1978 NFL Season — Final Standings
Final regular-season standings, the first season of the 16-game regular season (up from 14) and the first with 2 wild cards per conference (5 seeds/conference, 10-team playoff), up from 1 wild card previously. Pittsburgh's 14-2 was the league's best record; San Francisco's 2-14 the league's worst. Minnesota won the NFC Central at a barely-.500 8-7-1, the softest division winner in the league that year.
AFC East
| Seed | Team | W | L | T | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | NEPNew England Patriots | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | - |
| 4 | MDMiami Dolphins | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | - |
| — | NYJNew York Jets | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3 |
| — | BBBuffalo Bills | 5 | 11 | 0 | .312 | 6 |
| — | BCBaltimore Colts | 5 | 11 | 0 | .312 | 6 |
AFC Central
| Seed | Team | W | L | T | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PSPittsburgh Steelers | 14 | 2 | 0 | .875 | - |
| 5 | HOHouston Oilers | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4 |
| — | CBCleveland Browns | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 6 |
| — | CBCincinnati Bengals | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 10 |
AFC West
| Seed | Team | W | L | T | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | DBDenver Broncos | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | - |
| — | OROakland Raiders | 9 | 7 | 0 | .562 | 1 |
| — | SSSeattle Seahawks | 9 | 7 | 0 | .562 | 1 |
| — | SDCSan Diego Chargers | 9 | 7 | 0 | .562 | 1 |
| — | KCCKansas City Chiefs | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 6 |
NFC East
| Seed | Team | W | L | T | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | DCDallas Cowboys | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | - |
| 5 | PEPhiladelphia Eagles | 9 | 7 | 0 | .562 | 3 |
| — | WRWashington Redskins | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 4 |
| — | SLCSt. Louis Cardinals | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 6 |
| — | NYGNew York Giants | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 6 |
NFC Central
| Seed | Team | W | L | T | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | MVMinnesota Vikings | 8 | 7 | 1 | .531 | - |
| — | GBPGreen Bay Packers | 8 | 7 | 1 | .531 | - |
| — | DLDetroit Lions | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 1.5 |
| — | CBChicago Bears | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 1.5 |
| — | TBBTampa Bay Buccaneers | 5 | 11 | 0 | .312 | 3.5 |
NFC West
| Seed | Team | W | L | T | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LARLos Angeles Rams | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | - |
| 4 | AFAtlanta Falcons | 9 | 7 | 0 | .562 | 3 |
| — | NOSNew Orleans Saints | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 5 |
| — | SF4San Francisco 49ers | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 10 |
Sources
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
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