The 2022-2023 NFL regular season was a thrilling, emotional, and unpredictable journey that kept football fans on the edge of their seats from September all the way to February's Super Bowl LVII. From the emergence of unexpected playoff contenders to a historic quarterback carousel and tiebreaker drama that went down to the final minutes of Week 18, this campaign was truly one for the history books. Whether you are looking back to settle a sports debate, analyze historical team performance, or study the wildcard tiebreakers, having the complete 2022 nfl standings at your fingertips is essential.

In this comprehensive guide, we will break down the final nfl standings 2022 across both the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). Beyond just displaying the raw numbers, we will dive deep into the narratives, key injuries, and strategic turning points that defined the nfl records 2022 for all 32 franchises.

Complete 2022 AFC Standings and Division Breakdowns

The American Football Conference in the 2022 season was widely considered a gauntlet of elite quarterback talent. Powerhouses like the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Cincinnati Bengals battled for supremacy at the top, while a crowded wild card race kept several historic franchises fighting until the bitter end. Let's look at the 2022 2023 nfl standings for each AFC division.

AFC East

The AFC East proved to be one of the most competitive divisions in football. The Buffalo Bills overcame an incredibly emotional season to secure the division crown, while the Miami Dolphins squeaked into the postseason despite major quarterback injuries.

• Buffalo Bills (13-3): Led by superstar quarterback Josh Allen, the Bills overcame adversity both on and off the field. Their Week 17 matchup was canceled due to the on-field cardiac arrest of safety Damar Hamlin, meaning they played only 16 games. Despite this, their .813 winning percentage secured them the division title.
• Miami Dolphins (9-8): Under first-year head coach Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins boasted a historic aerial attack featuring Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. However, multiple concussions to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa nearly derailed their season. They secured a wild card berth in Week 18 with a gritty win.
• New England Patriots (8-9): Bill Belichick's squad struggled with offensive identity under the unorthodox coaching setup of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge. Quarterback Mac Jones showed regression, and while the defense remained elite, New England missed the postseason.
• New York Jets (7-10): The Jets started the season hot, showing off a dominant young defense led by Defensive Rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner. However, historically poor quarterback play from Zach Wilson and others resulted in a late-season collapse and a last-place finish.

AFC North

The battle for the AFC North was a fierce, defensive-minded struggle that ultimately came down to a high-flying offensive engine in Cincinnati.

• Cincinnati Bengals (12-4): After starting the season 0-2, Joe Burrow and the defending AFC champions caught fire, finishing the season on an eight-game winning streak. Like Buffalo, they only played 16 games due to the Week 17 cancellation but comfortably won the division.
• Baltimore Ravens (10-7): The Ravens were comfortably in the division race until former MVP Lamar Jackson suffered a knee injury in early December. Backup Tyler Huntley kept them afloat, securing a wild card spot, but the offense struggled heavily without Jackson.
• Pittsburgh Steelers (9-8): Head coach Mike Tomlin kept his legendary streak of never having a losing season alive. After starting 2-6, rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett engineered multiple fourth-quarter comebacks in the second half of the year to pull the Steelers to a winning record.
• Cleveland Browns (7-10): Cleveland's season was defined by waiting. Jacoby Brissett played admirably in the first 11 games, but the offense struggled to find its rhythm once Deshaun Watson returned from his 11-game suspension.

AFC South

The AFC South featured one of the most dramatic collapses—and subsequent turnarounds—in NFL history.

• Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8): Under Super Bowl-winning coach Doug Pederson, Trevor Lawrence took a massive developmental leap. The Jaguars won their final five games, culminating in a winner-take-all Week 18 victory over the Titans to secure the division.
• Tennessee Titans (7-10): Mike Vrabel's squad looked poised to cruise to another division title at 7-3. However, a devastating season-ending injury to Ryan Tannehill and a total roster collapse led to a seven-game losing streak to close out the year.
• Indianapolis Colts (4-12-1): It was a chaotic year in Indy. After benching Matt Ryan, owner Jim Irsay fired Frank Reich and hired former Colts center Jeff Saturday as interim coach despite zero college or pro coaching experience. The experiment failed spectacularly.
• Houston Texans (3-13-1): The Texans struggled for most of the season, but their Week 18 victory over Indianapolis famously cost them the number-one overall pick in the upcoming draft, landing them the No. 2 pick instead.

AFC West

The AFC West was projected to be the toughest division in NFL history before the season. Instead, it was dominated by a familiar king.

• Kansas City Chiefs (14-3): Despite trading away superstar wideout Tyreek Hill, Patrick Mahomes put together an MVP-winning campaign, leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns. The Chiefs secured the AFC's No. 1 seed on their way to another Super Bowl run.
• Los Angeles Chargers (10-7): Justin Herbert fought through a painful rib cartilage injury for most of the year. Despite head coach Brandon Staley facing heavy criticism for aggressive decision-making and a rash of team injuries, the Chargers earned a wild card spot.
• Las Vegas Raiders (6-11): Josh McDaniels' first year as head coach was marred by blown double-digit leads. The team ultimately benched and decided to part ways with long-time franchise quarterback Derek Carr late in the season.
• Denver Broncos (5-12): The biggest disappointment of the 2022 season. Denver traded a massive haul of draft picks for Russell Wilson and hired Nathaniel Hackett. Wilson had the worst year of his career, and Hackett was fired before his first season even concluded.

Complete 2022 NFC Standings and Division Breakdowns

Over in the National Football Conference, the story of the nfl standings for 2022 was defined by a dominant Philadelphia Eagles team, a surprise quarterback sensation in San Francisco, and a historic number of close-game victories in Minnesota. Let's look at how the NFC stacked up.

NFC East

Historically mocked as the "NFC Beast," the division sent three teams to the playoffs and saw all four finish with at least a .500 record.

• Philadelphia Eagles (14-3): Led by breakout MVP finalist Jalen Hurts and a ferocious pass rush that recorded 70 sacks, the Eagles dominated the regular season. They started 8-0 and locked up the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC.
• Dallas Cowboys (12-5): Despite Dak Prescott missing five games early in the year with a thumb injury, backup Cooper Rush kept Dallas afloat. Once Prescott returned, the Cowboys possessed one of the highest-scoring offenses in the league.
• New York Giants (9-7-1): Brian Daboll won Coach of the Year honors by turning around a dormant Giants franchise. He unlocked Daniel Jones' rushing ability and relied on a healthy Saquon Barkley to secure a surprise playoff berth.
• Washington Commanders (8-8-1): Washington shuffled through quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke. Despite a highly respectable defensive unit, a tie and a late-season loss to the Giants kept them just out of the playoff bracket.

NFC North

The NFC North produced one of the most statistically bizarre seasons in modern football history.

• Minnesota Vikings (13-4): The Vikings won the division under rookie head coach Kevin O'Connell. Remarkably, they went an NFL-record 11-0 in one-score games, resulting in a 13-4 record despite finishing the regular season with a negative point differential (-3).
• Detroit Lions (9-8): Dan Campbell's squad became the darlings of the NFL. After a disastrous 1-6 start, the Lions went 8-2 over their last ten games. Though they narrowly missed the playoffs, they famously knocked Aaron Rodgers and the Packers out of postseason contention in Week 18.
• Green Bay Packers (8-9): Aaron Rodgers struggled with a broken thumb on his throwing hand and a brand-new, young receiving corps. The Packers won four straight late in the year to control their own destiny, only to lose to Detroit at home in the season finale.
• Chicago Bears (3-14): While quarterback Justin Fields had a historic season on the ground, rushing for 1,143 yards, the Bears lost their final ten games. This secured them the worst record in the league and the No. 1 overall draft pick.

NFC South

The NFC South made history for all the wrong reasons in 2022, as it became one of the few divisions ever won by a team with a losing record.

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9): Tom Brady's final NFL season was a grueling grind. The Buccaneers struggled heavily with offensive line injuries and a nonexistent run game, but Brady's late-game heroics allowed them to capture the division title.
• Carolina Panthers (7-10): Carolina fired head coach Matt Rhule early in the season. Under interim coach Steve Wilks, a gritty, run-heavy Panthers team fought hard and stayed in division contention until late December.
• New Orleans Saints (7-10): Dennis Allen's first year replacing Sean Payton was inconsistent. Injuries to Jameis Winston led to Andy Dalton starting most of the year, resulting in a stagnant offense that could never build momentum.
• Atlanta Falcons (7-10): Marcus Mariota started most of the season for Arthur Smith's run-heavy offense before being replaced by rookie Desmond Ridder. Rookie running back Tyler Allgeier was a bright spot, rushing for over 1,000 yards.

NFC West

The NFC West saw the rise of a new quarterback legend and the ultimate Super Bowl hangover for the defending champions.

• San Francisco 49ers (13-4): The 49ers lost Trey Lance in Week 2 and Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 13. Enter "Mr. Irrelevant" Brock Purdy, the final pick of the 2022 draft. Purdy shocked the NFL by going undefeated as a starter, steering Kyle Shanahan's juggernaut to the division title on an 11-game winning streak.
• Seattle Seahawks (9-8): Traded away Russell Wilson and were widely projected to finish last. Instead, Geno Smith had a career resurgence, won Comeback Player of the Year, and led Seattle to a shocking wild card spot.
• Los Angeles Rams (5-12): The defending Super Bowl LVI champions suffered the worst title defense season in NFL history. Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Aaron Donald all suffered season-ending injuries, turning their season into a nightmare.
• Arizona Cardinals (4-13): A highly disappointing year that led to the firing of Kliff Kingsbury and the departure of GM Steve Keim. The season ended in disaster when franchise quarterback Kyler Murray suffered a torn ACL in December.

Detailed Playoff Standings: The Final Seeding

When assessing the 2022 nfl final standings for postseason purposes, the bracket was determined by a mixture of division titles and wild card spots. Here is how the final playoff picture looked when the dust settled on the regular season.

American Football Conference (AFC) Playoff Seeds

1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-3) - AFC West Champion (First-Round Bye)
2. Buffalo Bills (13-3) - AFC East Champion
3. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4) - AFC North Champion
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8) - AFC South Champion
5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-7) - Wild Card 1
6. Baltimore Ravens (10-7) - Wild Card 2
7. Miami Dolphins (9-8) - Wild Card 3

National Football Conference (NFC) Playoff Seeds

1. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) - NFC East Champion (First-Round Bye)
2. San Francisco 49ers (13-4) - NFC West Champion
3. Minnesota Vikings (13-4) - NFC North Champion
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9) - NFC South Champion
5. Dallas Cowboys (12-5) - Wild Card 1
6. New York Giants (9-7-1) - Wild Card 2
7. Seattle Seahawks (9-8) - Wild Card 3

The Wild Card Hunt and Tiebreaker Drama

The nfl scores and standings 2022 were highly impacted by tiebreakers, especially in the wild card hunt.

In the AFC, the Los Angeles Chargers took the No. 5 seed over the Baltimore Ravens because of a superior conference record (7-5 vs. 6-6). Meanwhile, the final playoff spot came down to a head-to-head tiebreaker. The Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers both finished with 9-8 records. However, Miami claimed the No. 7 seed because of their 16-10 head-to-head victory over Pittsburgh in Week 7.

Over in the NFC, the tiebreaker drama was even more intense. The Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions both finished 9-8. Seattle clinched the No. 7 seed because they had defeated Detroit 48-45 in a wild Week 4 shootout. The Lions, despite knowing they were eliminated before kickoff due to Seattle's earlier win, still played spoiler by defeating Green Bay to block Aaron Rodgers from entering the postseason.

Additionally, the battle for the NFC's No. 2 seed was won by the San Francisco 49ers over the Minnesota Vikings because of a better conference record (10-2 vs. 8-4), even though both finished with identical 13-4 records.

From the Regular Season to Super Bowl LVII

How did the final nfl team standings 2022 translate to the playoffs? The postseason delivered instant classics.

In the Wild Card round, the Jacksonville Jaguars pulled off the third-largest comeback in NFL playoff history, storming back from a 27-0 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers 31-30. Meanwhile, the New York Giants upset the Minnesota Vikings on the road, exposing Minnesota's weak point-differential.

As the playoffs progressed, the cream rose to the top. In the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars and then got revenge on the Cincinnati Bengals in a nail-biting 23-20 AFC Championship game. In the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles dominated both the New York Giants and an injury-depleted San Francisco 49ers team to cruise to the Super Bowl.

This set up a historic clash in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. In an offensive masterpiece, Patrick Mahomes played through a high ankle sprain to lead the Chiefs to a thrilling 38-35 victory over Jalen Hurts and the Eagles. Mahomes was named Super Bowl MVP, solidifying the Chiefs' regular-season dominance as the ultimate champion of the 2022 season.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What were the final 2022 NFL standings for the playoffs?

The top playoff seeds in 2022 were the Kansas City Chiefs (AFC No. 1) and the Philadelphia Eagles (NFC No. 1). The remaining division champions in the AFC were Buffalo (No. 2), Cincinnati (No. 3), and Jacksonville (No. 4), with the Chargers, Ravens, and Dolphins as wild cards. In the NFC, the other division winners were San Francisco (No. 2), Minnesota (No. 3), and Tampa Bay (No. 4), with the Cowboys, Giants, and Seahawks securing wild cards.

Why did the Bills and Bengals play only 16 games in 2022?

Their highly anticipated Week 17 matchup in Cincinnati was canceled and declared a no-contest after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest on the field during the first quarter. Out of respect for the players' emotional well-being and due to scheduling constraints, the NFL chose not to resume the game.

Which team had the worst record in the 2022 NFL standings?

The Chicago Bears finished with the worst record in the NFL at 3-14. This secured them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, which they ultimately traded to the Carolina Panthers.

Who won the Super Bowl for the 2022 NFL season?

The Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl LVII, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 on February 12, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona.

Conclusion

The 2022-2023 NFL campaign showcased everything that makes professional football the most popular sport in America. From the high-stakes tiebreakers that decided the final wild card spots to the historically dominant regular seasons of the Chiefs and Eagles, the final standings tell a story of grit, strategy, and drama. Looking back at the 2022 nfl standings provides a perfect snapshot of a transition era in the league, highlighted by the final season of Tom Brady and the rise of the next generation of quarterback icons.