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Here’s every playoff scenario for Week 15 of the NFL season

doug farrar
·6 min read
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The NFL has always wanted parity, and this is about as close as you can get this far into a season. For only the third time since 1990 (it also happened in 1993 and 2014), the NFL enters Week 15 without a team having clinched a playoff berth. With four weeks to play, 28 teams remain in playoff contention.

Only one team in the NFC — the Detroit Lions — has been officially eliminated from the playoff picture. And in the AFC, only the Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, and New York Jets are out.

Of course, some teams would require a whole bunch of things to happen for them to enter the postseason, but that’s where it stands right now.

And here’s how these teams can punch their tickets into the postseason in Week 15.

New England Patriots

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

The 9-4 Patriots take on the 7-6 Colts tonight at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium, and here’s what’s at stake. They will clinch a playoff berth if:

  1. New England wins, Miami loses to or ties with the Jets, the Browns lose to the Raiders, and the Ravens lose to the Packers; OR

  2. New England wins, Miami loses to or ties with the Jets, the Browns lose to the Raiders, the Broncos lose to or tie with the Bengals, and the Steelers lose to or tie with the Titans; OR

  3. New England wins, Miami loses to or ties with the Jets, the Browns tie with the Raiders, and the Ravens lose to the Packers; OR

  4. New England wins, Miami loses to or ties with the Jets, the Browns tie with the Raiders, and the Ravens lose to the Packers.

Tennessee Titans

(Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)

The 9-4 Titans play the 6-6-1 Steelers at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field on Sunday. Tennessee will clinch the AFC South and a playoff berth if they beat the Steelers, and the Colts lose to the Patriots.

Simple, right? Well, the next scenario is a bit more complicated.

Arizona Cardinals

(Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports)

The 10-3 Cardinals travel to Detroit’s Ford Field to face the 1-11-1 Lions on Sunday. They will clinch a playoff berth if:

  1. The Cardinals win or tie with the Lions; OR

  2. The Cardinals lose to the Lions, but the Saints lose to or tie with the Buccaneers, and the Vikings lose to or tie with the Bears; OR

  3. The Cardinals lose to the Lions, but the Saints lose to or tie with the Buccaneers, and the Eagles and Washington tie; OR

  4. The Cardinals lose to the Lions, but the Saints lose to or tie with the Buccaneers, the Eagles lose to Washington, the Falcons lose to or tie with the 49ers, and the Packers win or tie with the Ravens; OR

  5. The Cardinals lose to the Lions, but the Saints lose to or tie with the Buccaneers, the 49ers and Falcons tie, and the Rams lose to the Seahawks; OR

  6. The Cardinals lose to the Lions, but the Vikings lose to or tie with the Bears, and the 49ers lose to the Falcons; OR

  7. The Cardinals lose to the Lions, but the Vikings lose to or tie with the Bears, and the 49ers lose to the Falcons; OR

  8. The Cardinals lose to the Lions, but the 49ers lose to the Falcons, and the Eagles and Washington tie; OR

  9. The Cardinals lose to the Lions, but the 49ers lose to the Falcons, the Rams lose to the Seahawks, and the Eagles and Washington tie.

Whew! That’s a lot of moving parts.

Dallas Cowboys

(Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports)

The 9-4 Cowboys travel to MetLife Stadium to face the 4-9 Giants (Free medium sodas for all)! And this one’s mercifully simple after that Cardinals thing.

If the Cowboys win, and the Eagles and Washington tie, or if the Cowboys win, Washington loses, and Dallas has the strength of victory over Washington for the season over the Eagles, the Cowboys clinch the NFC East.

The Cowboys also clinch a playoff berth without winning their division if:

  1. The Cowboys beat the Giants, and the Saints lose to or tie with the Buccaneers, OR

  2. The Cowboys beat the Giants, and the 49ers lose to the Falcons; OR

  3. The Vikings lose to or tie with the Bears, the Saints lose to or tie with the Buccaneers, and the Falcons lose to or tie with the 49ers; OR

  4. The Vikings lose to the Bears, the Falcons lose to the 49ers, the Saints lose to the Buccaneers, and the Eagles and Washington tie; OR

  5. The Vikings lose to the Bears, the Falcons lose to the 49ers, the Saints lose to the Buccaneers, and Dallas has the strength of victory over Washington for the season over the Eagles.

Green Bay Packers

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The 10-3 Packers clinch the NFC North if they beat or tie with the 8-5 Ravens on Sunday in Baltimore. Even if that doesn’t happen, the Packers take the division if the Vikings lose to or tie with the Bears.

The Packers can clinch a playoff berth without a division title if:

  1. The Saints lose to or tie with the Buccaneers, and the 49ers lose to the Falcons; OR

  2. The Saints lose to or tie with the Buccaneers, and the Eagles and Washington tie; OR

  3. The Saints lose to or tie with the Buccaneers, the Rams lose to the Seahawks, and the 49ers and Falcons tie; OR

  4. The 49ers lose to the Falcons, and the Eagles and Washington tie; OR

  5. The Rams lose to the Seahawks, the 49ers and Falcons tie, and the Eagles and Washington tie.

Los Angeles Rams

(Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports)

  1. The 9-4 Rams welcome the 5-8 Seahawks to SoFi Stadium on Tuesday. Sean McVay’s team can clinch a playoff berth if:

  2. The Rams beat the Seahawks, the Saints lose to or tie with the Buccaneers, the Falcons lose to or tie with the 49ers, and the Vikings lose to or tie with the Bears; OR

  3. The Rams beat the Seahawks, the Saints lose to or tie with the Buccaneers, the Falcons lose to or tie with the 49ers, and the Eagles and Washington tie; OR

  4. The Rams beat the Seahawks, the Vikings lose to the Bears, and the Eagles and Washington tie; OR

  5. The Rams beat the Seahawks, the Vikings lose to the Bears, the Saints lose to the Buccaneers, and the Falcons lose to or tie with the 49ers.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The 10-3 Buccaneers play the 6-7 Saints on Sunday night, and they clinch the NFC South if they beat or tie with New Orleans.

Without a win, the Bucs still clinch a playoff berth if:

  1. The Vikings lose to or tie with the Bears, and the 49ers lose to the Falcons; OR

  2. The Vikings lose to or tie with the Bears, and the Eagles and Washington tie; OR

  3. The 49ers lose to the Falcons, and the Eagles and Washington tie.

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