Giants' playoff scenarios entering Week 17 of NFL season
The Giants' road to a spot in the NFL playoffs couldn't be much easier this week.
If they beat the struggling Colts on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, they're in -- no ifs, ands, or buts. They'll be at 9-6-1 heading into the final week of the regular season, and they own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Washington, the only other team that can match their record at that point.
That essentially would lock them into the No. 6 seed, with a matchup against the No. 3 seed — either the Minnesota Vikings or the San Francisco 49ers — on tap in the wild-card round. (That may not be determined until the final week of the regular season, however: the 12-3 Vikings currently are a game up on the 49ers in the race for the No. 2 seed, but the 49ers currently own the division-record tiebreaker with two games left to play.)
If the 4-9-1 Colts manage to upset the Giants on Sunday, all hope is not lost. The Giants still can back into a playoff spot this weekend by virtue of the following scenarios:
- Losses by Washington and Seattle
- Losses by Washington, Detroit and Green Bay (this also works if the Packers tie)
- Losses by Detroit, Seattle and Green Bay
In the event the Giants and Colts tie, the Giants can clinch a playoff spot with:
- Losses or ties by Washington and Seattle OR
- Losses or ties by Seattle and Detroit OR
- Losses or ties by Washington, Detroit and Green Bay
Here is how the Giants can clinch a playoff spot this weekend:
1) Win over Colts
OR
2) Tie vs. Colts AND any of the following:
- Losses or ties by Washington and Seattle OR
- Losses or ties by Seattle and Detroit OR
- Losses or ties by Washington, Detroit and Green Bay
OR
3) Loss to Colts AND any of the following:
- Losses by Washington and Seattle
- Losses by Washington, Detroit and Green Bay
- Losses by Detroit, Seattle and Green Bay (or Green Bay tie)