Here’s What’s At Stake As The NFL Enters Its Final Regular-Season Weekend

The Possibilities With The NFL Playoff berths and postseason seeding are still on the table for many NFL teams as they head into Week 17. The NFL put together...

The Possibilities With The NFL

Playoff berths and postseason seeding are still on the table for many NFL teams as they head into Week 17. The NFL put together a comprehensive list of who needs to do what and how much help each team might need if it is not in a “win and in” situation.

We bring that to you now and with all its permutations and possibilities:
NFC
CLINCHED: New Orleans Saints – NFC South division title and home-field advantage
Los Angeles Rams – NFC West division title
Chicago Bears – NFC North division title
Dallas Cowboys – NFC East division title
Seattle Seahawks – playoff berth

LOS ANGELES RAMS (12-3) vs. San Francisco (4-11), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX
Los Angeles clinches a first-round bye with:
LAR win or tie OR
CHI loss or tie
CHICAGO BEARS (11-4) at Minnesota (8-6-1), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX
Chicago clinches a first-round bye with:
CHI win + LAR loss

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (8-6-1) vs. Chicago (11-4), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX
Minnesota clinches a playoff berth with:
MIN win or tie OR
PHI loss or tie
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (8-7) at Washington (7-8), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX
Philadelphia clinches a playoff berth with:
PHI win + MIN loss

AFC
CLINCHED: Kansas City Chiefs – Playoff berth
Los Angeles Chargers – Playoff berth
New England Patriots – AFC East division title
Houston Texans – Playoff berth​

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-4) vs. Oakland (4-11), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS
Kansas City clinches AFC West division title and home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
KC win OR
KC tie + LAC loss or tie OR
LAC loss + NE loss or tie + HOU loss or tie OR
LAC loss + NE loss or tie + KC clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over HOU
Kansas City clinches AFC West division title and a first-round bye with:
LAC loss + NE loss or tie OR
LAC loss + HOU loss or tie
LAC loss + KC clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over HOU
Kansas City clinches AFC West division title with:
LAC loss OR
KC tie + LAC tie

New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
NE win + KC loss + LAC loss
New England clinches a first-round bye with:
NE win OR
NE tie + HOU loss or tie OR
BAL loss or tie + HOU loss + TEN loss or tie
HOUSTON TEXANS (10-5) vs. Jacksonville (5-10), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS
Houston clinches AFC South division title and home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
HOU win + NE loss or tie + KC loss + LAC loss + HOU clinches a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over KC
Houston clinches AFC South division title and a first-round bye with:
HOU win + NE loss or tie OR
HOU win + KC loss + LAC loss + HOU clinches a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over KC OR
HOU tie + NE loss OR
IND-TEN tie + NE loss + BAL win + HOU clinches a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over BAL
Houston clinches AFC South division title with:
HOU win or tie OR
IND-TEN tie
BALTIMORE RAVENS (9-6) vs. Cleveland (7-7-1), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS
Baltimore clinches AFC North division title and a first-round bye with:
BAL win + NE loss + HOU loss + IND-TEN does not end in a tie OR
BAL win + NE loss + HOU loss + BAL clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over HOU
Baltimore clinches AFC North division title with:
BAL win OR
PIT loss OR
BAL tie + PIT tie
Baltimore clinches a playoff berth with:
BAL tie + IND-TEN tie
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (11-4) at Denver (6-9), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS
Los Angeles clinches AFC West division title and home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
LAC win + KC loss or tie OR
LAC tie + KC loss

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-6) at Tennessee (9-6), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC
Indianapolis clinches AFC South division title with:
IND win + HOU loss
Indianapolis clinches a playoff berth with:
IND win OR
IND tie + PIT loss or tie OR
IND tie + BAL loss
TENNESSEE TITANS (9-6) vs. Indianapolis (9-6), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC
Tennessee clinches AFC South division title and first-round bye with:
TEN win + HOU loss + NE loss + BAL loss or tie
Tennessee clinches AFC South division title with:
TEN win + HOU loss
Tennessee clinches a playoff berth with:
TEN win
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-6-1) vs. Cincinnati (6-9), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS
Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division title with:
PIT win + BAL loss or tie OR
PIT tie + BAL loss
Pittsburgh clinches a playoff berth with:
PIT win + IND-TEN tie

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman