The NFL has eight divisions, four in each conference, with four teams apiece. East, North, South and West in both the AFC and NFC.
The Eight
| AFC | NFC |
|---|---|
| East: Bills, Dolphins, Patriots, Jets | East: Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, Commanders |
| North: Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Steelers | North: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings |
| South: Texans, Colts, Jaguars, Titans | South: Falcons, Panthers, Saints, Buccaneers |
| West: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers | West: Cardinals, Rams, 49ers, Seahawks |
Why Winning One Matters So Much
Every division winner gets a playoff berth. That is automatic, regardless of record, and it is why a 9-8 division champion can host a playoff game while an 11-6 team from a stronger division goes on the road as a wild card.
The four division winners in each conference take seeds one through four. The three wild cards take five through seven. Seeds one through four host a home game in the first round; the top seed gets a bye.
Six Games That Decide It
Each team plays its three division rivals home and away, six of 17 games. Those games count twice over: once in the standings, and again as the first tiebreaker if two teams finish level.
The tiebreaker order for a division title starts with head-to-head record, then record within the division, then record in common games, then record within the conference.
Why the Groupings Look Odd
Geography is a rough guide rather than a rule. Dallas plays in the NFC East. Indianapolis is in the AFC South. The divisions were drawn in 2002 to balance competitive history and travel while preserving old rivalries, and some of those compromises have aged strangely.
Related
AFC vs. NFC · How the playoffs work · NFL standings
The Bottom Line
Eight divisions of four. Six games a year against your rivals, an automatic playoff berth for winning, and head-to-head record as the first tiebreaker.