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Here’s the NFL’s entire postseason picture heading into Week 17

Doug Farrar
·5 min read

In the interest of making clinching scenarios more interesting (and to make more money!), the NFL decided to add a seventh playoff team to each conference for the 2020 season. It certainly has made the musical chairs more musical, as there are 18 teams in contention for a trip to Super Bowl LV. There hasn’t been more teams still alive for postseason berths entering the league’s final week since 2006, when there were 20 teams.

In the AFC, the Chiefs have already clinched the AFC West and the first-seed, which gives them the only first-round bye in the conference. The Bills are currently the second-seed and have clinched the AFC East. The Steelers are the third-seed and have clinched the AFC North.

  • The Bills clinch the second-seed with a win over the Dolphins, or a Steelers loss, or a tie plus a Steelers tie.

  • The Steelers clinch the second-seed with a win over the Browns, plus a Bills tie, or a win or tie, plus a Bills loss.

In the NFC, the Packers have clinched the NFC North, the Saints have clinched the NFC South, the Seahawks have clinched the NFC West, and the Buccaneers have clinched a playoff berth, but the first-seed is still very much up for grabs.

Here are all the playoff scenarios for Week 17.

Baltimore Ravens (10-5)

The Ravens face the 4-10-1 Browns on Sunday. They're currently the sixth-seed in the AFC. Baltimore clinches a playoff berth with any of the following results:

  • The Ravens win;

  • The Browns lose to the Steelers;

  • The Colts lose to the Jaguars;

  • The Ravens tie and the Dolphins, Titans, or Browns lose;

  • The Ravens tie and the Colts tie.

Cleveland Browns (10-5)

The Browns face the 12-3 Steelers on Sunday. They're currently the NFL's seventh-seed. The Steelers are resting many of their starters. Cleveland clinches a playoff berth with any of the following results:

  • The Browns win;

  • The Colts lose to the Jaguars;

  • The Titans lose to the Texans AND the Dolphins win or tie against the Bills AND the Ravens win or tie against the Bengals;

  • The Browns tie and the Ravens, Dolphins, or Titans lose;

  • The Browns tie and the Colts tie;

  • The Browns tie AND the Titans tie AND the Ravens win AND the Dolphins win.

Indianapolis Colts (10-5)

The Colts face the 1-14 Jaguars on Sunday. They're currently the AFC's eighth-seed. Indianapolis clinches the AFC South if they win and the Titans lose or tie against the Texans OR the the Colts tie and the Titans lose. Indianapolis clinches a playoff berth without a division title if:

  • The Colts win and the Ravens, Browns, or Dolphins lose or tie;

  • The Colts tie and the Ravens, Browns, or Dolphins lose.

Miami Dolphins (10-5)

The Dolphins face the 12-3 Bills on Sunday. They're currently the AFC's fifth-seed. Miami clinches a playoff berth with any of the following scenarios:

  • The Dolphins win;

  • The Ravens, Browns, or Colts lose;

  • The Dolphins tie and the Ravens, Browns, or Colts tie;

  • The Dolphins tie and the Titans lose.

Tennessee Titans (10-5)

The Titans face the 4-11 Texans on Sunday. They're currently the AFC's fourth-seed. Tennessee clinches the AFC South with a win, a Colts loss, or a Titans tie and a Colts tie against the Jaguars. Tennessee clinches a playoff berth without a division title if:

  • The Ravens or Dolphins lose;

  • The Titans tie and the Browns lose;

  • The Titans tie and the Browns or Ravens tie.

Arizona Cardinals (8-7)

The Cardinals face the 9-6 Rams on Sunday. They're currently the NFC's eighth-seed. Arizona clinches a playoff berth if:

  • The Cardinals win or;

  • The Cardinals tie and the Bears lose.

Los Angeles Rams (9-6)

The Rams face the 8-7 Cardinals on Sunday. They're currently the NFC's sixth-seed. Los Angeles clinches a playoff berth if: The Rams win or; The Bears lose or tie.

Chicago Bears (8-7)

The Bears face the 12-3 Packers on Sunday. Green Bay has clinched the NFC North, but have not wrapped up the conference's first-seed. Chicago is currently the NFC's seventh-seed. Chicago clinches a playoff berth if:

  • The Bears win or;

  • The Cardinals lose; or

  • The Bears and Cardinals both tie.

New Orleans Saints (11-4)

The Saints face the 5-10 Panthers on Sunday. They've already clinched the NFC South. If the Saints win, the Packers lose, and the Seahawks win, the Saints clinch the first-seed in the NFC.

Seattle Seahawks (11-4)

The Seahawks face the 6-9 49ers on Sunday. Seattle has already clinched the NFC West. Seattle clinches the NFC's first-seed if:

  1. The Seahawks win and;

  2. The Packers lose and;

  3. The Saints lose or tie.

Green Bay Packers (12-3)

The Packers face the 8-7 Bears on Sunday. Green Bay has already clinched the NFC North. The Packers clinch the NFC's first-seed if:

  • The Packers win or;

  • The Seahawks lose or tie.

The NFC East

It's already guaranteed that the NFC East will have a division champion with a losing record. The best any team can do is 7-9. Right now, Washington is the NFC's fourth-seed, the Cowboys are the eighth-seed, and the Giants are the 13th-seed. No, that is not a typo. Here's how it shakes out: The 6-9 Cowboys face the 5-10 Giants. If the Cowboys win and Washington loses to the Eagles OR Dallas ties and Washington loses, the Cowboys clinch the division. The Giants clinch the division if they beat the Cowboys and Washington loses to the Eagles. The 6-9 Football Team clinches the division if they beat the Eagles or they tie with the Eagles and the Cowboys tie or lose against the Giants.