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NFL playoff-clinching scenarios for Week 17 of season

Published: Dec 25, 2018 at 04:10 AM

Playoff-clinching scenarios for Week 17 of the 2018 season:

NFC

CLINCHED

New Orleans Saints -- NFC South division title and home-field advantage

Los Angeles Rams -- NFC West division title

Chicago Bears -- NFC North division title

Dallas Cowboys -- NFC East division title

Seattle Seahawks -- playoff berth

LOS ANGELES RAMS (12-3) vs. San Francisco (4-11) -- Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX

Los Angeles clinches a first-round bye with:

  1. LAR win or tie OR
  1. CHI loss or tie

CHICAGO BEARS (11-4) at Minnesota (8-6-1) -- Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX

Chicago clinches a first-round bye with:

  1. CHI win + LAR loss

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (8-6-1) vs. Chicago (11-4) -- Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX

Minnesota clinches a playoff berth with:

  1. MIN win or tie OR
  1. PHI loss or tie

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (8-7) at Washington (7-8) -- Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX

Philadelphia clinches a playoff berth with:

  1. PHI win + MIN loss

AFC

CLINCHED

Kansas City Chiefs -- Playoff berth

Los Angeles Chargers -- Playoff berth

New England Patriots - AFC East division title

Houston Texans -- Playoff berth

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-4) vs. Oakland (4-11) -- Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS

Kansas City clinches AFC West division title and home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

  1. KC win OR
  1. KC tie + LAC loss or tie OR
  1. LAC loss + NE loss or tie + HOU loss or tie OR
  1. 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:

  1. LAC loss + NE loss or tie OR
  1. LAC loss + HOU loss or tie
  1. LAC loss + KC clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over HOU

Kansas City clinches AFC West division title with:

  1. LAC loss OR
  1. KC tie + LAC tie

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (10-5) vs. New York Jets (4-11) -- Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS

New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

  1. NE win + KC loss + LAC loss

New England clinches a first-round bye with:

  1. NE win OR
  1. NE tie + HOU loss or tie OR
  1. BAL loss or tie + HOU loss + TEN loss or tie

HOUSTON TEXANS (10-5) vs. Jacksonville (5-10) -- Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS

Houston clinches AFC South division title and home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

  1. 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:

  1. HOU win + NE loss or tie OR
  1. HOU win + KC loss + LAC loss + HOU clinches a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over KC OR
  1. HOU tie + NE loss OR
  1. 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:

  1. HOU win or tie OR
  1. IND-TEN tie

BALTIMORE RAVENS (9-6) vs. Cleveland (7-7-1) -- Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS

Baltimore clinches AFC North division title and a first-round bye with:

  1. BAL win + NE loss + HOU loss + IND-TEN does not end in a tie OR
  1. 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:

  1. BAL win OR
  1. PIT loss OR
  1. BAL tie + PIT tie

Baltimore clinches a playoff berth with:

  1. BAL tie + IND-TEN tie

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (11-4) at Denver (6-9) -- Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS

Los Angeles clinches AFC West division title and home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

  1. LAC win + KC loss or tie OR
  1. LAC tie + KC loss

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-6) at Tennessee (9-6) -- Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC

Indianapolis clinches AFC South division title with:

  1. IND win + HOU loss

Indianapolis clinches a playoff berth with:

  1. IND win OR
  1. IND tie + PIT loss or tie OR
  1. IND tie + BAL loss

TENNESSEE TITANS (9-6) vs. Indianapolis (9-6) -- Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC

Tennessee clinches AFC South division title and first-round bye with:

  1. TEN win + HOU loss + NE loss + BAL loss or tie

Tennessee clinches AFC South division title with:

  1. TEN win + HOU loss

Tennessee clinches a playoff berth with:

  1. TEN win

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-6-1) vs. Cincinnati (6-9) -- Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS

Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division title with:

  1. PIT win + BAL loss or tie OR
  1. PIT tie + BAL loss

Pittsburgh clinches a playoff berth with:

  1. PIT win + IND-TEN tie
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