Week 16 is rapidly approaching in the National Football League and 14 of this weekend’s 16 games have playoff implications, even though seven teams were eliminated after the conclusion of Week 15.
Here’s a full look at the clinching scenarios at stake for Week 16:
NFC
CLINCHED: Los Angeles Rams – NFC West, New Orleans Saints – NFC South, Chicago Bears – NFC North
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (12-2) (vs. Pittsburgh [8-5-1], Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)
New Orleans clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
1) NO win OR
2) NO tie + LAR loss or tie OR
3) CHI loss or tie + LAR loss
New Orleans clinches a first-round bye with:
1) NO tie OR
2) CHI loss or tie OR
3) LAR loss
LOS ANGELES RAMS (11-3) (at Arizona [3-11], Sunday, 4:05 PM ET, FOX)
Los Angeles clinches a first-round bye with:
1) LAR win + CHI loss or tie OR
2) LAR tie + CHI loss
DALLAS COWBOYS (8-6) (vs. Tampa Bay [5-9], Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, FOX)
Dallas clinches NFC East division title with:
1) DAL win OR
2) DAL tie + PHI loss or tie + WAS loss or tie OR
3) PHI loss + WAS loss
Dallas clinches a playoff berth with:
1) DAL tie + MIN loss
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (8-6) (vs. Kansas City [11-3], Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)
Seattle clinches a playoff berth with:
1) SEA win + WAS loss or tie OR
2) SEA win or tie + MIN loss OR
3) SEA win + SEA clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over WAS OR
4) SEA win + MIN tie + SEA clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over MIN OR
5) SEA tie + WAS loss + PHI loss or tie
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (7-6-1) (at Detroit [5-9], Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, FOX)
Minnesota clinches a playoff berth with:
1) MIN win+ PHI loss or tie + WAS loss
If the season ended today, the playoff seedings in the NFC would be as follows:
*Clinched playoff berth; **Clinched division
1. Saints** (12-2), (9-2)
2. Rams** (11-3), (7-3)
3. Bears** (10-4), (8-2)
4. Cowboys (8-6), (7-3)
5. Seahawks (8-6), (7-4)
6. Vikings (7-6-1), (5-4-1)
The Philadelphia Eagles (7-7, 5-6), Washington Redskins (7-7), (6-5), and Carolina Panthers (6-8), (4-6) are in the hunt. However, the Eagles own the tiebreaker over the Redskins because they beat them earlier this season.
The Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, and San Francisco 49ers have been eliminated from playoff contention.
AFC
CLINCHED: Kansas City Chiefs – playoff berth, Los Angeles Chargers – playoff berth
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-3) (at Seattle [8-6], Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)
Kansas City clinches AFC West division title and a first-round bye with:
1) KC win + LAC loss
Kansas City clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
1) KC win + LAC loss + HOU loss or tie OR
2) KC win + LAC loss + KC clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over HOU
HOUSTON TEXANS (10-4) (at Philadelphia [7-7], Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)
Houston clinches AFC South division title with:
1) HOU win or tie OR
2) IND loss or tie + TEN loss or tie
Houston clinches a first-round bye with:
1) HOU win + NE loss or tie OR
2) HOU tie + NE loss
HOUSTON TEXANS (10-4) (at Philadelphia [7-7], Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)
Houston clinches AFC South division title with:
1) HOU win or tie OR
2) IND loss or tie + TEN loss or tie
Houston clinches a first-round bye with:
1) HOU win + NE loss or tie OR
2) HOU tie + NE loss
Houston clinches a playoff berth with:
1) BAL loss or tie OR
2) PIT loss OR
3) TEN loss or tie + HOU clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over BAL
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (9-5) (vs. Buffalo [5-9], Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)
New England clinches AFC East division title with:
1) NE win or tie OR
2) MIA loss or tie
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-5-1) (at New Orleans [12-2], Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)
Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division title with:
1) PIT win + BAL loss or tie OR
2) PIT tie + BAL loss
Pittsburgh clinches a playoff berth with:
1) PIT win + IND loss + TEN loss
If the season ended today, the AFC Playoff Seedings would be as follows:
*Clinched playoff berth
1. Chiefs* (11-3), (conference record: 9-2)
2. Texans (10-4), (8-3)
3. Patriots (9-5), (6-4)
4. Steelers (8-5-1), (5-5-1)
5. Chargers* (11-3), (8-2)
6. Ravens (8-6, 6-4)
The Indianapolis Colts (8-6), (6-5), Tennessee Titans (8-6), (5-6), Miami Dolphins (7-7), (6-4), and Cleveland Browns (6-7-1), (4-5-1) are in the hunt.
The Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, and Oakland Raiders are eliminated from playoff contention.
