NFL Playoff Picture Heading Into Week 17

LOOKING AT THE NFL PLAYOFF PICTURE BEGINNING WITH WHICH TEAMS HAVE CLINCHED A PLAYOFF BERTH.

IN THE AFC BALTIMORE HAS CLINCHED THE AFC NORTH AND HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE THROUGHOUT THE PLAYOFFS.

HOUSTON HAS CLINCHED THE AFC SOUTH.

KC HAS CLINCHED THE AFC WEST.

NEW ENGLAND HAS CLINCHED THE AFC EAST AND BUFFALO HAS CLINCHED ONE OF THE TWO WILD CARD BERTHS.

IN THE NFC THE SAINTS HAVE CLINCHED THE SOUTH.

THE PACKERS HAVE CLINCHED THE NFC NORTH.

SEATTLE, SAN FRANCISCO AND MINNESOTA HAVE ALL EARNED PLAYOFF BERTHS.

AND NOW LOOKING AT THE PLAYOFF SCENARIOS HEADING INTO WEEK 17, STARTING IN THE AFC.

KANSAS CITY CAN CLINCH A FIRST-ROUND BYE WITH A WIN AGAINST THE CHARGERS AND A LOSS BY NEW ENGLAND.

NEW ENGLAND CAN CLINCH A FIRST-ROUND BYE WITH A TIE OR A WIN AGAINST MIAMI OR A KANSAS CITY LOSS OR TIE.

OAKLAND CAN CLINCH A PLAYOFF BERTH, BUT MANY THINGS MUST HAPPEN. FIRST, OAKLAND MUST WIN AGAINST DENVER. THEN, IT NEEDS LOSSES BY PITTSBURGH AND TENNESSEE AND A WIN BY INDIANAPOLIS. IF ALL THAT HAPPENS, OAKLAND WOULD HOLD A STRENGTH-OF-VICTORY TIEBREAKER OVER PITTSBURGH IF ONE OF THE FOLLOWING – CHICAGO, DETROIT, THE CHARGERS OR NEW ENGLAND WIN.

PITTSBURGH CAN CLINCH WITH A WIN OR A TIE PLUS A TENNESSEE LOSS. A TENNESSEE LOSS PLUS AND INDIANAPOLIS WIN PLUS AN OAKLAND LOSS OR TIE AND A COLTS WIN.

TENNESSEE CLINCHES A PLAYOFF BERTH WITH A WIN AGAINST HOUSTON, A TIE AGAINST HOUSTON PLUS A PITTSBURGH LOSS OR A PITTSBURGH LOSS COUPLED WITH AN INDIANAPOLIS LOSS OR TIE.

SWITCHING OVER THE THE PLAYOFF SCENARIOS FOR THE NFC.

DALLAS CAN CLINCH THE NFC EAST WITH A WIN AND A PHILADELPHIA LOSS.

GREEN BAY CAN CLINCH A FIRST-ROUND BY WITH A WIN AGAINST DETROIT OR A NEW ORLEANS LOSS OR A GREEN BAY TIE AND A SAN FRANCISCO LOSS OR A GREEN BAY TIE PLUS A NEW ORLEANS TIE.

GREEN BAY ALSO CAN CLINCH THE HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE THROUGHOUT THE PLAYOFFS WITH A GREEN BAY WIN PLUS A SAN FRANCISCO LOSS OR TIE OR A GREEN BAY TIE PLUS A SAN FRANCISCO LOSS OR A NEW ORLEANS LOSS OR TIE.

NEW ORLEANS CAN CLINCH A FIRST-ROUND BYE WITH A WIN AGAINST CAROLINA PLUS A GREEN BAY LOSS OR TIE, A WIN PLUS A LOSS OR TIE BY SAN FRANCISCO, A TIE PLUS A LOSS BY GREEN BAY OR A SAN FRANCISCO LOSS PLUS A GREEN BAY WIN OR TIE.

NEW ORLEANS CAN CLINCH HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE THROUGHOUT THE PLAYOFFS WITH A WIN AGAINST CAROLINA PLUS A GREEN BAY LOSS OR TIE PLUS A SAN FRANCISCO LOSS OR TIE, OR A NEW ORLEANS TIE COUPLED WITH LOSSES BY GREEN BAY OR SAN FRANCISCO.

PHILADELPHIA CAN CLINCH THE NFC EAST WITH A WIN AGAINST THE GIANTS OR A DALLAS LOSS OR TIE.

SAN FRANCISCO CAN CLINCH THE NFC WEST WITH A WIN AGAINST SEATTLE

THE 49ERS CLINCH A FIRST-ROUND BY WITH A WIN OR A TIE COUPLED WITH A LOSS OR TIE BY GREEN BAY OR NEW ORLEANS.

SAN FRANCISCO CAN CLINCH HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE THROUGH THE PLAYOFFS WITH A WIN OR A TIE PLUS A GREEN BAY LOSS OR TIE PLUS A NEW ORLEANS LOSS OR TIE.

SEATTLE CAN CLINCH THE NFC WEST WITH A WIN AGAINST SAN FRANCISCO.

SEATTLE CLINCHES A FIRST-ROUND BYE WITH A WIN AND A GREEN BAY LOSS.

SEATTLE CLINCHES HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE THROUGHOUT THE PLAYOFFS WITH A WIN PLUS LOSSES BY GREEN BAY AND NEW ORLEANS.