NFL Playoff Picture: All Scenarios for Week 17
The final week of the 2018 regular season is here, and several teams will be looking to capitalize on their last chance at clinching a spot in the postseason.
Five teams in the NFC and four teams in the AFC are guaranteed a playoff berth come January. The Vikings and Eagles will be battling it out in their respective games for the final spot in the NFC, while the Colts, Titans and Steelers look to stay alive in the AFC. Besides the New Orleans Saints, no other team has clinched home-field advantage or a first-round bye, making a Week 17 win still crucial for those looking to improve their playoff seeding.
Here's Week 17's full list of scenarios and outcomes to monitor.
NFC
Los Angeles Rams
Los Angeles clinches a first-round bye with:
1) A Rams win or tie
2) Chicago loss or tie
Chicago Bears
Chicago clinches a first-round bye with:
1) A Bears win + Rams loss
Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota clinches a playoff berth with:
1) A Vikings win or tie
2) An Eagles loss or tie
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles clinch a playoff berth with:
1) A win + Vikings loss
AFC
Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City clinches AFC West division title and home-field advantage with:
1) A Chiefs win
2) A Chiefs tie + Chargers loss or tie
3) A Chargers loss + Patriots loss or tie + Texans loss or tie
4) A Chargers loss + Patriots loss or tie + Chiefs clinch at least a tie in strength of victory over Houston
Kansas City clinches AFC West division title and a first-round bye with:
1) A Chargers loss + Patriots loss or tie
2) A Chargers loss + Texans loss or tie
3) A Chargers loss + Chiefs clinch at least a tie in strength of victory over Houston
Kansas City clinches AFC West division title with:
1) A Chargers loss
2) Chiefs tie + Chargers tie
New England Patriots
New England clinched a first-round bye.
New England clinches home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with:
1) A Patriots win + Chiefs loss + Chargers loss
Houston Texans
Houston clinched the AFC South title.
Houston clinches the AFC South title and first-round bye with:
1) A Texans win + Patriots loss or tie
2) A Texans win + Chiefs loss + Chargers loss + Texans clinch a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over the Chiefs
3) A Texans tie + Patriots loss
4) A Colts and Titans tie + Patriots loss + Ravens win + Texans clinch a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over the Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore clinches AFC North division title and a first-round bye with:
1) A Ravens win + Patriots loss + Texans loss + Colts and Titans does not end in a tie
2) A Ravens win + Patriots loss + Texans loss + Ravens clinch at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over Texans
Baltimore clinches AFC North division title with:
1) A Ravens win
2) Steelers loss
3) Ravens tie + Steelers tie
Baltimore clinches playoff berth with:
1) A Ravens tie + Colts and Titans tie
Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles clinches AFC West division title and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with:
1) A Chargers win + Chiefs loss or tie
2) A Chargers tie + Chiefs loss
Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis clinches AFC South division title with:
1) A Colts win + Texans loss
Indianapolis clinches a playoff berth with:
1) A Colts win
2) A Colts tie and Steelers loss or tie
3) A Colts tie and Ravens loss
Tennessee Titans
Tennessee clinches AFC South division title and first-round bye with:
1) A Titans win + Texans loss + Patriots loss + Ravens loss or tie
Tennessee clinches AFC South division title with:
1) A Titans win + Texans loss
Tennessee clinches a playoff berth with:
1) A Titans win
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division title with:
1) A Steelers win + Ravens loss or tie
Pittsburgh clinches a playoff berth with:
2) A Steelers tie + Colts and Titans tie
