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Seeds · Scenarios · Tiebreaker Explanation · Ask Tiebreaker Expert Joe Ferreira
Scenarios Week 17
AFC East
N.Y. Jets can clinch a playoff spot with:
a win (vs. Cincinnati)
Miami can clinch a playoff spot with:
a win (vs. Pittsburgh) and a N.Y. Jets loss (vs. Cincinnati) and a Baltimore loss (vs. Oakland) and a Houston loss (vs. New England) and a Jacksonville loss or tie (vs. Cleveland)
AFC North
Baltimore can clinch a playoff spot with:
a win (vs. Oakland)
Pittsburgh can clinch a playoff spot with:
a win (vs. Miami) and a Houston loss or tie (vs. New England) and a N.Y. Jets loss or tie (vs. Cincinnati) OR
a win and a Houston loss or tie and a Baltimore loss or tie (vs. Oakland) OR
a win and a N.Y. Jets loss or tie and a Baltimore loss or tie and a Denver loss or tie (vs. Kansas City)
AFC South
Houston can clinch a playoff spot with:
a win (vs. New England) and a N.Y. Jets loss or tie (vs. Cincinnati) and a Baltimore loss or tie (vs. Oakland) OR
a win and a N.Y. Jets loss or tie and a Denver loss or tie (vs. Kansas City) OR
a win and a Baltimore loss or tie and a Denver loss or tie
Jacksonville can clinch a playoff spot with:
a win (vs. Cleveland) and a Pittsburgh loss (vs. Miami) and a Baltimore loss (vs. Oakland) and a Denver loss (vs. Kansas City) and a Houston loss (vs. New England) OR
a win and a Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss and a Denver loss and a N.Y. Jets loss (vs. Cincinnati) OR
a win and a Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss and a Houston loss and a N.Y. Jets loss OR
a win and a Pittsburgh loss and a Denver loss and a Houston loss and a N.Y. Jets loss OR
a win and a N.Y. Jets loss and a Denver loss and a Houston loss and a Baltimore loss
AFC West
Denver can clinch a playoff spot with:
a win (vs. Kansas City) and a N.Y. Jets loss loss or tie (vs. Cincinnati) and a Baltimore loss or tie (vs. Oakland) OR
a win and a N.Y. Jets loss or tie and a Pittsburgh loss or tie (vs. Miami) OR
a win and a N.Y. Jets loss or tie and a Houston win (vs. New England) OR
a win and a Baltimore loss or tie and a Pittsburgh loss or tie OR
a win and a Baltimore loss or tie and a Houston win OR
a Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss and a Houston loss and a Jacksonville loss (vs. Cleveland) OR
a Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss and a Houston loss and a N.Y. Jets loss OR
Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss and a Jacksonville loss and a N.Y. Jets loss OR
Pittsburgh loss and a Houston loss and a Jacksonville loss and a N.Y. Jets loss OR
Miami loss or tie (vs. Pittsburgh) and a N.Y. Jets loss and a Baltimore loss and a Houston loss and a Jacksonville loss or tie
NFC East
Philadelphia can clinch the NFC East Division with:
a win or tie (vs. Dallas)
Philadelphia can clinch a first-round bye with:
a win (vs. Dallas) OR
a tie and a Minnesota loss or tie (vs. N.Y. Giants)
Dallas can clinch the NFC East Division with:
a win (vs. Philadelphia)
Dallas can clinch a first-round bye with:
a win and a Minnesota loss (vs. N.Y. Giants) and an Arizona loss or tie (vs. Green Bay)
NFC North
Minnesota can clinch a first-round bye with:
a win (vs. N.Y. Giants) and a Philadelphia loss or tie (vs. Dallas) OR
a tie and a Philadelphia loss
NFC West
Arizona can clinch a first-round bye with:
a win (vs. Green Bay) and a Minnesota loss (vs. N.Y. Giants) and a Philadelphia loss (vs. Dallas)
Teams That Have Clinched
AFC East
New England clinched the AFC East Division (Week 16)
AFC North
Cincinnati clinched the AFC North Division (Week 16)
AFC South
Indianapolis clinched the AFC South Division (Week 12) and a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs (Week 14)
AFC West
San Diego clinched the AFC West Division (Week 15) and a first-round bye (Week 16)
NFC East
Philadelphia clinched a playoff spot (Week 15)
Dallas clinched a playoff spot (Week 16)
NFC North
Minnesota clinched the NFC North Division (Week 15)
Green Bay clinched a playoff spot (Week 16)
NFC South
New Orleans clinched the NFC South Division (Week 13) and a first-round bye (Week 14) and homefield advantage (Week 16)
NFC West
Arizona clinched the NFC West Division (Week 15)
Indianapolis Colts
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @Buffalo 1:00pm
Denver Broncos
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 Kansas City 4:15pm
Cincinnati Bengals
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @N.Y. Jets 8:20pm
New England Patriots
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @Houston 1:00pm
Pittsburgh Steelers
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @Miami 1:00pm
San Diego Chargers
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 Washington 4:15pm
Houston Texans
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 New England 1:00pm
Jacksonville Jaguars
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @Cleveland 1:00pm
New York Jets
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 Cincinnati 8:20pm
Baltimore Ravens
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @Oakland 4:15pm
Miami Dolphins
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 Pittsburgh 1:00pm
New Orleans Saints
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @Carolina 1:00pm
Minnesota Vikings
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 N.Y. Giants 1:00pm
Dallas Cowboys
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 Philadelphia 4:15pm
Arizona Cardinals
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 Green Bay 4:15pm
Philadelphia Eagles
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @Dallas 4:15pm
Green Bay Packers
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @Arizona 4:15pm
Tiebreakers
x-clinched playoff berth
y-denotes division winner
z-denotes first-round bye
*-clinched home-field advantage
During the regular season, the seeds reflect how the playoffs would stand if the season ended up to that point. The NFL playoffs are not based on a pure bracket system. In the divisional playoffs, the No. 1 seed is assured of playing the lowest-seeded Wild Card survivor. There are no restrictions on intra-division games and the higher seed of any matchup will have home-field advantage.
AFC Playoff tiebreakers
New England earns the No. 3 seed over Cincinnati based on strength of victory (.433 to Bengals' .403).
Denver earns the No. 5 seed over N.Y. Jets and Baltimore based on strength of victory (.513 to Jets' .492 and Ravens' .387) and conference record over Houston (6-5 to Texans' 5-6).
N.Y. Jets earn the No. 6 seed over Baltimore based on strength of victory (.492 to Ravens' .387) and conference record over Houston (6-5 to Texans' 5-6).
Baltimore finishes ahead of Houston based on conference record (6-5 over Texans' 5-6).
Houston finishes ahead of Pittsburgh based on common games (3-1 over Steelers' 1-3).
Divisional tiebreakers
Baltimore finishes ahead of Pittsburgh based on divisional record (3-3 over Steelers' 2-4).
AFC non-Playoff tiebreakers
Miami finishes ahead of Jacksonville based on head-to-head (1-0).
Oakland finishes ahead of Buffalo based on conference record (4-7 over Bills' 3-8).
Jacksonville finishes ahead of Tennessee based on division record (3-3 to Titans' 2-4).
NFC Playoff tiebreakers
Philadelphia earns the No 2 seed over Minnesota based on conference record (9-2 to Vikings' 8-3).
Green Bay earns the No. 5 seed over Dallas based on head to head (1-0).
NFC non-Playoff tiebreakers
N.Y. Giants finishes ahead of Atlanta based on head to head (1-0).
Carolina finishes ahead of San Francisco based on conference record (7-4 to 49ers' 6-5).
AFC eliminations
Cleveland (Week 12), Kansas City (Week 13), Oakland (Week 14), Buffalo (Week 15), Tennessee (Week 16)
NFC eliminations
Detroit (Week 12), St. Louis (Week 12), Tampa Bay (Week 12), Washington (Week 13), Chicago (Week 14), Seattle (Week 15), Carolina (Week 15), Atlanta (Week 15), San Francisco (Week 15), N.Y. Giants (Week 16)
This is very difficult to understand. But one good thing to remember is that if a team has to win, they will not necessarily do so.
"Everybody plays the fool, sometimes.....there's no exception to the rule."
Scenarios Week 17
AFC East
N.Y. Jets can clinch a playoff spot with:
a win (vs. Cincinnati)
Miami can clinch a playoff spot with:
a win (vs. Pittsburgh) and a N.Y. Jets loss (vs. Cincinnati) and a Baltimore loss (vs. Oakland) and a Houston loss (vs. New England) and a Jacksonville loss or tie (vs. Cleveland)
AFC North
Baltimore can clinch a playoff spot with:
a win (vs. Oakland)
Pittsburgh can clinch a playoff spot with:
a win (vs. Miami) and a Houston loss or tie (vs. New England) and a N.Y. Jets loss or tie (vs. Cincinnati) OR
a win and a Houston loss or tie and a Baltimore loss or tie (vs. Oakland) OR
a win and a N.Y. Jets loss or tie and a Baltimore loss or tie and a Denver loss or tie (vs. Kansas City)
AFC South
Houston can clinch a playoff spot with:
a win (vs. New England) and a N.Y. Jets loss or tie (vs. Cincinnati) and a Baltimore loss or tie (vs. Oakland) OR
a win and a N.Y. Jets loss or tie and a Denver loss or tie (vs. Kansas City) OR
a win and a Baltimore loss or tie and a Denver loss or tie
Jacksonville can clinch a playoff spot with:
a win (vs. Cleveland) and a Pittsburgh loss (vs. Miami) and a Baltimore loss (vs. Oakland) and a Denver loss (vs. Kansas City) and a Houston loss (vs. New England) OR
a win and a Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss and a Denver loss and a N.Y. Jets loss (vs. Cincinnati) OR
a win and a Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss and a Houston loss and a N.Y. Jets loss OR
a win and a Pittsburgh loss and a Denver loss and a Houston loss and a N.Y. Jets loss OR
a win and a N.Y. Jets loss and a Denver loss and a Houston loss and a Baltimore loss
AFC West
Denver can clinch a playoff spot with:
a win (vs. Kansas City) and a N.Y. Jets loss loss or tie (vs. Cincinnati) and a Baltimore loss or tie (vs. Oakland) OR
a win and a N.Y. Jets loss or tie and a Pittsburgh loss or tie (vs. Miami) OR
a win and a N.Y. Jets loss or tie and a Houston win (vs. New England) OR
a win and a Baltimore loss or tie and a Pittsburgh loss or tie OR
a win and a Baltimore loss or tie and a Houston win OR
a Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss and a Houston loss and a Jacksonville loss (vs. Cleveland) OR
a Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss and a Houston loss and a N.Y. Jets loss OR
Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss and a Jacksonville loss and a N.Y. Jets loss OR
Pittsburgh loss and a Houston loss and a Jacksonville loss and a N.Y. Jets loss OR
Miami loss or tie (vs. Pittsburgh) and a N.Y. Jets loss and a Baltimore loss and a Houston loss and a Jacksonville loss or tie
NFC East
Philadelphia can clinch the NFC East Division with:
a win or tie (vs. Dallas)
Philadelphia can clinch a first-round bye with:
a win (vs. Dallas) OR
a tie and a Minnesota loss or tie (vs. N.Y. Giants)
Dallas can clinch the NFC East Division with:
a win (vs. Philadelphia)
Dallas can clinch a first-round bye with:
a win and a Minnesota loss (vs. N.Y. Giants) and an Arizona loss or tie (vs. Green Bay)
NFC North
Minnesota can clinch a first-round bye with:
a win (vs. N.Y. Giants) and a Philadelphia loss or tie (vs. Dallas) OR
a tie and a Philadelphia loss
NFC West
Arizona can clinch a first-round bye with:
a win (vs. Green Bay) and a Minnesota loss (vs. N.Y. Giants) and a Philadelphia loss (vs. Dallas)
Teams That Have Clinched
AFC East
New England clinched the AFC East Division (Week 16)
AFC North
Cincinnati clinched the AFC North Division (Week 16)
AFC South
Indianapolis clinched the AFC South Division (Week 12) and a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs (Week 14)
AFC West
San Diego clinched the AFC West Division (Week 15) and a first-round bye (Week 16)
NFC East
Philadelphia clinched a playoff spot (Week 15)
Dallas clinched a playoff spot (Week 16)
NFC North
Minnesota clinched the NFC North Division (Week 15)
Green Bay clinched a playoff spot (Week 16)
NFC South
New Orleans clinched the NFC South Division (Week 13) and a first-round bye (Week 14) and homefield advantage (Week 16)
NFC West
Arizona clinched the NFC West Division (Week 15)
Indianapolis Colts
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @Buffalo 1:00pm
Denver Broncos
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 Kansas City 4:15pm
Cincinnati Bengals
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @N.Y. Jets 8:20pm
New England Patriots
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @Houston 1:00pm
Pittsburgh Steelers
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @Miami 1:00pm
San Diego Chargers
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 Washington 4:15pm
Houston Texans
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 New England 1:00pm
Jacksonville Jaguars
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @Cleveland 1:00pm
New York Jets
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 Cincinnati 8:20pm
Baltimore Ravens
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @Oakland 4:15pm
Miami Dolphins
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 Pittsburgh 1:00pm
New Orleans Saints
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @Carolina 1:00pm
Minnesota Vikings
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 N.Y. Giants 1:00pm
Dallas Cowboys
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 Philadelphia 4:15pm
Arizona Cardinals
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 Green Bay 4:15pm
Philadelphia Eagles
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @Dallas 4:15pm
Green Bay Packers
Remaining games (All Times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time
Jan 3 @Arizona 4:15pm
Tiebreakers
x-clinched playoff berth
y-denotes division winner
z-denotes first-round bye
*-clinched home-field advantage
During the regular season, the seeds reflect how the playoffs would stand if the season ended up to that point. The NFL playoffs are not based on a pure bracket system. In the divisional playoffs, the No. 1 seed is assured of playing the lowest-seeded Wild Card survivor. There are no restrictions on intra-division games and the higher seed of any matchup will have home-field advantage.
AFC Playoff tiebreakers
New England earns the No. 3 seed over Cincinnati based on strength of victory (.433 to Bengals' .403).
Denver earns the No. 5 seed over N.Y. Jets and Baltimore based on strength of victory (.513 to Jets' .492 and Ravens' .387) and conference record over Houston (6-5 to Texans' 5-6).
N.Y. Jets earn the No. 6 seed over Baltimore based on strength of victory (.492 to Ravens' .387) and conference record over Houston (6-5 to Texans' 5-6).
Baltimore finishes ahead of Houston based on conference record (6-5 over Texans' 5-6).
Houston finishes ahead of Pittsburgh based on common games (3-1 over Steelers' 1-3).
Divisional tiebreakers
Baltimore finishes ahead of Pittsburgh based on divisional record (3-3 over Steelers' 2-4).
AFC non-Playoff tiebreakers
Miami finishes ahead of Jacksonville based on head-to-head (1-0).
Oakland finishes ahead of Buffalo based on conference record (4-7 over Bills' 3-8).
Jacksonville finishes ahead of Tennessee based on division record (3-3 to Titans' 2-4).
NFC Playoff tiebreakers
Philadelphia earns the No 2 seed over Minnesota based on conference record (9-2 to Vikings' 8-3).
Green Bay earns the No. 5 seed over Dallas based on head to head (1-0).
NFC non-Playoff tiebreakers
N.Y. Giants finishes ahead of Atlanta based on head to head (1-0).
Carolina finishes ahead of San Francisco based on conference record (7-4 to 49ers' 6-5).
AFC eliminations
Cleveland (Week 12), Kansas City (Week 13), Oakland (Week 14), Buffalo (Week 15), Tennessee (Week 16)
NFC eliminations
Detroit (Week 12), St. Louis (Week 12), Tampa Bay (Week 12), Washington (Week 13), Chicago (Week 14), Seattle (Week 15), Carolina (Week 15), Atlanta (Week 15), San Francisco (Week 15), N.Y. Giants (Week 16)
This is very difficult to understand. But one good thing to remember is that if a team has to win, they will not necessarily do so.
"Everybody plays the fool, sometimes.....there's no exception to the rule."