Playoff scenarios

[The Gipper]

PLAYOFF PICTURE SCENARIOS: WEEK 17

 

AFC SCENARIOS:		NFC SCENARIOS:
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS Kansas City can clinch the AFC West division title and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with: 1) KC win 2) KC tie + LAC loss or tie 3) LAC loss + NE loss or tie + HOU loss or tie 4) LAC loss + NE loss or tie + KC clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over HOU Kansas City can clinch the AFC West division title and a first-round bye with: 1) LAC loss + NE loss or tie 2) LAC loss + HOU loss or tie  3) LAC loss + KC clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over HOU Kansas City can clinch the AFC West division title with: 1) LAC loss 2) KC tie + LAC tie NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS New England can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with: 1) NE win + KC loss + LAC loss New England can clinch a first-round bye with: 1) NE win  2) NE tie + HOU loss or tie 3) BAL loss or tie + HOU loss + TEN loss or tie HOUSTON TEXANS Houston can clinch the AFC South division title and home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with: 1) HOU win + NE loss or tie + KC loss + LAC loss + HOU clinches a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over KC Houston can clinch the AFC South division title and a first-round bye with: 1) HOU win + NE loss or tie  2) HOU win + KC loss + LAC loss + HOU clinches a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over KC  3) HOU tie + NE loss  4) IND-TEN tie + NE loss + BAL win + HOU clinches a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over BAL Houston can clinch the AFC South division title with: 1) HOU win or tie  2) IND-TEN tie BALTIMORE RAVENS Baltimore can clinch the AFC North division title and a first-round bye with: 1) BAL win + NE loss + HOU loss + IND-TEN does not end in a tie  2) BAL win + NE loss + HOU loss + BAL clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over HOU Baltimore can clinch the AFC North division title with: 1) BAL win  2) PIT loss  3) BAL tie + PIT tie Baltimore can clinch a playoff berth with: 1) BAL tie + IND-TEN tie LOS ANGELES CHARGERS Los Angeles can clinch the AFC West division title and home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with: 1) LAC win + KC loss or tie  2) LAC tie + KC loss INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Indianapolis can clinch the AFC South division title with: 1) IND win + HOU loss Indianapolis can clinch a playoff berth with: 1) IND win  2) IND tie + PIT loss or tie  3) IND tie + BAL loss TENNESSEE TITANS Tennessee can clinch the AFC South division title and a first-round bye with: 1) TEN win + HOU loss + NE loss + BAL loss or tie Tennessee can clinch the AFC South division title with: 1) TEN win + HOU loss Tennessee can clinch a playoff berth with: 1) TEN win  PITTSBURGH STEELERS Pittsburgh can clinch the AFC North division title with: 1) PIT win + BAL loss or tie  2) PIT tie + BAL loss Pittsburgh can clinch a playoff berth with: 1) PIT win + IND-TEN tie		LOS ANGELES RAMS L.A. Rams can clinch a first-round bye with: 1) LAR win or tie 2) CHI loss or tie CHICAGO BEARS Chicago can clinch a first-round bye with: 1) CHI win + LAR loss MINNESOTA VIKINGS Minnesota can clinch a playoff berth with: 1) MIN win or tie 2) PHI loss or tie PHILADELPHIA EAGLES Philadelphia can clinch a playoff berth with: 1) PHI win + MIN loss
AFC CLINCHES:		NFC CLINCHES:
NEW ENGLAND clinched the AFC East division title (Week 16) KANSAS CITY clinched a playoff berth (Week 14) LOS ANGELES CHARGERS clinched a playoff berth (Week 15) HOUSTON clinched a playoff berth (Week 16)		DALLAS clinched the NFC East division title (Week 16) CHICAGO clinched the NFC North division title (Week 15) NEW ORLEANS clinched the NFC South division title (Week 14), a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs (Week 16) LOS ANGELES RAMS clinched the NFC West division title (Week 13) SEATTLE clinched a playoff berth (Week 16)

During the regular season, the seeds reflect how the playoffs would stand if the season ended up to that point. The NFL playoffs are not based on a pure bracket system. In the divisional playoffs, the No. 1 seed is assured of playing the lowest-seeded Wild Card survivor. There are no restrictions on intra-division games and the higher seed of any matchup will have home-field advantage.