The 2023 National Football League (NFL) regular season concluded on January 7 with several games deciding wild card playoff teams and division winners. Below are the eight division winners in the American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC).
1. Baltimore Ravens (AFC North)
The Baltimore Ravens were the top team in the competitive AFC North with a 13-4 record. Baltimore had the second-shortest betting odds to win the division to open the season behind the Cincinnati Bengals, which finished fourth with a 9-8 record. Baltimore won four of its last five regular season games and was an impressive 7-1 on the road. The AFC North in 2023 was the first division to have four teams with a winning record since 1935.
2. Buffalo Bills (AFC East)
The Buffalo Bills secured first in the AFC East in the final game of the regular season, beating division rival Miami Dolphins 21-14 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The Dolphins lost consecutive games to close out the season while the Bills rattled off five consecutive victories to overtake Miami for the division title. Buffalo was the preseason favorite to win the AFC East.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (AFC West)
As expected, the Kansas City Chiefs won the AFC West, finishing the season with an 11-6 record. Kansas City was also a conference best 9-3 against AFC teams in 2023. They've made the playoffs in all but one year since Andy Reid began coaching the team in 2013 and have won eight consecutive AFC West titles.
4. Houston Texans (AFC South)
The Houston Texans were the biggest surprise among the division champions in 2023, winning the AFC South with a 10-7 record on the heels of consecutive victories to conclude the season. The Jacksonville Jaguars, picked by 31 of 34 NFL.com analysts to win the division, lost four of their last five games. None of the 34 analysts picked the Texans to win the division.
5. San Francisco 49ers (NFC West)
The San Francisco 49ers won their second consecutive NFC West title and third in five years, finishing the season with a 12-5 record. They were the betting favorites to win the division due to their offensive firepower and performed as expected, finishing second among NFC teams in points (491). They also allowed the third-fewest points (298) in the NFL behind only the Chiefs and Ravens.
6. Dallas Cowboys (NFC East)
The Dallas Cowboys, who produced an NFL-best 509 points, won the NFC East with a 12-5 record. Dallas won their last two games and the second-place Philadelphia Eagles (11-6) won just one of its last five games. The Cowboys made the playoffs for the third consecutive season.
7. Detroit Lions (NFC North)
The Detroit Lions were the betting favorites to win the NFC North and won their first division title since 1993 with a 12-5 record, including 6-2 at home. Detroit also made the playoffs for just the fourth time in the 21st century.
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFC South)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won their third consecutive NFC South title in dramatic fashion on the last day of the regular season. Tampa beat the Carolina Panthers 9-0 and the New Orleans Saints beat the Atlanta Falcons 48-17. Both teams finished with identical 9-8 records, but Tampa Bay won the tiebreaker, which was win percentage in common games.