NFL playoff scenarios
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Jermaine Gresham (84) is congratulated by quarterback Andy Dalton (14) after Gresham's 2-yard touchdown reception during the first half of an NFL game against the Denver Broncos on Monday, Dec. 22, 2014. Credit: AP / Michael Conroy
WEEK 17
AFC
CLINCHED: New England - AFC East and first-round bye; Denver - AFC West; Indianapolis - AFC South; Pittsburgh and Cincinnati - playoff berth.
NEW ENGLAND (vs. Buffalo)
— Clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs
DENVER (vs. Oakland)
Clinches first-round bye with:
— Win or tie, OR
— Cincinnati Loss, OR
— Cincinnati tie and Indianapolis win
CINCINNATI (at Pittsburgh)
— Clinched playoff spot
Clinches AFC North with:
— Win or tie
Clinches first-round bye with:
— Win and Denver loss or tie, OR
— Tie and Denver loss and Indianapolis loss or tie
PITTSBURGH (vs. Cincinnati)
Pittsburgh clinches AFC North with:
— Win
SAN DIEGO (at Kansas City)
Clinches playoff spot with:
— Win, OR
— Tie and Baltimore loss or tie
BALTIMORE (vs. Cleveland)
Clinches playoff spot with:
— Win and San Diego loss or tie, OR
— Tie and San Diego loss
KANSAS CITY (vs. San Diego)
Clinches playoff spot with:
— Win and Baltimore loss and Houston loss or tie
HoustonSTON (vs. Jacksonville)
Clinches playoff spot with:
— Win and Baltimore loss and San Diego loss
NFC
CLINCHED: Arizona - playoff berth; Seattle - playoff berth; Detroit - playoff berth; Green Bay - playoff berth; Dallas - NFC East.
DALLAS (at Washington)
Clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
— Win and Arizona loss or tie and Detroit/Green Bay tie
Clinches first-round bye with:
— Win and Seattle loss or tie and Arizona loss or tie, OR
— Win and Detroit/Green Bay tie, OR
— Tie and Seattle loss and Arizona loss, OR
— Tie and Seattle tie and Arizona loss or tie and Detroit/Green Bay does not end in a tie
DETROIT (at Green Bay)
Clinches NFC North with:
— Win or tie
Clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
— Win and Seattle loss or tie and Arizona loss or tie, OR
— Tie and Seattle loss and Arizona loss and Dallas loss or tie
Clinches first-round bye with:
— Win, OR
— Tie and Dallas loss or tie, OR
— Tie and Seattle loss and Arizona loss
GREEN BAY (vs. Detroit)
Clinches NFC North and first-round bye with:
— Win
Clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
— Win and Seattle loss or tie
SEATTLE (vs. St. Louis)
Clinches NFC West with:
— Win OR
— Tie and Arizona loss or tie, OR
— Arizona loss
Clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
— Win and Detroit/Green Bay game does not end in a tie, OR
— Win and Dallas loss or tie, OR
— Tie and Arizona loss or tie and Dallas loss or tie and Green Bay/Detroit tie
Clinches first-round bye with:
— Win, OR
— Tie and Arizona loss or tie and Dallas loss, OR
— Tie and Arizona loss or tie and Green Bay/Detroit tie
ARIZONA (at San Francisco)
Clinches NFC West with:
— Win and Seattle loss or tie, OR
— Tie and Seattle loss
Clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
— Win and Seattle loss or tie and Green Bay loss or tie, OR
— Tie and Seattle loss and Dallas loss or tie and Green Bay/Detroit tie
Clinches first-round bye with:
— Win and Seattle loss or tie, OR
— Tie and Seattle loss and Dallas loss or tie, OR
— Tie and Seattle loss and Green Bay/Detroit tie
CAROLINA (at Atlanta)
Clinches NFC South with:
— Win or tie
ATLANTA (vs. Carolina)
Clinches NFC South with:
— Win
