Don’t know exactly what has to happen this Sunday in order for your favorite team to make the NFL playoffs? The following is a complete team-by-team breakdown of exactly that. Plenty can happen in this final week of football, and we won’t now who the AFC playoff teams are until the smoke clears after the Sunday night game.
The NFC playoff teams have been locked in. What we don’t know is which teams are what seed. The Saints are a lock at the #1, but after that, everything is up for grabs as two teams fighting for the #2, Dallas and Philly, play each other. There are two other teams in line for that first-round bye as well.
As for the AFC, what the hell happened? The two wildcard teams will have 9 wins at most, one of them may have only 8 wins. When was the last time that happened in the superior conference?
This is what needs to happen in week 17:
A.F.C.
CLINCHED:
Indianapolis – AFC South and homefield advantage.
San Diego – AFC West and first-round bye.
Cincinnati – AFC North.
New England – AFC East.
ELIMINATED: Cleveland, Kansas City, Oakland, Buffalo, Tennessee.
Baltimore, New York Jets, Denver, Pittsburgh and Houston can also make the playoffs if they tie this week in combination with various other results.
Jacksonville and Miami cannot make the playoffs with a tie.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Baltimore clinches a playoff spot with:
– BAL win
NEW YORK JETS
NY Jets clinch a playoff spot with:
– NYJ win
DENVER BRONCOS
Denver clinches a playoff spot with:
1) DEN win + NYJ loss or tie + BAL loss or tie OR
2) DEN win + NYJ loss or tie + PIT loss or tie OR
3) DEN win + NYJ loss or tie + HOU win OR
4) DEN win + BAL loss or tie + PIT loss or tie OR
5) DEN win + BAL loss or tie + HOU win OR
6) PIT loss + BAL loss + HOU loss + JAC loss or tie OR
7) PIT loss + BAL loss + HOU loss + NYJ loss OR
8. PIT loss + BAL loss + JAC loss or tie + NYJ loss OR
9) PIT loss + HOU loss + JAC loss or tie + NYJ loss OR
10) NYJ loss + BAL loss + HOU loss + JAC loss or tie
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Pittsburgh clinches a playoff spot with:
1) PIT win + HOU loss or tie + NYJ loss or tie OR
2) PIT win + HOU loss or tie + BAL loss or tie OR
3) PIT win + NYJ loss or tie + BAL loss or tie + DEN loss or tie
HOUSTON TEXANS
Houston clinches a playoff spot with:
1) HOU win + NYJ loss or tie + BAL loss or tie OR
2) HOU win + NYJ loss or tie + DEN loss or tie OR
3) HOU win + BAL loss or tie + DEN loss or tie
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Jacksonville clinches a playoff spot with:
1) JAC win + PIT loss + BAL loss + DEN loss + HOU loss OR
2) JAC win + PIT loss + BAL loss + DEN loss + NYJ loss OR
3) JAC win + PIT loss + BAL loss + HOU loss + NYJ loss OR
4) JAC win + PIT loss + DEN loss + HOU loss + NYJ loss OR
5) JAC win + NYJ loss + DEN loss + HOU loss + BAL loss
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Miami clinches a playoff spot with:
– MIA win + NYJ loss + BAL loss + HOU loss + JAC loss or tie
N.F.C.
CLINCHED:
New Orleans – NFC South and homefield advantage.
Minnesota – NFC North.
Arizona – NFC West.
Philadelphia – playoff spot.
Green Bay – playoff spot.
Dallas – playoff spot.
ELIMINATED: Detroit, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Washington, Chicago, Seattle, Carolina, Atlanta, San Francisco, NY Giants.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Minnesota clinches a first-round bye with:
1) MIN win + PHI loss or tie OR
2) MIN tie + PHI loss
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Arizona clinches a first-round bye with:
-ARI win + MIN loss + PHI loss
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Philadelphia clinches NFC East with:
– PHI win or tie
Philadelphia clinches a first-round bye with:
1) PHI win OR
2) PHI tie + MIN loss or tie
DALLAS COWBOYS
Dallas clinches NFC East with:
– DAL win
Dallas clinches a first-round bye with:
– DAL win + MIN loss + ARI loss or tie
Got it? The AFC scenarios are crazy… just an indicator of how dreadful this league has become. If you want to add a little more interest to the week 17 games, enter our “Beat the House” competition for a chance to win some great prizes, even a full set of golf clubs in a new bag. Click here for more details.
