AFC Playoff Scenarios: Final Week of Regular Season Brings Plenty To Still Decide
It is Week 17 in the NFL as the regular season draws to a close and we get ready for the most exciting time of the year which is the playoffs. But there is still plenty to decide in the AFC as the six seed is still up for grabs and multiple teams have the opportunity to improve their seeding depending on the outcome of Sunday's games. As we did in previous weeks, we will show the teams based on their standing within the conference along with their last game, upcoming game, and their scenarios. This week's scenarios are those as distributed by the NFL and can be found on NFL.com as well.
American Football Conference (AFC)
#1 Kansas City Chiefs (11-4)
Last Game: Sunday (12/23) @ SEA (31-38 L)
Next Game: 12/30 vs. OAK, 4:25 PM EST
Clinching Scenarios (For Week 17):
Kansas City clinches AFC West division title and home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
KC win OR
KC tie + LAC loss or tie OR
LAC loss + NE loss or tie + HOU loss or tie OR
LAC loss + NE loss or tie + KC clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over HOU
Kansas City clinches AFC West division title and a first-round bye with:
LAC loss + NE loss or tie OR
LAC loss + HOU loss or tie
LAC loss + KC clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over HOU
Kansas City clinches AFC West division title with:
LAC loss OR
KC tie + LAC tie
#2 New England Patriots (10-5)
Last Game: Sunday (12/23) vs. BUF (24-12 W)
Next Game: 12/30 vs. NYJ, 1:00 PM EST
Clinching Scenarios (For Week 17):
New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
NE win + KC loss + LAC loss
New England clinches a first-round bye with:
NE win OR
NE tie + HOU loss or tie OR
BAL loss or tie + HOU loss + TEN loss or tie
#3 Houston Texans (10-5)
Last Game: Sunday (12/23) @ PHI (30-32 L)
Next Game: 12/30 vs. JAX, 1:00 PM EST
Clinching Scenarios (For Week 17):
Houston clinches AFC South division title and home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
HOU win + NE loss or tie + KC loss + LAC loss + HOU clinches a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over KC
Houston clinches AFC South division title and a first-round bye with:
HOU win + NE loss or tie OR
HOU win + KC loss + LAC loss + HOU clinches a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over KC OR
HOU tie + NE loss OR
IND-TEN tie + NE loss + BAL win + HOU clinches a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over BAL
Houston clinches AFC South division title with:
HOU win or tie OR
IND-TEN tie
#4 Baltimore Ravens (9-6)
Last Game: Saturday (12/22) @ LAC (22-10 W)
Next Game: 12/30 vs. CLE, 4:25 PM EST
Clinching Scenarios (For Week 17):
Baltimore clinches AFC North division title and a first-round bye with:
BAL win + NE loss + HOU loss + IND-TEN does not end in a tie OR
BAL win + NE loss + HOU loss + BAL clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over HOU
Baltimore clinches AFC North division title with:
BAL win OR
PIT loss OR
BAL tie + PIT tie
Baltimore clinches a playoff berth with:
BAL tie + IND-TEN tie
#5 Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)
Last Game: Saturday (12/22) vs. BAL (10-22 L)
Next Game: 12/30 @ DEN, 4:25 PM EST
Clinching Scenarios (For Week 17):
Los Angeles clinches AFC West division title and home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
LAC win + KC loss or tie OR
LAC tie + KC loss
#6 Indianapolis Colts (9-6)
Last Game: Sunday (12/23) vs. NYG (28-27 W)
Next Game: 12/30 @ TEN, 8:20 PM EST
Clinching Scenarios (For Week 17):
Indianapolis clinches AFC South division title with:
IND win + HOU loss
Indianapolis clinches a playoff berth with:
IND win OR
IND tie + PIT loss or tie OR
IND tie + BAL loss
In The Hunt
#7 Tennessee Titans (9-6)
Last Game: Saturday (12/23) vs. WAS (25-16 W)
Next Game: 12/30 vs. IND, 8:20 PM EST
Clinching Scenarios (For Week 17):
Tennessee clinches AFC South division title and first-round bye with:
TEN win + HOU loss + NE loss + BAL loss or tie
Tennessee clinches AFC South division title with:
TEN win + HOU loss
Tennessee clinches a playoff berth with:
TEN win
#8 Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5-1)
Last Game: Sunday (12/23) @ NO (28-31 L)
Next Game: 12/30 vs. CIN, 4:25 PM EST
Clinching Scenarios (For Week 17):
Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division title with:
PIT win + BAL loss or tie OR
PIT tie + BAL loss
Pittsburgh clinches a playoff berth with:
PIT win + IND-TEN tie
Eliminated From Playoff Contention
Cleveland Browns (7-7-1)
Miami Dolphins (7-8)
Denver Broncos (6-9)
Cincinnati Bengals (6-9)
Buffalo Bills (5-10)
Jacksonville Jaguars (5-10)
New York Jets (4-11)
Oakland Raiders (4-11)
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