Story byNate Davis, USA TODAYSun, December 14, 2025 at 11:32 AM UTC·1 min readThe NFL's playoff races are quickly heating up as December football kicks into high gear. Yet there's a flip side to the best teams jockeying for postseason position − quite a few other clubs have been and will continue to be officially eliminated from playoff consideration. Heading into Week 15, nine of the league's 32 teams already know their seasons will conclude with their Week 18 games. Others are likely to join them Sunday, even the reigning AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs in danger of seeing their hopes officially dashed this weekend. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHere's a look at which clubs are already playing out the string, and which ones could soon be doing exactly that:Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field.