NFL Playoff Scenarios for Week 18
NFL Playoff Scenarios entering Week 18:
AFC
CLINCHED (5 of 7):
— Cincinnati Bengals – AFC North division title
— Kansas City Chiefs – AFC West division title
— Tennessee Titans – AFC South division title
— Buffalo Bills – playoff berth
— New England Patriots – playoff berth
BALTIMORE RAVENS (8-8) (vs. Pittsburgh (8-7-1), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)
Baltimore clinches playoff berth with:
1. BAL win + LAC loss + IND loss + MIA loss or tie
BUFFALO BILLS (10-6) (vs. New York Jets (4-12), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)
Buffalo clinches AFC East division title with:
1. BUF win OR
2. NE loss OR
3. BUF tie + NE tie
CINCINNATI BENGALS (10-6) (at Cleveland (7-9), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, FOX)
Cincinnati clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage with:
1. CIN win + TEN loss + KC loss + NE loss or tie OR
2. CIN win + TEN loss + KC loss + BUF win
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-7) (at Jacksonville (2-14), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)
Indianapolis clinches playoff berth with:
1. IND win or tie OR
2. LAC loss + BAL-PIT tie OR
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3. LAC loss + PIT loss + MIA win
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-5) (at Denver (7-9), Saturday, 4:30 PM ET, ESPN/ABC)
Kansas City clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage with:
1. KC win + TEN loss or tie OR
2. KC tie + TEN loss
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (9-7) (vs. Los Angeles Chargers (9-7), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)
Las Vegas clinches playoff berth with:
1. LV win OR
2. LV tie + IND loss OR
3. IND loss + PIT loss or tie
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (9-7) (at Las Vegas (9-7), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)
Los Angeles Rams clinch playoff berth with:
1. LAC win or tie
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (10-6) (at Miami (8-8), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)
New England clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage with:
1. NE win + BUF loss or tie + KC loss + TEN loss
New England clinches AFC East division title with:
1. NE win + BUF loss or tie OR
2. NE tie + BUF loss
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-7-1) (at Baltimore (8-8), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)
Pittsburgh clinches playoff berth with:
1. PIT win + IND loss + LV-LAC game does not end in a tie
TENNESSEE TITANS (11-5) (at Houston (4-12), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)
Tennessee clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage with:
1. TEN win OR
2. TEN tie + KC loss or tie OR
3. KC loss + CIN loss or tie + NE loss or tie OR
4. KC loss + CIN loss or tie + BUF win
NFC
CLINCHED (6 of 7):
— Green Bay Packers – NFC North division title, No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage
— Dallas Cowboys – NFC East division title
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers – NFC South division title
— Arizona Cardinals – playoff berth
— Los Angeles Rams – playoff berth
— Philadelphia Eagles – playoff berth
ARIZONA CARDINALS (11-5) (vs. Seattle (6-10), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)
Arizona clinches NFC West division title with:
1. ARI win + LAR loss
LOS ANGELES RAMS (12-4) (vs. San Francisco (9-7), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)
Los Angeles Rams clinch NFC West division title with:
1. LAR win or tie OR
2. ARI loss or tie
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (8-8) (at Atlanta (7-9), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)
New Orleans clinches playoff berth with:
1. NO win + SF loss
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (9-7) (at Los Angeles Rams (12-4), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)
San Francisco clinches playoff berth with:
1. SF win or tie OR
2. NO loss or tie
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