NFL playoff scenarios: Get out the checklist for Week 16
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It’s Week 16 in the NFL and only New England and Pittsburgh in the AFC as well as Atlanta and Chicago in the NFC have clinched playoff spots.
Here’s how teams can clinch playoff spots, win division titles and secure home-field advantage with two weeks left in the regular season (compliments of the Associated Press):
AFC
NEW ENGLAND
CLINCHED: Playoff spot.
— Clinches AFC East and homefield advantage with:
1) Win or tie OR
2) N.Y. Jets loss or tie
PITTSBURGH
CLINCHED: AFC North.
— Clinches a first-round bye with:
1) Baltimore loss
KANSAS CITY
— Clinches AFC West with:
1) Win and San Diego loss or tie OR 2) Tie and San Diego loss
BALTIMORE
— Clinches a playoff spot with:
1) Win or tie OR
2) Kansas City loss and Jacksonville loss or tie OR
3) Kansas City loss and Indianapolis loss or tie OR
4) San Diego loss or tie and Jacksonville loss or tie OR
5) San Diego loss or tie and Indianapolis loss or tie
N.Y. JETS
— Clinches a playoff spot with:
1) Win or tie OR
2) Jacksonville loss or tie OR
3) Indianapolis loss or tie
ELIMINATED: Buffalo, Cincinnati, Denver, Cleveland, Houston, Miami
NFC
ATLANTA
CLINCHED: Playoff spot.
— Clinches NFC South and homefield advantage with:
1) Win or tie
PHILADELPHIA
— Clinches NFC East with:
1) Win OR
2) Tie and N.Y. Giants loss or tie OR
3) N.Y. Giants loss
— Clinches a playoff spot with:
1) Tie OR
2) Tampa Bay loss or tie
CHICAGO
CLINCHED: NFC North.
— Clinches a first-round bye with:
1) Win and Philadelphia loss and N.Y. Giants loss or tie
NEW ORLEANS
— Clinches a playoff spot with:
1) Win or tie OR
2) Tampa Bay loss or tie
N.Y. GIANTS
— Clinches a playoff spot with:
1) Win
ELIMINATED: Carolina, Detroit, Washington, Dallas, Minnesota, Arizona.