It’s that time of the year where playoff tickets get punched and division championships are won. Four AFC teams and five NFC teams have a chance to secure playoff spots this week. Denver could also lock up the AFC’s No. 1 seed if four contests go their way. Here are the updated playoff scenarios heading to Week 16.
AFC’s Playoff Scenarios
CLINCHED:
Denver Broncos (12-2) – playoff berth
Denver Broncos (12-2) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4); Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX)
Denver clinches AFC West division title and the AFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and home-field advantage with:
- DEN win + LAC loss or tie + NE loss + BUF loss or tie
Denver clinches AFC West division title with:
- DEN win + LAC loss or tie OR
- DEN tie + LAC loss
Buffalo Bills (10-4) at Cleveland Browns (3-11); Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
Buffalo clinches playoff berth with:
- BUF win + IND loss or tie OR
- BUF win + HOU loss or tie OR
- BUF tie + IND loss OR
- BUF tie + HOU loss
New England Patriots (11-3) at Baltimore Ravens (7-7); Sunday night (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
New England clinches playoff berth with:
- NE win or tie OR
- IND loss or tie OR
- HOU loss or tie
Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4) at Denver Broncos (12-2); Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX)
Jacksonville clinches playoff berth with:
- JAX win + IND loss or tie OR
- JAX win + HOU loss or tie OR
- JAX tie + IND loss OR
- JAX tie + IND tie + HOU loss
Los Angeles Chargers (10-4) at Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1); Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX)
Los Angeles Chargers clinch playoff berth with:
- LAC win + IND loss or tie OR
- LAC win + HOU loss or tie OR
- LAC tie + IND loss OR
- LAC tie + IND tie + HOU loss
AFC playoff matchups as things stand
- (7) Houston Texans at (2) New England Patriots
- (6) Buffalo Bills at (3) Jacksonville Jaguars
- (5) Los Angeles Chargers at (4) Pittsburgh Steelers
- Wild-card round bye: (1) Denver Broncos
NFC’s Playoff Scenarios
CLINCHED:
Los Angeles Rams (11-3) – playoff berth
Philadelphia Eagles (9-5) at Washington Commanders (4-10); Saturday (5 p.m. ET, FOX)
Philadelphia clinches NFC East division title with:
- PHI win OR
- DAL loss OR
- PHI tie + DAL tie
Chicago Bears (10-4) vs. Green Bay Packers (9-4-1); Saturday night (8:20 p.m. ET, FOX)
Chicago clinches playoff berth with:
- CHI win + DET loss or tie OR
- CHI tie + DET loss
Green Bay Packers (9-4-1) at Chicago Bears (10-4); Saturday night (8:20 p.m. ET, FOX)
Green Bay clinches playoff berth with:
- GB win + DET loss or tie OR
- GB tie + DET loss
San Francisco 49ers (10-4) at Indianapolis Colts (8-6); Monday night (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
San Francisco clinches playoff berth with:
- SF win OR
- DET loss OR
- SF tie + DET tie
Seattle Seahawks (11-3) vs. Los Angeles Rams (11-3); Thursday night (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video)
Seattle clinches playoff berth with:
- SEA win or tie OR
- DET loss or tie
NFC’s Playoff Matchups as they stand
- (7) Green Bay Packers at (2) Chicago Bears
- (6) San Francisco 49ers at (3) Philadelphia Eagles
- (5) Seattle Seahawks at (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Wild-card round bye: (1) Los Angeles Rams
Stacy M. Brown is an NNPA Newswire Correspondent
- Stacy M. Brown
- Stacy M. Brown
- Stacy M. Brown
- Stacy M. Brown
