NFL playoff scenarios for Week 17: It’s win-and-in for Ravens, Browns, Dolphins and Titans in AFC
As the NFL enters the final week of the regular season, there is still plenty up for grabs.
Two divisions — the AFC South and NFC East — will be decided this weekend, as well as the top seed and first-round bye in the NFC.
In total, 11 teams are still fighting for a postseason berth. Even the teams who have clinched a spot still have seedings to worry about.
Here’s what the playoff picture looks like entering Week 17, including possible playoff-clinching scenarios:
AFC
Clinched first-round bye
1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-1; AFC West champions)
Remaining game: vs. Chargers
The Chiefs clinched a first-round bye in Week 16 with a 17-14 win over the Falcons. Kansas City will rest its starters, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes, against the Chargers.
Clinched playoff berth
2. Buffalo Bills (12-3; AFC East champions)
Remaining game: vs. Dolphins
The Bills can clinch the No. 2 seed with a win over the Dolphins, but under the new playoff format, that no longer comes with a first-round bye. Coach Sean McDermott hasn’t said whether he will sit his starters. Buffalo would drop to the No. 3 seed with a loss to Miami and a Steelers win over the Browns.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-3; AFC North champions)
Remaining game: at Browns
Locked into the No. 2 or No. 3 seed, the Steelers will rest quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and other key starters against the Browns. That hurts the Colts, who need a win and some help to get into the playoffs.
In the hunt
4. Tennessee Titans (10-5; lead AFC South)
Remaining game: at Texans
Tennessee clinches AFC South division title with:
TEN win OR
IND loss OR
TEN tie + IND tie
Tennessee clinches playoff berth with:
BAL loss OR
MIA loss OR
TEN tie + CLE loss OR
TEN tie + MIA tie OR
TEN tie + BAL tie
5. Miami Dolphins (10-5)
Remaining game: vs. Bills
Miami clinches playoff berth with:
MIA win OR
BAL loss OR
CLE loss OR
IND loss OR
MIA tie + BAL tie OR
MIA tie + CLE tie OR
MIA tie + IND tie OR
MIA tie + TEN loss
6. Baltimore Ravens (10-5)
Remaining game: at Bengals
Baltimore clinches playoff berth with:
BAL win OR
CLE loss OR
IND loss OR
BAL tie + MIA loss OR
BAL tie + TEN loss OR
BAL tie + CLE tie OR
BAL tie + IND tie
7. Cleveland Browns (10-5)
Remaining game: vs. Steelers
Cleveland clinches playoff berth with:
CLE win OR
IND loss OR
TEN loss + MIA win or tie + BAL win or tie OR
CLE tie + BAL loss OR
CLE tie + MIA loss OR
CLE tie + TEN loss OR
CLE tie + IND tie OR
CLE tie + TEN tie + BAL win + MIA win
On the bubble
8. Indianapolis Colts (10-5)
Remaining game: vs. Jaguars
Indianapolis clinches AFC South division title with:
IND win + TEN loss or tie OR
IND tie + TEN loss
Indianapolis clinches playoff berth with:
IND win + BAL loss or tie OR
IND win + CLE loss or tie OR
IND win + MIA loss or tie OR
IND tie + BAL loss OR
IND tie + CLE loss OR
IND tie + MIA loss
NFC
Clinched playoff berth
1. Green Bay Packers (12-3; NFC North champions)
Remaining game: at Bears
Green Bay clinches the first-round bye with:
GB win or tie OR
SEA loss or tie
2. New Orleans Saints (11-4; NFC South champions)
Remaining game: at Panthers
New Orleans clinches the first-round bye with:
NO win + GB loss + SEA win
3. Seattle Seahawks (11-4; NFC West champions)
Remaining game: at 49ers
Seattle clinches the first-round bye with:
SEA win + GB loss + NO loss or tie
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-5)
Remaining game: vs. Falcons
The Buccaneers are locked into the No. 5 or No. 6 seed, which means a road playoff game against a division winner. If the Bucs beat the Falcons or the Rams lose to the Cardinals, Tampa Bay claims the No. 5 seed — and a matchup with the NFC East winner. If the Bucs lose and the Rams win, Tampa Bay claims the No. 6 seed — and a matchup against either the Packers, Saints or Seahawks.
In the hunt
4. Washington Football Team (6-9; lead NFC East)
Remaining game: at Eagles
Washington clinches NFC East division title with:
WAS win OR
WAS tie + DAL loss or tie
6. Los Angeles Rams (9-6)
Remaining game: vs. Cardinals
Los Angeles clinches playoff berth with:
LAR win or tie OR
CHI loss or tie
7. Chicago Bears (8-7)
Remaining game: vs. Packers
Chicago clinches playoff berth with:
CHI win OR
ARI loss OR
CHI tie + ARI tie
On the bubble
8. Arizona Cardinals (8-7)
Remaining game: at Rams
Arizona clinches playoff berth with:
ARI win OR
ARI tie + CHI loss
9. Dallas Cowboys (6-9)
Remaining game: at Giants
Dallas clinches NFC East division title with:
DAL win + WAS loss or tie OR
DAL tie + WAS loss
13. New York Giants (5-10)
Remaining game: vs. Cowboys
New York clinches NFC East division title with:
NYG win + WAS loss
