Every Team’s Path To The Playoffs

Standings entering week 17

                                                                         
        NFC    Record    Conf. Rec.   Explanation 
1 PHIx 13-2 8-2  
2 MINxy 12-3 7-3  
3 SFxy 11-4 9-2  
4 TB 7-8 7-3  
5 DALx 11-4 8-3  
6 NYGk 8-6-1 4-6-1  
7 WASk 7-7-1 4-6-1  
8 SEAk 7-8 5-6 DET wins the tiebreak over GB on Head-to-Head (1-0). SEA wins the tiebreak over DET on Head-to-Head.
9 DETk 7-8 5-5 DET wins the tiebreak over GB on Head-to-Head (1-0).
10 GBk 7-8 5-5  
11 CAR 6-9 5-5 CAR wins the tiebreak over NO on Head-to-Head (1-0).
12 NO 6-9 4-6  
13 LARke 5-10 3-8 LAR wins the tiebreak over ATL on Head-to-Head.
14 ATLke 5-10 4-6  
15 ARIke 4-11 3-7  
16 CHIke 3-12 1-9  
         
        AFC    Record    Conf. Rec.   Explanation 
1 BUFxy 12-3 8-2 BUF wins the tiebreak over KC on Head-to-Head.
2 KCxy 12-3 7-3  
3 CINx 11-4 7-3  
4 JAX 7-8 6-4 JAX wins the tiebreak over TEN on Head-to-Head (1-0).
5 BALx 10-5 6-4  
6 LACkx 9-6 7-4  
7 MIAk 8-7 6-4  
8 NEk 7-8 5-5 NE wins the tiebreak over NYJ on Head-to-Head (2-0). NE wins the tiebreak over TEN/PIT on Conference Record (5-5 vs 5-6/3-7).
9 NYJk 7-8 5-6 PIT drops out of the tiebreak with NYJ/TEN on Conference Record (3-7 vs 5-6). NYJ wins the tiebreak over TEN on Common Games (3-3 vs 2-3).
10 TEN 7-8 5-6 TEN wins the tiebreak over PIT on Conference Record (5-6 vs 3-7).
11 PITk 7-8 3-7  
12 LVk 6-9 5-6 LV wins the tiebreak over CLE on Conference Record (5-6 vs 4-7).
13 CLEke 6-9 4-7  
14 INDke 4-10-1 4-6-1  
15 DENke 4-11 2-8  
16 HOUke 2-12-1 2-7-1  
                                                                   
NFC  East   Record   Div. Rec.   Explanation 
1 PHIx 13-2 3-2  
2 DALx 11-4 4-1  
3 NYGk 8-6-1 1-3-1  
4 WASk 7-7-1 1-3-1  
         
NFC  North   Record   Div. Rec.   Explanation 
1 MINxy 12-3 3-1  
2 DETk 7-8 3-1 DET wins the tiebreak over GB on Head-to-Head (1-0).
3 GBk 7-8 2-2  
4 CHIke 3-12 0-4  
         
NFC  South   Record   Div. Rec.   Explanation 
1 TB 7-8 3-1  
2 CAR 6-9 3-1 CAR wins the tiebreak over NO on Head-to-Head (1-0).
3 NO 6-9 2-3  
4 ATLke 5-10 1-4  
         
NFC  West   Record   Div. Rec.   Explanation 
1 SFxy 11-4 5-0  
2 SEAk 7-8 3-2  
3 LARke 5-10 1-4  
4 ARIke 4-11 1-4  
         
AFC  East   Record   Div. Rec.   Explanation 
1 BUFxy 12-3 3-2  
2 MIAk 8-7 2-2  
3 NEk 7-8 2-2 NE wins the tiebreak over NYJ on Head-to-Head (2-0).
4 NYJk 7-8 2-3  
         
AFC  North   Record   Div. Rec.   Explanation 
1 CINx 11-4 2-3  
2 BALx 10-5 3-1  
3 PITk 7-8 1-3  
4 CLEke 6-9 3-2  
         
AFC  South   Record   Div. Rec.   Explanation 
1 JAX 7-8 2-2 JAX wins the tiebreak over TEN on Head-to-Head (1-0).
2 TEN 7-8 3-2  
3 INDke 4-10-1 1-3-1  
4 HOUke 2-12-1 2-1-1  
         
AFC  West   Record   Div. Rec.   Explanation 
1 KCxy 12-3 4-0  
2 LACkx 9-6 2-3  
3 LVk 6-9 3-2  
4 DENke 4-11 0-4  

x Team has clinched a playoff berth.
y Team has clinched their division title.
e Team has been eliminated from playoff contention.
k Team has been knocked out of division title contention.

Clinching Scenarios

NFC

PHI clinches the NFC East division title with:
         1) PHI win/tie
OR 2) DAL loss/tie

 

PHI clinches a first-round bye and home-field advantage with:
         1) PHI win
OR 2) PHI tie + MIN loss/tie
OR 3) DAL loss/tie + SF loss/tie + MIN loss

 

TB clinches the NFC South division title with:
         1) TB win

 

NYG clinches a playoff berth with:
         1) NYG win
OR 2) NYG tie + SEA loss/tie + DET loss/tie
OR 3) NYG tie + SEA loss/tie + WAS tie
OR 4) NYG tie + SEA tie + WAS loss
OR 5) NYG tie + DET loss/tie + GB loss/tie + WAS tie
OR 6) NYG tie + DET loss/tie + GB tie + WAS loss
OR 7) NYG tie + DET tie + GB loss + WAS loss
OR 8) WAS loss + DET loss + GB loss
OR 9) WAS loss + SEA loss
OR 10) SEA loss + DET loss + GB loss/tie

 

WAS clinches a playoff berth with:
         1) WAS win + SEA loss + DET loss + GB loss/tie

 

AFC

BUF clinches a first-round bye and home-field advantage with:
         1) BUF win + KC loss

 

MIA clinches a playoff berth with:
         1) MIA win + NYJ loss/tie
OR 2) MIA tie + NYJ loss + PIT loss/tie

 

CIN clinches the AFC North division title with:
         1) CIN win + BAL loss/tie
OR 2) CIN tie + BAL loss

 

Elimination Scenarios

NFC

DAL is knocked out of NFC East title contention with:
         1) DAL loss/tie
OR 2) PHI win/tie

 

NO is knocked out of NFC South title contention with:
         1) NO loss
OR 2) NO tie + TB tie
OR 3) TB win

 

NO is eliminated from playoff contention with:
         1) NO loss
OR 2) NO tie + TB tie + WAS win/tie
OR 3) NO tie + TB win + WAS tie
OR 4) NO tie + TB win/tie + GB win/tie
OR 5) NO tie + TB win/tie + DET win/tie
OR 6) NO tie + TB win/tie + SEA win
OR 7) TB win + WAS win
OR 8) TB win + DET win + GB win/tie
OR 9) TB win + DET tie + GB win

 

CAR is eliminated from NFC South title contention AND playoff contention with:
         1) CAR loss

 

WAS is eliminated from playoff contention with:
         1) WAS loss + DET win + GB win

 

DET is eliminated from playoff contention with:
         1) DET loss + WAS win

 

GB is eliminated from playoff contention with:
         1) GB loss + DET win
OR 2) GB loss + WAS win
OR 3) GB loss + WAS tie + SEA loss + NO loss/tie
OR 4) GB tie + WAS win + SEA loss

 

SEA is eliminated from playoff contention with:
         1) SEA loss + WAS win
OR 2) SEA loss + DET win + GB win/tie
OR 3) SEA loss + DET tie + GB win
OR 4) SEA tie + NYG win/tie + WAS win + DET win + GB win/tie
OR 5) SEA tie + NYG win/tie + WAS win + DET tie + GB win

 

AFC

BAL is knocked out of AFC North title contention with:
         1) BAL loss + CIN win/tie
OR 2) BAL tie + CIN win

 

NE is eliminated from playoff contention with:
         1) NE loss
OR 2) NE tie + NYJ win
OR 3) NE tie + NYJ loss

 

NYJ is eliminated from playoff contention with:
         1) NYJ loss
OR 2) NYJ tie + MIA win

 

PIT is eliminated from playoff contention with:
         1) PIT loss
OR 2) PIT tie + NYJ win/tie
OR 3) PIT tie + MIA tie
OR 4) MIA win
OR 5) MIA tie + NYJ win

 

LV is eliminated from playoff contention with:
         1) LV loss/tie
OR 2) MIA win/tie
OR 3) NYJ win/tie

 

Seed Possibilities

The “E” row is for teams that are not yet eliminated, but still could be.

      NFC
1 PHI MIN SF DAL
2 MIN PHI SF DAL
3 SF PHI MIN DAL
4 TB CAR NO
5 DAL PHI
6 NYG WAS DET GB SEA
7 WAS NYG DET GB SEA TB CAR NO
E NYG WAS DET GB SEA TB CAR NO

      AFC
1 BUF KC CIN
2 KC BUF CIN BAL
3 CIN KC BUF BAL
4 JAX TEN
5 BAL CIN LAC MIA
6 LAC MIA CIN BAL
7 MIA NE NYJ BAL PIT JAX TEN LAC LV
E MIA NE NYJ PIT JAX TEN LV

Team Control

The seed that a team controls is the worst seed that team could get if they win out. These are often mutually exclusive because it is impossible for teams that play each other in future weeks to both win out. If a team changed controlled seed from last week, last week’s seed is noted in parentheses.

Teams that control the 1 seed:
PHI BUF

Teams that control the 2 seed:
MIN CIN KC

Teams that control the 3 seed:
SF BAL

Teams that control the 4 seed:
TB CAR JAX TEN

Teams that control the 5 seed:
DAL

Teams that control the 6 seed:
NYG LAC(7)

Teams that control the 7 seed:
WAS MIA NE

Teams that are alive but could win out and still miss the playoffs:
DET GB NO SEA NYJ PIT LV

Teams already eliminated:
CHI ATL LAR ARI CLE IND HOU DEN

Want to discuss the playoff picture? Head to the corresponding reddit post