Week 17 Playoff scenarios in NFL

With two weeks left in the NFL season, six of the fourteen possible playoff teams have clinched. The Kansas City Chiefs clinched the AFC West division, while in the NFC, the Cowboys(NFC East division title), Packers(NFC North division title), Buccaneers (NFC South division title),  Cardinals(playoff berth), and Rams(playoff berth) are all in the dance.

There are eight spots left, and in the AFC, the Bills, Bengals, Colts, Patriots, and Titans can punch their tickets for the playoffs this week. 

In the NFC, Philadelphia and San Francisco can clinch as well.

Read below the playoff scenarios for Week 17:

AFC

CLINCHED:

• Kansas City Chiefs – AFC West division title

BUFFALO BILLS (9-6) (vs. Atlanta (7-8), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, FOX)

Buffalo clinches playoff berth with:

1. BUF win + BAL loss or tie OR

2. BUF win + LAC loss or tie + LV loss or tie OR

3. BUF tie + MIA loss or tie + LAC loss + LV loss OR

4. BUF tie + MIA loss or tie + LAC loss or tie + BAL loss + PIT loss or tie OR

5. BUF tie + MIA loss or tie + LV loss or tie + BAL loss + PIT loss or tie OR

6. BUF tie + NE loss or tie + LAC Loss + LV loss OR

7. BUF tie + NE loss or tie + LAC loss or tie + BAL loss + PIT loss or tie OR

8. BUF tie + NE loss or tie + LV loss or tie + BAL loss + PIT loss or tie OR

9. BUF tie + LAC loss + LV loss + BAL loss + PIT loss or tie

CINCINNATI BENGALS (9-6) (vs. Kansas City (11-4), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Cincinnati clinches AFC North division title with:

1. CIN win OR

2. CIN tie + BAL loss or tie OR

3. BAL loss + CLE-PIT tie

Cincinnati clinches playoff berth with:

1. CIN tie + LAC loss + LV loss + MIA loss or tie OR

2. CIN tie + LAC loss + LV loss + NE loss OR

3. CIN tie + LAC loss + LV tie + MIA loss or tie + NE win OR

4. CIN tie + LAC loss + LV tie + NE tie + MIA tie + BUF win or tie OR

5. CIN tie + LAC loss + LV tie + NE loss + MIA win + BUF win or tie

NOTE: There are other clinching scenarios for Cincinnati that involve multiple tie games.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-6) (vs. Las Vegas (8-7), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, FOX)

Indianapolis clinches playoff berth with:

1. IND win OR

2. IND tie + BAL loss + NE loss or tie OR

3. IND tie + BAL loss + MIA loss or tie

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-4) (at Cincinnati (9-6), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Kansas City clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and homefield advantage with:

1. KC win + TEN loss or tie OR

2. KC tie + TEN loss

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (9-6) (vs. Jacksonville (2-13), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

New England clinches playoff berth with:

1. NE win + MIA loss or tie OR

2. NE win + LV loss or tie OR

3. NE tie + MIA loss + LV loss + LAC loss or tie OR

4. NE tie + MIA loss + BAL loss or tie OR

5. NE tie + LV loss + LAC loss + BAL loss + PIT loss or tie OR

6. NE tie + LV loss + LAC loss or tie + BAL loss or tie + MIA win + BUF win

NOTE: There are other clinching scenarios for New England that involve multiple tie games.

TENNESSEE TITANS (10-5) (vs. Miami (8-7), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Tennessee clinches AFC South division title with:

1. TEN win OR

2. IND loss OR

3. TEN tie + IND tie

Tennessee clinches playoff berth with:

1. TEN tie OR

2. LAC loss or tie + BAL loss or tie OR

3. LAC loss or tie + NE loss or tie OR

4. BAL loss or tie + NE loss or tie

NFC

CLINCHED:

• Dallas Cowboys – NFC East division title

• Green Bay Packers – NFC North division title

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers – NFC South division title

• Arizona Cardinals – playoff berth

• Los Angeles Rams – playoff berth

GREEN BAY PACKERS (12-3) (vs. Minnesota (7-8), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)

Green Bay clinches NFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and homefield advantage with:

1. GB win + DAL loss or tie OR

2. GB tie + DAL loss + LAR loss + TB loss or tie OR

3. GB tie + DAL loss + LAR tie + TB loss

LOS ANGELES RAMS (11-4) (at Baltimore (8-7), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, FOX)

Los Angeles Rams clinch NFC West division title with:

1. LAR win + ARI loss or tie OR

2. LAR tie + ARI loss

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (8-7) (at Washington (6-9), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, FOX)

Philadelphia clinches playoff berth with:

1. PHI win + MIN loss or tie + NO loss or tie OR

2. PHI win + MIN loss or tie + SF win or tie OR

3. PHI tie + MIN loss + NO loss + ATL loss or tie OR

4. PHI tie + MIN loss + NO tie + ATL loss or tie + SF win or tie

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (8-7) (vs. Houston (4-11), Sunday, 4:05 PM ET, CBS)

San Francisco clinches playoff berth with:

1. SF win + NO loss or tie OR

2. SF tie + MIN loss or tie + NO loss + ATL loss or tie