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We now not only know who needs what to make the playoffs, but who needs what to clinch a bye-week and who needs what to finish a specific seed in the playoffs. Pittsburgh has the most seeding variables, finishing first, second or fifth in the AFC. Oakland has the most variables period: if they beat San Diego, the Raiders can either win the AFC West, settle for the last wildcard spot or be eliminated entirely by Tennessee.
Over in the NFC: barring an utter 49ers collapse, San Francisco will be the 2-seed in the NFC, meaning New Orleans very well may host Atlanta again in two weeks. The Lions visit to Green Bay in Week 17 is far from meaningless: win, and they'll visit the NFC East winner in the wildcard round (they've already won in Dallas). Lose and they'll visit either New Orleans (where they lost by two TDs in Week 13) or San Francisco (where The Handshaker awaits).
All the scenarios are below.
AFC
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs and 1-seed:
1) NE win vs. BUF
2) BAL loss at CIN + PIT loss at CLE
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Baltimore clinches AFC North Division, a first-round bye and the 2-seed:
1) BAL win at CIN
2) PIT loss at CLE
Baltimore clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs at 1-seed:
1) BAL win at CIN + NE loss vs. BUF
HOUSTON TEXANS are the 3-seed regardless of outcome vs. TEN
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Pittsburgh clinches AFC North Division, a first-round bye and 2-seed:
1) PIT win at CLE + BAL loss at CIN
Pittsburgh clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs and 1-seed:
1) PIT win at CLE + BAL loss at CIN + NE loss vs. BUF
Pittsburgh is the wildcard and 5-seed and visits DEN or OAK in wildcard round
1) PIT loss at CLE
2) PIT win at CLE + BAL win at CIN
DENVER BRONCOS
Denver clinches AFC West Division and 4-seed:
1) DEN win vs. KC
2) OAK loss vs. SD
OAKLAND RAIDERS
Oakland clinches AFC West Division and 4-seed:
1) OAK win vs. SD + DEN loss vs. KC
Oakland clinches a wild card spot and 6-seed and visits HOU in the wildcard round:
1) OAK win vs. SD + CIN loss vs. BAL + TEN loss at HOU
2) OAK win vs. SD + CIN loss vs. BAL + NYJ win at MIA
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Cincinnati clinches a wild card spot and 6-seed and visits HOU in the wildcard round:
1) CIN win vs. BAL
2) NYJ loss at MIA + OAK loss vs. SD
3) NYJ loss at MIA + DEN loss vs. KC
NEW YORK JETS
NY Jets clinch a wild card spot and 6-seed and visits HOU in the wildcard round:
1) NYJ win at MIA + CIN loss vs. BAL + TEN loss at HOU + OAK loss vs. SD
2) NYJ win at MIA + CIN loss vs. BAL + TEN loss at HOU + DEN loss vs. KC
TENNESSEE TITANS
Tennessee clinches a wild card spot and 6-seed and returns to HOU in the wildcard round:
1) TEN win at HOU + CIN loss vs. BAL + NYJ win at MIA + OAK loss vs. SD
2) TEN win at HOU + CIN loss vs. BAL + NYJ win at MIA + DEN loss vs. KC
3) TEN win at HOU + CIN loss vs. BAL + NYJ loss at MIA + OAK win vs. SD + DEN win vs. KC
NFC
GREEN BAY PACKERS have clinched home field throughout NFC Playoffs and 1-seed.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
San Francisco clinches a first-round bye and 2-seed:
1) SF win at STL
2) NO loss vs. CAR
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
New Orleans clinches a first-round bye and 2-seed:
1) NO win vs. CAR + SF loss or tie at STL
New Orleans is the 3-seed:
1) NO loss vs. CAR
2) NO win or tie vs. CAR + SF win at STL
NEW YORK GIANTS
NY Giants clinch NFC East Division and 4-seed:
1) NYG win or tie vs. DAL
DALLAS COWBOYS
Dallas clinches NFC East Division at 4-seed:
1) DAL win at NYG
DETROIT LIONS
Detroit is the 5-seed and visits DAL or NYG in wildcard round:
1) DET win at GB
2) ATL loss vs. TB
Detroit is the 6-seed and visits NO/SF in wildcard round
1) DET loss at GB + ATL win vs. TB
ATLANTA FALCONS
Atlanta is the 5-seed and visits DAL or NYG in wildcard round:
1) ATL win vs. TB + DET loss at GB
Atlanta is the 6-seed and visits NO/SF in wildcard round
1) ATL loss vs. TB
2) ATL win vs. TB + DET win at GB
Over in the NFC: barring an utter 49ers collapse, San Francisco will be the 2-seed in the NFC, meaning New Orleans very well may host Atlanta again in two weeks. The Lions visit to Green Bay in Week 17 is far from meaningless: win, and they'll visit the NFC East winner in the wildcard round (they've already won in Dallas). Lose and they'll visit either New Orleans (where they lost by two TDs in Week 13) or San Francisco (where The Handshaker awaits).
All the scenarios are below.
AFC
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs and 1-seed:
1) NE win vs. BUF
2) BAL loss at CIN + PIT loss at CLE
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Baltimore clinches AFC North Division, a first-round bye and the 2-seed:
1) BAL win at CIN
2) PIT loss at CLE
Baltimore clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs at 1-seed:
1) BAL win at CIN + NE loss vs. BUF
HOUSTON TEXANS are the 3-seed regardless of outcome vs. TEN
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Pittsburgh clinches AFC North Division, a first-round bye and 2-seed:
1) PIT win at CLE + BAL loss at CIN
Pittsburgh clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs and 1-seed:
1) PIT win at CLE + BAL loss at CIN + NE loss vs. BUF
Pittsburgh is the wildcard and 5-seed and visits DEN or OAK in wildcard round
1) PIT loss at CLE
2) PIT win at CLE + BAL win at CIN
DENVER BRONCOS
Denver clinches AFC West Division and 4-seed:
1) DEN win vs. KC
2) OAK loss vs. SD
OAKLAND RAIDERS
Oakland clinches AFC West Division and 4-seed:
1) OAK win vs. SD + DEN loss vs. KC
Oakland clinches a wild card spot and 6-seed and visits HOU in the wildcard round:
1) OAK win vs. SD + CIN loss vs. BAL + TEN loss at HOU
2) OAK win vs. SD + CIN loss vs. BAL + NYJ win at MIA
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Cincinnati clinches a wild card spot and 6-seed and visits HOU in the wildcard round:
1) CIN win vs. BAL
2) NYJ loss at MIA + OAK loss vs. SD
3) NYJ loss at MIA + DEN loss vs. KC
NEW YORK JETS
NY Jets clinch a wild card spot and 6-seed and visits HOU in the wildcard round:
1) NYJ win at MIA + CIN loss vs. BAL + TEN loss at HOU + OAK loss vs. SD
2) NYJ win at MIA + CIN loss vs. BAL + TEN loss at HOU + DEN loss vs. KC
TENNESSEE TITANS
Tennessee clinches a wild card spot and 6-seed and returns to HOU in the wildcard round:
1) TEN win at HOU + CIN loss vs. BAL + NYJ win at MIA + OAK loss vs. SD
2) TEN win at HOU + CIN loss vs. BAL + NYJ win at MIA + DEN loss vs. KC
3) TEN win at HOU + CIN loss vs. BAL + NYJ loss at MIA + OAK win vs. SD + DEN win vs. KC
NFC
GREEN BAY PACKERS have clinched home field throughout NFC Playoffs and 1-seed.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
San Francisco clinches a first-round bye and 2-seed:
1) SF win at STL
2) NO loss vs. CAR
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
New Orleans clinches a first-round bye and 2-seed:
1) NO win vs. CAR + SF loss or tie at STL
New Orleans is the 3-seed:
1) NO loss vs. CAR
2) NO win or tie vs. CAR + SF win at STL
NEW YORK GIANTS
NY Giants clinch NFC East Division and 4-seed:
1) NYG win or tie vs. DAL
DALLAS COWBOYS
Dallas clinches NFC East Division at 4-seed:
1) DAL win at NYG
DETROIT LIONS
Detroit is the 5-seed and visits DAL or NYG in wildcard round:
1) DET win at GB
2) ATL loss vs. TB
Detroit is the 6-seed and visits NO/SF in wildcard round
1) DET loss at GB + ATL win vs. TB
ATLANTA FALCONS
Atlanta is the 5-seed and visits DAL or NYG in wildcard round:
1) ATL win vs. TB + DET loss at GB
Atlanta is the 6-seed and visits NO/SF in wildcard round
1) ATL loss vs. TB
2) ATL win vs. TB + DET win at GB
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