How the playoff machine works, tiebreakers & FAQ
Pick the winner of every remaining 2026 game and watch the playoff picture rebuild itself: division races, wild-card seeds, the full bracket, and each team's draft slot all recompute with real NFL tiebreakers on every pick. Follow one team or simulate the whole league; scenario presets fill the schedule in one tap. Free, no signup.
Frequently asked questions
How does the NFL Playoff Machine work?
Pick a winner for any remaining game, week by week, and the standings, division races, playoff seeds, and bracket recompute instantly. Scenario presets (Vegas favorites, home teams, chaos mode and more) fill every game you haven't picked, and your own picks stay locked while they do.
What tiebreakers does the playoff machine use?
The ladder the NFL applies first: division ties break on head-to-head record, then division record, then conference record; wild-card ties break on head-to-head, then conference record. Ties are broken inside each division before teams are compared across the conference.
Can I see my team's playoff chances?
Yes. The Your Team view follows one franchise: its remaining schedule in one row, a verdict on where the season stands, and playoff odds from 5,000 simulated seasons that update with every pick you make.
Does picking games change the draft order too?
Yes. Losses are how a team climbs the draft board, and the machine recomputes the full pick order with the same tiebreakers as you simulate. The current projection lives on the 2027 draft order page.
Can I share a simulated season?
Yes. Share generates a link that encodes every pick you've made; anyone who opens it sees your season exactly as you built it.
When does the playoff machine update?
Results and standings refresh automatically through the season. Before Week 1 it carries the full 2026 schedule, so you can simulate the whole year today.
BUF
DEN
MIA
BAL
NYJ
HOU
NE
DAL
CHI
ARI
ATL
NYG
WAS
PHI
CIN
CLE
PIT
IND
JAC
TEN
KC
LV
LAC
DET
GB
MIN
CAR
NO
TB
LA
SF
SEA