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
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