NFL playoffs: Scenarios for teams to clinch spots or home-field advantage
Six of the 12 playoff berths in the NFL have been secured, but home-field advantage is up for grabs in each conference as are the other six postseason spots.
Here is a look at at the playoff scenarios for teams that can clinch a postseason spot or home-field advantage, compliments of the Associated Press:
AFC
Clinched: New England - AFC East and first-round bye; Cincinnati - playoff berth.
NEW ENGLAND (at N.Y. Jets, Sunday)
Clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
— Win or
— Tie and Cincinnati loss or tie
CINCINNATI (at Denver, Monday)
Clinches AFC North with:
— Win or tie, or
— Pittsburgh loss or tie
Clinches first-round bye with:
— Win or tie
DENVER (vs. Cincinnati, Monday)
Clinches AFC West with:
— Win and Kansas City loss or tie, or
— Tie and Kansas City loss
Clinches playoff spot with:
— Win and N.Y. Jets or Pittsburgh loss or tie, or
— Tie and N.Y. Jets or Pittsburgh loss
HOUSTON (at Tennessee, Sunday)
Clinches AFC South with:
— Win and clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over Indianapolis, or
— Win and Indianapolis loss or tie, or
— Tie and Indianapolis loss
KANSAS CITY (vs. Cleveland, Sunday)
Clinches playoff spot with:
— Win and N.Y. Jets or Pittsburgh loss
PITTSBURGH (at Baltimore, Sunday)
Clinches playoff spot with:
— Win and N.Y. Jets loss
Still alive: N.Y. Jets, Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Eliminated: Oakland, Buffalo, Miami, Baltimore, San Diego, Cleveland, Tennessee.
NFC
Clinched: Carolina - NFC South and first-round bye; Arizona - NFC West; Green Bay - playoff berth; Seattle - playoff berth.
CAROLINA (at Atlanta, Sunday)
Clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
— Win or tie, or
— Arizona loss or tie
ARIZONA (vs. Green Bay, Sunday)
Clinches first-round bye with:
— Win or tie
GREEN BAY (at Arizona, Sunday)
Clinches NFC North with:
— Win and Minnesota loss or tie, or
— Tie and Minnesota loss
MINNESOTA (vs. N.Y. Giants, Sunday)
Clinches playoff spot with:
— Win or tie, or
— Atlanta loss or tie, or
— Seattle win or tie
WASHINGTON (at Philadelphia, Saturday)
Clinches NFC East with:
— Win, or
— Tie and N.Y. Giants loss
Still alive: Atlanta, Philadelphia, N.Y. Giants.
Eliminated: St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Detroit, New Orleans, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas.
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