NFL playoff scenarios: Very little set in stone heading into Week 17
Two playoff bids remain unclaimed heading into Week 17 of the NFL season: one spot each for an AFC wild-card team and the NFC South champion.
Very little is set in stone beyond that, though, other than the Patriots having the AFC No. 1 seed wrapped and the Colts being locked into hosting a wild-card round game as the No. 3 or No. 4 seed.
Week 17 NFL Picks: Prepare for a whirlwind final day of regular season
Here are all the playoff scenarios still on the table for the NFL's final Sunday of 2014:
NFC
Seattle Seahawks (11-4)
Clinch the NFC West:
• Win
• Arizona loss
• Tie plus Arizona loss or tie
Clinch a first-round bye:
• Win
• Tie plus ARI loss or tie and either a DAL loss or GB-DET tie
Clinch home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs:
• Win plus a win by either Green Bay or Detroit
• Win plus Dallas loss or tie
• Tie plus ARI loss or tie, DAL loss and a DET-GB tie
Detroit Lions (11-4)
Clinch the NFC North:
• Win or tie
Clinch a first-round bye:
• Win
• Tie plus DAL loss or tie, or losses by SEA and ARI
Clinch home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs:
• Win plus Seattle loss or tie and Arizona loss or tie
• Tie plus losses by SEA and ARI plus a DAL loss or tie
Dallas Cowboys (11-4)
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Clinch a first-round bye:
• Win plus Seattle loss or tie and Arizona loss or tie
• Win plus DET-GB tie
• Tie plus losses by Seattle and Arizona
• Tie plus SEA tie, ARI loss or tie and a DET or GB win
Clinch home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs:
• Win plus ARI loss or tie and DET-GB tie
Carolina Panthers (6-8-1)
Clinch the NFC South:
• Win or tie
Green Bay Packers (11-4)
Clinch the NFC North:
• Win
Clinch a first-round bye:
• Win
Clinch home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs:
• Win plus Seattle loss or tie
Arizona Cardinals (11-4)
Clinch the NFC West:
• Win plus a Seattle loss or tie
• Tie plus a Seattle loss
Clinch a first-round bye:
• Win plus Seattle loss or tie
• Tie plus Seattle loss and Dallas loss or tie
• Tie plus SEA loss and DET-GB tie
Clinch home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs:
• Win plus Seattle loss or tie and Green Bay loss or tie
• Tie plus a SEA loss, DAL loss or tie and DET-GB tie
Atlanta Falcons (6-9)
Clinch the NFC South:
• Win
AFC
Denver Broncos (11-4)
Clinch a first-round bye:
• Win or tie
• Cincinnati loss
• Cincinnati tie plus Colts win
Cincinnati Bengals (10-4-1)
Clinch the AFC North:
• Win or tie
Clinch a first-round bye:
• Win plus Denver loss or tie
• Tie plus Denver loss and Colts loss or tie
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)
Clinch the AFC North:
• Win
San Diego Chargers (9-6)
Clinch wild-card berth
• Win
• Tie plus Baltimore loss or tie
Baltimore Ravens (9-6)
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Clinch wild-card berth
• Win plus San Diego loss or tie
• Tie plus San Diego loss
Houston Texans (9-6)
Clinch wild-card berth
• Win plus losses by San Diego and Baltimore
Kansas City Chiefs (9-6)
Clinch wild-card berth
• Win plus Baltimore loss and Houston loss or tie
