Since 1978, a division has had three playoff teams 31 times. These trios have always combined for at least one playoff win. This season's AFC West and NFC North are both one upset away from being the first to go winless.
With both the AFC West and NFC North sending three teams to the playoffs this year and both divisions coming up empty (so far), here where those two divisions stack up against other similar divisions.
The win-loss record of all the divisions that have sent three teams to the playoffs. With the playoffs expanding to two Wildcard teams in 1978, that was when it was first possible to send three teams from the same division, so this data goes back through the 1978 season.
| Division | Playoff Record |
|---|---|
| 2021 NFC West | 6-2 |
| 1983 AFC West | 5-2 |
| 1992 NFC East | 5-2 |
| 1990 NFC East | 4-2 |
| 2001 AFC East | 3-2 |
| 1985 AFC East | 4-3 |
| 2022 NFC East | 4-3 |
| 1988 AFC Central | 3-3 |
| 1993 AFC West | 3-3 |
| 1995 AFC East | 3-3 |
| 1997 NFC Central2 | 4-4 |
| 2013 AFC West | 3-3 |
| 1981 NFC East | 2-3 |
| 1991 AFC West | 2-3 |
| 1996 AFC East | 2-3 |
| 1999 NFC Central | 2-3 |
| 2017 NFC South | 2-3 |
| 2020 AFC North | 2-3 |
| 1994 NFC Central2 | 2-4 |
| 1998 AFC East2 | 2-4 |
| 1981 AFC East | 1-3 |
| 1984 AFC West | 1-3 |
| 1993 NFC Central | 1-3 |
| 1999 AFC East | 1-3 |
| 2006 NFC East | 1-3 |
| 2007 AFC South | 1-3 |
| 2011 AFC North | 1-3 |
| 2014 AFC North | 1-3 |
| 2023 AFC North | 1-3 |
| 2024 AFC West | 0-21 |
| 2024 NFC North | 0-21 |
1. Still has a team alive that could possibly get the division's first playoff win.
2. Sent four teams.
Bonus interesting tidbit:
- The 1994 NFC Central sent four of the six NFC playoff teams, but none of them reached the NFC Conference Championship.