NFL playoff scenarios entering Week 16: Patriots hunting for a bye

Posted December 19, 2017 12:00 am

By Matt Bonesteel The Washington Post

There are two weeks left in the NFL regular season. Many teams have been eliminated. Here's how things are looking as teams either jockey for seeding, fight for their playoff lives or play out the string.

Thanks to Joe Ferreira and NFL Playoff Scenarios for doing what they do.

CURRENT AFC PLAYOFF FIELD

1. Patriots 11-3

2. Steelers 11-3

3. Jaguars 10-4

4. Chiefs 8-6

5. Titans 8-6

6. Bills 8-6

Still alive: Ravens 8-6, Chargers 7-7, Raiders 6-8, Dolphins 6-8.

AFC CLINCHING SCENARIOS FOR WEEK 16

Patriots: New England has clinched the AFC East. The Patriots will clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win over the Bills combined with a Steelers loss and a Jaguars loss/tie. New England will clinch a first-round bye with a win combined with a Steelers loss, or a win combined with a Jaguars loss/tie, or a tie and a Jaguars loss.

Steelers: Pittsburgh has clinched the AFC North. The Steelers will clinch a first-round bye with a win over the Texans combined with a Jaguars loss/tie, or a tie combined with a Jaguars loss.

Jaguars: Jacksonville has clinched a playoff berth. The Jaguars will clinch the AFC South with a win/tie against the 49ers, or a Titans loss/tie.

Chiefs: Kansas City will clinch the AFC West with a win over the Dolphins, or a tie and a Chargers loss/tie, or a Chargers loss.

Titans: The Titans will clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Rams combined with a Ravens loss and a Bills loss.

Bills: Buffalo cannot clinch a playoff berth nor be eliminated from playoff contention in Week 16.

AFC ELIMINATION SCENARIOS FOR WEEK 16

Ravens: The Ravens cannot clinch a playoff berth nor be eliminated from playoff contention in Week 16.

Chargers: Los Angeles will be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to the Jets, or if the Chiefs, Titans and Ravens all win. There are a number of scenarios in which the Chargers will be eliminated involving ties.

Raiders: Oakland will be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss/tie against the Eagles, or a Bills win/tie, or a Chiefs loss combined with a Titans win/tie, or a Chiefs win/tie combined with a Ravens win/tie, or a Titans win/tie combined with a Ravens win/tie.

Dolphins: Miami will be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss/tie against the Chiefs, or a Bills win/tie combined with a Ravens win/tie, or a Titans win/tie combined with a Ravens win/tie, or a Bills win/tie combined with a Titans win/tie.

CURRENT NFC PLAYOFF FIELD

1. Eagles 12-2

2. Vikings 11-3

3. Rams 10-4

4. Saints 10-4

5. Panthers 10-4

6. Falcons 9-5

Still alive: Lions 8-6, Seahawks 8-6, Cowboys 8-6.

NFC CLINCHING SCENARIOS FOR WEEK 16

Eagles: Philadelphia has clinched the NFC East and a first-round bye. The Eagles will clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win over the Raiders, or a tie combined with a Vikings loss/tie, or a Vikings loss.

Vikings: Minnesota has clinched the NFC North. The Vikings will clinch a first-round bye with a win over the Packers combined with a Panthers loss/tie, or a tie combined with a Panthers loss, Saints loss/tie and a Rams loss/tie.

Rams: Los Angeles will clinch the NFC West with a win/tie against the Titans, or a Seahawks loss/tie. The Rams will clinch a playoff berth if the following three things happen: Lions loss/tie, Panthers loss, Falcons loss.

Saints: New Orleans will clinch the NFC South with a win over the Falcons combined with a Panthers loss. The Saints will clinch a playoff berth with a win/tie, or with a Cowboys-Seahawks tie.

Panthers: Carolina will clinch a playoff berth with a win or tie against the Buccaneers, or with a Cowboys-Seahawks tie.

Falcons: Atlanta will clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Saints, or with a tie combined with a Cowboys-Seahawks tie and a Lions loss/tie.

NFC ELIMINATION SCENARIOS FOR WEEK 16

Cowboys-Seahawks: The loser of this game will be eliminated from playoff contention. The winner cannot be eliminated. If this game ends in a tie and the Falcons beat the Saints, Dallas, Seattle and Detroit all will be eliminated, giving the NFC its six playoff participants.

Lions: Detroit will be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to the Bengals.

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