NFL playoffs: Scenarios for teams to clinch spots or home-field advantage - Los Angeles Times
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NFL playoffs: Scenarios for teams to clinch spots or home-field advantage

Tom Brady (12) and the Patriots can clinch home-field advantage during the AFC playoffs with a win this weekend.

Tom Brady (12) and the Patriots can clinch home-field advantage during the AFC playoffs with a win this weekend.

(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
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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

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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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