NFL

NFL 2026 · Regular season Week 15

What does Patriots vs Chiefs change in the NFL playoff race?

Patriots

New England Patriots

5-3

8:15 PM ET

Scheduled

Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs

5-2

Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · 8:15 PM ET (Dec 22, 10:15 KST)Arrowhead Stadium

What's at stake

Current standings (120 games played league-wide) plus this one result, recomputed for the 16 AFC teams. Arithmetic, not odds.

Patriots win

Chiefs win

  • ChiefsMagic 10→8Tragic 10→-
  • PatriotsAFC #7→#8 seedwild-card spot→outside the top 7Tragic 9→8
5 more teams

Tie

  • ChiefsAFC #5→#6 seedMagic 10→9Tragic 10→-
  • PatriotsAFC #7→#8 seedwild-card spot→outside the top 7Tragic 9→-
5 more teams
  • BillsMagic 9→8Division magic 9→8
  • BroncosMagic 9→8Division magic -→9
  • SteelersMagic 9→8
  • BengalsAFC #6→#5 seedMagic 10→9
  • BrownsAFC #8→#7 seedoutside the top 7→wild-card spotMagic -→9

Both teams going in

TeamSeedMagicTragicDivision magic
PatriotsAFC #7 seed · 5-37-9-
ChiefsAFC #5 seed · 5-251010-

Magic number = wins left to lock a top-7 seed (division magic: first place); tragic number = losses left until elimination. Ties count against the team in question (official tiebreakers such as head-to-head are not applied; equal records are ordered by BALLDONTLIE seed). How we calculate →

Plan a trip to this game

AdClinch earns a commission from Klook if you book through this link.

Mon, Dec 21 game · Kansas City

Local date

See the ground on the Stadium Trip Map →

Team records

Season records as listed by BALLDONTLIE.

New to the NFL?

  • Seed — seven teams per conference (AFC, NFC) make the playoffs. The four division winners take seeds 1–4 whatever their records; the best three of the rest take seeds 5–7.
  • Wild card — seeds 5–7, earned on record without winning the division. Only the No. 1 seed skips the first round (the Wild Card round).
  • Tie — a regular-season game still level after a 10-minute overtime ends as a tie, counted as half a win in winning percentage.
How we calculate →
Patriots playoff scenarios →Chiefs playoff scenarios → NFL schedule & results Playoff seeds Magic numbersNFL standings & scenarios →

Game data: BALLDONTLIE. Magic numbers, tragic numbers and seeds are computed by this site.