9-7 |
|
CLE or HOU |
|
CLE-HOU-OAK | 8-8 |
|
CLE |
|
CLE-HOU-OAK | 8-8 | CLE beats ARI; loses to BAL | CLE or HOU |
|
CLE-HOU-OAK | 8-8 | CLE loses to ARI | CLE | conference record |
CLE-HOU-DEN | 8-8 | DEN | head-to-head | |
CLE-HOU-LAC | 8-8 | CLE beats ARI, BAL | CLE |
|
CLE-HOU-LAC | 8-8 | CLE beats ARI; loses to BAL | CLE or HOU |
|
CLE-HOU-LAC | 8-8 | CLE loses to ARI | CLE | conference record |
CLE-TEN-OAK | TEN | head-to-head | ||
CLE-TEN-DEN | 8-8 | DEN | head-to-head | |
CLE-TEN-LAC | 8-8 | TEN | head-to-head | |
CLE-IND-OAK | CLE | conference record | ||
CLE-IND-DEN | 8-8 | CLE beats ARI | DEN |
|
CLE-IND-DEN | 8-8 | CLE loses to ARI | CLE | conference record |
CLE-IND-LAC | 8-8 | CLE | conference record |
4-way ties
If these teams tie | at | with these things happening | tie goes to | based on |
---|---|---|---|---|
NE-PIT-HOU-KC | 11-5 | KC beats CHI | PIT or HOU |
|
NE-PIT-HOU-KC | 11-5 | KC loses to CHI | KC |
|
NE-PIT-TEN-KC | 11-5 | PIT | conference record | |
BUF-PIT-HOU-KC | 11-5 | KC beats CHI | PIT or HOU |
|
BUF-PIT-HOU-KC | 11-5 | KC loses to CHI | KC |
|
BUF-PIT-HOU-OAK | 9-7 | HOU beats TB | PIT, HOU, or OAK |
|
BUF-PIT-HOU-OAK | 9-7 | HOU loses to TB | HOU | conference record |
BUF-PIT-TEN-KC | 11-5 | KC beats CHI | PIT | conference record |
BUF-PIT-TEN-KC | 11-5 | KC loses to CHI | KC |
|
BUF-PIT-TEN-OAK | 9-7 |
|
PIT |
|
BUF-PIT-TEN-OAK | 9-7 |
|
PIT or OAK |
|
BUF-PIT-TEN-OAK | 9-7 |
|
PIT, TEN, or OAK |
|
BUF-PIT-IND-OAK | 9-7 | PIT beats NYJ | PIT |
|
BUF-PIT-IND-OAK | 9-7 | PIT loses to NYJ | PIT or OAK |
|
BUF-CLE-HOU-OAK | 9-7 | HOU beats TB | CLE | conference record |
BUF-CLE-HOU-OAK | 9-7 | HOU loses to TB | CLE or HOU |
|
BUF-CLE-TEN-OAK | 9-7 | CLE | conference record | |
BUF-CLE-IND-OAK | 9-7 | CLE | conference record |