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NFL Week 15 clinching scenarios: Buccaneers, Packers, Cardinals can reach playoffs with wins

USA TODAY Sports
·3 min read

The NFL's currently vacant postseason field should have its first entrant by the end of Sunday.

In the NFC, five separate teams have clinching scenarios in Week 15, including three who can seal spots merely by winning their upcoming matchups. The Arizona Cardinals, playing in the early window against the 1-11-1 Detroit Lions, have perhaps the easiest path of any of those teams, as they have nine different ways they could clinch a spot.

In the AFC, no teams will be able to clinch a spot this week after the New England Patriots fell to the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday. The Colts' win also means that the Tennessee Titans can't wrap up the AFC South.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (31) and linebacker Devin White (45) celebrate after sftopping the Buffalo Bills during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, in Tampa, Fla.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (31) and linebacker Devin White (45) celebrate after sftopping the Buffalo Bills during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, in Tampa, Fla.

NFC (clinched: none)

Arizona Cardinals (10-3) [at Detroit (1-11-1), Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX]

Cardinals clinch playoff berth with:

1. Cardinals win or tie OR

2. Saints loss or tie + Vikings loss or tie OR

3. Saints loss or tie + Eagles/Washington tie OR

4. Saints loss or tie + Eagles loss + Falcons loss or tie + Packers win or tie OR

5. Saints loss or tie + 49ers tie + Rams loss OR

6. Vikings loss or tie + Eagles/Washington tie OR

7. Vikings loss or tie + 49ers loss OR

8. 49ers loss + Eagles-Washington tie OR

9. 49ers tie + Rams loss + Eagles-Washington tie

Dallas Cowboys (9-4) [at N.Y. Giants (4-9), Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX]

Cowboys clinch NFC East division title with:

1. Cowboys win + Washington/Eagles tie OR

2. Cowboys win + Washington loss + Cowboys clinche strength-of-victory tiebreaker over PHI

Cowboys clinch playoff berth with:

1. Cowboys win + Saints loss or tie OR

2. Cowboys win + 49ers loss OR

3. Cowboys tie + Vikings loss or tie + Saints loss or tie + Falcons loss or tie OR

4. Vikings loss + Falcons loss + Saints loss + Eagles/Washington tie OR

5. Vikings loss + Falcons loss + Saints loss + Cowboys clinches strength-of-victory tiebreaker over PHI

Green Bay Packers (10-3) [at Baltimore (8-5), Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX]

Packers clinch NFC North division title with:

1. Packers win or tie OR

2. Vikings loss or tie

Packers clinch playoff berth with:

1. Saints loss or tie + 49ers loss OR

2. Saints loss or tie + Eagles/Washington tie OR

3. Saints loss or tie + Rams loss + 49ers tie OR

4. 49ers loss + Eagles/Washington tie OR

5. Rams loss + 49ers tie + Eagles/Washington tie

Los Angeles Rams (9-4) [vs. Seattle (5-8), Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET, FOX]

Rams clinch playoff berth with:

1. Rams win + Saints loss or tie + Vikings loss or tie OR

2. Rams win + Saints loss or tie + Eagles/Washington tie OR

3. Rams win + Vikings loss or tie + Eagles/Washington tie OR

4. Rams tie + Vikings loss + Saints loss + Falcons loss or tie

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-3) [vs. New Orleans (6-7), Sunday night, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC]

Buccaneers clinch NFC South division title with:

1. Buccaneers win or tie

Buccaneers clinch playoff berth with:

1. Vikings loss or tie + 49ers loss OR

2. Vikings loss or tie + Eagles/Washington tie OR

3. 49ers loss + Eagles/Washington tie

AFC (clinched: none)

No clinching scenarios remaining for Week 15

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL Week 15 playoff clinching scenarios: Win and in for Packers, Bucs