Current NFL playoff picture

[Phlegm]

AFC playoff race
1. Colts 13 2
2. Broncos 12 3
3. Bengals 11 4
4. Patriots 9 5
5. Jaguars 11 4
6. Steelers 10 5
7. Chiefs 9 6


NFC playoff race
1. Seahawks 13 2
2. Bears 10 4
3. Bucs 10 5
4. Giants 10 5
5. Panthers 10 5
6. Redskins 9 6
7. Cowboys 9 6
8. Vikings 8 6


NFC scenarios

• The Bucs would be the AFC South champions based on better division record than Panthers.

• The Bucs are No. 3 seed based on better conference record than the Giants.

• The Redskins are No. 6 seed based on head-to-head sweep of the Cowboys.


Wild-card matchups

AFC
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals
Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots
First-round byes: Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos

NFC
Washington Redskins at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Carolina Panthers at New York Giants
First-round byes: Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears

[Phlegm]

Playoff clinching scenarios for today and for Week 17

AFC East

• The Patriots have clinched the AFC East.

AFC North

• The Bengals have clinched the AFC North.

• The Steelers can clinch a playoff spot with:
1. A win
2. A Chiefs loss or tie
3. A Chargers win (note: although Chargers have been eliminated, if they win vs. Broncos and they, the Chiefs and the Steelers all finish at 10-6, you would break division ties first. Chargers would win tiebreaker vs. Chiefs based on common opponents (8-4 vs 7-5) and that would eliminate the Chiefs. They would then go to tiebreaker vs. Steelers, which Pittsburgh would win based on its head-to-head win vs. Chargers)

AFC South

• The Colts have clinched the AFC South, a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the AFC.

• The Jaguars have clinched a playoff spot.

AFC West

• The Broncos have clinched the AFC West and a first-round bye.

• The Chiefs can clinch a playoff spot with:
1. A win and a Steelers loss and a Chargers loss or tie.

NFC East

• The Giants clinch a playoff spot with:
1. A Vikings loss or tie Sunday vs. the Ravens

• The Giants can clinch NFC East with:
1. A win
2. A Redskins loss or tie

• The Redskins can clinch a playoff spot with:
1. A win

• The Redskins can clinch the NFC East with a win and a Giants loss

NFC North

• The Bears clinch the NFC North with:
1. A win or tie Sunday against the Packers
2. A Vikings loss or tie Sunday vs. the Ravens

• The Bears will clinch a first-round bye with:
1. A win Sunday over the Packers

NFC South

• The Buccaneers can clinch the NFC South with:
1. A win
2. Panthers loss
3. A tie and a Panthers tie

• The Panthers can clinch a playoff spot with a win.

• The Panthers can clinch the NFC South with a win and a Bucs loss or tie.

NFC West

• The Seahawks have clinched the NFC West, a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the NFC.

The Texans, 49ers, Ravens, Browns, Packers, Saints, Jets, Raiders, Titans, Cardinals, Bills, Lions, Eagles, Rams, Dolphins, Chargers and Falcons have been eliminated from playoff contention.

[Lyion]

Here's my AFC analysis. I'd give one of the NFC, but really, who cares. It's the whipping boy conference.

1. Colts 13 2 - Vet team, look for them to play Denver in the Champ Game

2. Broncos 12 3 - D is playing good, Run game is good, Plummer having stellar mistake free season

3. Bengals 11 4 - My team.. Weak, weak D.. Subpar showing against an ass Bills team showed they still have many, many holes, especially on D.

4. Patriots 9 5 - Peaking at the right time. Dangerous. Doubtful they will win at the Colts and Denver, but possible. Secondary probably will be their downfall. Could actually get the #3 seed, but why would they want to play the Steelers when they could play a much weaker Jax team?

5. Jaguars 11 4 - Will probably lose to New England in Round 1. Not a very 3 dimensional team.

6. Steelers 10 5 - Dangerous. Peaking at the right time.


Wild-card matchups

AFC
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals - Steelers will win
Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots - NE Will win
First-round byes: Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos

[Phlegm]

AFC East

• The Patriots have clinched the AFC East.

AFC North

• The Bengals have clinched the AFC North.

• The Steelers can clinch a playoff spot with:
1. A win
2. A Chiefs loss or tie
3. A Chargers win (note: although Chargers have been eliminated, if they win vs. Broncos and they, the Chiefs and the Steelers all finish at 10-6, you would break division ties first. Chargers would win tiebreaker vs. Chiefs based on common opponents (8-4 vs 7-5) and that would eliminate the Chiefs. They would then go to tiebreaker vs. Steelers, which Pittsburgh would win based on its head-to-head win vs. Chargers)

AFC South

• The Colts have clinched the AFC South, a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the AFC.

• The Jaguars have clinched a playoff spot.

AFC West

• The Broncos have clinched the AFC West and a first-round bye.

• The Chiefs can clinch a playoff spot with:
1. A win and a Steelers loss and a Chargers loss or tie.

NFC East

• The Giants have clinched a playoff spot.

• The Giants can clinch NFC East with:
1. A win
2. A Redskins loss or tie

• The Redskins can clinch a playoff spot with:
1. A win

• The Redskins can clinch the NFC East with a win and a Giants loss

• The Cowboys are still alive for a playoff spot.

NFC North

• The Bears have clinched the NFC North title and a first-round bye.

NFC South

• The Buccaneers can clinch the NFC South with:
1. A win
2. Panthers loss
3. A tie and a Panthers tie

• The Panthers can clinch a playoff spot with a win.

• The Panthers can clinch the NFC South with a win and a Bucs loss or tie.

NFC West

• The Seahawks have clinched the NFC West, a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the NFC.

The Texans, 49ers, Ravens, Browns, Packers, Saints, Jets, Raiders, Titans, Cardinals, Bills, Lions, Eagles, Rams, Dolphins, Chargers, Falcons and Vikings have been eliminated from playoff contention.

[Diekan]

Until Manning pulls it off - I will have my doubts that he and the Colts can go all the way in the post season. I think the AFC will be a toss up. Now with the Patriots being healthy again... I wouldn't count them out just yet. Not sure if Denver can handle a healthy NE team in the post season. Not sure Indy can either - but we'll see.

[Gaazy]

Time for Favre to sit down, sheesh

[Diekan]

That has nothing to do with the playoff's but yes. He needs to retire and let someone else take over.

[Gaazy]

i know i know i just watched it last night and this football thread made me think of it lol

[xaoshaen]

Until Manning pulls it off - I will have my doubts that he and the Colts can go all the way in the post season. I think the AFC will be a toss up. Now with the Patriots being healthy again... I wouldn't count them out just yet. Not sure if Denver can handle a healthy NE team in the post season. Not sure Indy can either - but we'll see.

Yeah, cause Manning's been the cause of Indy's post-season "struggles"...

[Diekan]

You don't watch much football do you?

[Lyion]

New Englands secondary will kill them in the postseason. They certainly have a chance to win it, but they'd have to do so on the road twice, against possibly Denver and Indy.

I think New England will end up with the 3 seed, as I don't see Cinci winning at Arrowhead. I don't see New England making it out of Mile High, against a very good Denver team.

[Phlegm]

Playoff clinching scenarios for Week 17.

AFC East

• The Patriots have clinched the AFC East.

AFC North

• The Bengals have clinched the AFC North.

• The Steelers can clinch a playoff spot with:
1. A win
2. A Chiefs loss or tie
3. A Chargers win (note: although Chargers have been eliminated, if they win vs. Broncos and they, the Chiefs and the Steelers all finish at 10-6, you would break division ties first. Chargers would win tiebreaker vs. Chiefs based on common opponents [8-4 vs 7-5] and that would eliminate the Chiefs. They would then go to tiebreaker vs. Steelers, which Pittsburgh would win based on its head-to-head win vs. Chargers).

AFC South

• The Colts have clinched the AFC South, a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the AFC.

• The Jaguars have clinched a playoff spot.

AFC West

• The Broncos have clinched the AFC West and a first-round bye.

• The Chiefs can clinch a playoff spot with:
1. A win and a Steelers loss and a Chargers loss or tie.

NFC East

• The Giants have clinched a playoff spot.
• The Giants can clinch NFC East with:
1. A win or tie
2. A Redskins loss or tie

• The Redskins can clinch the NFC East with:
1. A win and a Giants loss
• The Redskins can clinch a playoff spot with:
1. A win
2. A Cowboys loss
3. A tie and a Cowboys tie

• The Cowboys can clinch a playoff berth with:
1. A win and a Redskins loss or tie
2. A win and a Panthers loss
3. A win and a Bucs loss and a Giants loss and Giants and Cowboys clinch strength of victory
4. A tie and a Redskins loss

NFC North

• The Bears have clinched the NFC North title and a first-round bye.

NFC South

• The Buccaneers can clinch the NFC South with:
1. A win
2. Panthers loss
3. A tie and a Panthers tie
• The Buccaneers can clinch can clinch a playoff berth with:
1. A tie
2. Cowboys loss or tie
3. Redskins loss or tie
4. Giants win or tie
5. Bucs clinch strength of victory tiebreaker over Cowboys or Giants

• The Panthers can clinch the NFC South with:
1. A win and a Bucs loss or tie
2. A tie and a Bucs loss
• The Panthers can clinch a playoff spot with:
1. A win or tie
2. A Cowboys loss or tie
3. A Redskins loss or tie

NFC West

• The Seahawks have clinched the NFC West, a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the NFC.

The Texans, 49ers, Ravens, Browns, Packers, Saints, Jets, Raiders, Titans, Cardinals, Bills, Lions, Eagles, Rams, Dolphins, Chargers, Falcons and Vikings have been eliminated from playoff contention.

[Lyion]

The AFC is set. Pittsburgh will not lose to Detroit at home, with the Lions in the current state they are in. The big question is will Cincy or New England get the #3 seed. I believe Cincy will lose in Arrowhead and New England will beat Miami. Thus, this is the current AFC seeding.

First round Bye Teams
1. Indy
2. Denver

3. New England
4. Cincinnati
5. Jacksonville
6. Pittsburgh

So, round 1 for the AFC will probably be:
1. Pitt at New England
2. Jacksonville at Cinci

The NFC is a bit more complex

First round bye
1. Seattle
2. Chicago

3. Tampa
4. NY Giants
5. Washington
6. Dallas

I believe Tampa will beat Carolina, but we'll see. The other wild card team could just as easily be Carolina, if Atlanta mails it in, which I personally don't think they will.

So NFC Round 1
1. Dallas at Tampa
2. Washington at NY