NFL Playoff Picture Week 17 Scenarios: UPDATED after 1pm ET games

Here are the final scenarios for NFL Week 17, and how several teams can clinch a berth, a division title, or a position in the seeding order.

By Joe Ferreira

Dec 22, 2014 at 7:47 am ET • 6 min read

The AFC North championship will be decided in Week 17. (Getty Images) — The AFC North division championship will be decided in Week 17. (Getty Images)

Well, we finally have arrived at the finish line. After about six solid weeks of speculation, guessing, scenarios that worked out, some that didn't and some topsy-turvy results in the NFL, we are ready to unveil the tiebreaker scenarios that will determine the final remaining spots and seeds for the 2014 NFLplayoffs.

Let me first thank the Pittsburgh Steelers for winning and the Philadelphia Eagles for losing as that made this week's task a little easier. In the NFC, we have determined five of the six playoff teams with the only remaining slot left for the NFC South champion, either Carolina or Atlanta, in a win-and-you're-in or lose-and-you're-out scenario.

We also have some jockeying for seed positions, but it appears Dallas is likely the No. 3 seed and the NFC South champion is definitely the No. 4 seed. Seattle has the upper hand on the No. 1 seed but does not control its playoff fate since Detroit and Green Bay can tie. By beating the other in Week 17, both Detroit and Green Bay can win their division and secure at least a first-round bye. Dallas has won the East and can still get a bye but they likely need too many things to go their way to move out of the No. 3 slot and host a game on Wild Card Weekend. Even though Dallas beat Seattle head-to-head, they will be matched in a three-way tie with either Detroit or Green Bay (unless they tie). Neither team played Dallas and head-to-head doesn't apply so the Cowboys lose out on conference record. This is why I blogged a number of weeks ago that the Cowboys could be hurt with their first four losses all being conference losses.

On the AFC side, it feels like deja vu all over again with New England and Denver at the top, Indianapolis in as division champion and a Wild Card Weekend host with nothing significant to play for. Cincinnati-Pittsburgh is the big Sunday night game where the winner will be the division champion. Houston, at 8-7, is still alive and kicking and, with their potential for a strong 8-4 conference record, would make the playoffs with a win plus losses by Baltimore and San Diego. The Chiefs are also alive despite their painful loss to the Steelers as they can beat San Diego and get in the playoffs with a Baltimore loss and a Houston loss or tie.

Should be a fun week. Enjoy the scenarios below!

WEEK 17 SCENARIOS (UPDATED AFTER EARLY GAMES):

NFC
CLINCHED:

Arizona Cardinals -- playoff berth
Seattle Seahawks -- playoff berth
Detroit Lions -- playoff berth
Green Bay Packers -- playoff berth
Dallas Cowboys -- NFC East

DALLAS COWBOYS

Dallas can clinch home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
1) ARI loss or tie + DET/GB tie
2) SEA win + DET/GB tie

Dallas can clinch a first-round bye with:
1) SEA loss or tie + ARI loss or tie
2) DET/GB tie
3) SEA loss + ARI loss

DETROIT LIONS

Detroit can clinch the NFC North division title with:
1) DET win or tie

Detroit can clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with:
1) DET win + SEA loss or tie + ARI loss or tie

Detroit can clinch a first-round bye with:
1) DET win
2) DET tie + SEA loss + ARI loss

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Green Bay can clinch the NFC North division title and a first-round bye with:
1) GB win

Green Bay can clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with:
1) GB win + SEA loss or tie

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Seattle can clinch the NFC West division title with:
1) SEA win
2) SEA tie + ARI loss or tie
3) ARI loss

Seattle can clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with:
1) SEA win + DET/GB game does not end in a tie

Seattle can clinch a first-round bye with:
1) SEA win
2) SEA tie + ARI loss or tie + GB/DET tie

ARIZONA CARDINALS

Arizona can clinch the NFC West division title with:
1) ARI win + SEA loss or tie
2) ARI tie + SEA loss

Arizona can clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with:
1) ARI win + SEA loss or tie + GB loss or tie

Arizona can clinch a first-round bye with:
1) ARI win + SEA loss or tie
2) ARI tie + SEA loss + GB/DET tie

CAROLINA PANTHERS

Carolina can clinch the NFC South division title with:
1) CAR win or tie

ATLANTA FALCONS

Atlanta can clinch the NFC South division title with:
1) ATL win

NFC Playoff Possibilities
Games/Possible Winners				Seeds would be...
STL-SEA	ARZ-SF	GB-DET	CAR-ATL	1	2	3	4	5	6
SEA	ARZ	GB	CAR	SEA	GB	DAL	CAR	ARZ	DET
SEA	ARZ	GB	ATL	SEA	GB	DAL	ATL	ARZ	DET
SEA	ARZ	DET	CAR	SEA	DET	DAL	CAR	ARZ	GB
SEA	ARZ	DET	ATL	SEA	DET	DAL	ATL	ARZ	GB
SEA	SF	GB	CAR	SEA	GB	DAL	CAR	ARZ	DET
SEA	SF	GB	ATL	SEA	GB	DAL	ATL	ARZ	DET
SEA	SF	DET	CAR	SEA	DET	DAL	CAR	ARZ	GB
SEA	SF	DET	ATL	SEA	DET	DAL	ATL	ARZ	GB
STL	ARZ	GB	CAR	GB	ARZ	DAL	CAR	SEA	DET
STL	ARZ	GB	ATL	GB	ARZ	DAL	ATL	SEA	DET
STL	ARZ	DET	CAR	ARZ	DET	DAL	CAR	SEA	GB
STL	ARZ	DET	ATL	ARZ	DET	DAL	ATL	SEA	GB
STL	SF	GB	CAR	GB	DAL	SEA	CAR	ARZ	DET
STL	SF	GB	ATL	GB	DAL	SEA	ATL	ARZ	DET
STL	SF	DET	CAR	DET	DAL	SEA	CAR	ARZ	GB
STL	SF	DET	ATL	DET	DAL	SEA	ATL	ARZ	GB

AFC

CLINCHED:

New England Patriots -- AFC East, first-round bye, home-field advantage
Denver Broncos -- AFC West
Indianapolis Colts -- AFC South
Pittsburgh Steelers -- playoff berth
Cincinnati Bengals -- playoff berth
Baltimore Ravens -- playoff berth

DENVER BRONCOS

Denver can clinch a first-round bye with:
1) DEN win
2) DEN tie + CIN loss or tie
3) CIN loss
4) CIN tie

CINCINNATI BENGALS

Cincinnati can clinch the AFC North division title with:
1) CIN win or tie

Cincinnati can clinch a first-round bye with:
1) CIN win + DEN loss or tie

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Pittsburgh can clinch the AFC North division title with:
1) PIT win

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Baltimore has clinched a playoff spot with:
1) BAL win + SD loss

AFC Playoff Possibilities
Games/Possible Winners					Seeds would be...
OAK-DEN	CIN-PIT	SD-KC	CLE-BAL	JAX-HOU	1	2	3	4	5	6
DEN	CIN	SD			NE	DEN	CIN	IND	PIT	SD
DEN	CIN	KC	BAL		NE	DEN	CIN	IND	PIT	BAL
DEN	CIN	KC	CLE	HOU	NE	DEN	CIN	IND	PIT	HOU
DEN	CIN	KC	CLE	JAX	NE	DEN	CIN	IND	PIT	KC
DEN	PIT	SD			NE	DEN	PIT	IND	CIN	SD
DEN	PIT	KC	BAL		NE	DEN	PIT	IND	CIN	BAL
DEN	PIT	KC	CLE	HOU	NE	DEN	PIT	IND	CIN	HOU
DEN	PIT	KC	CLE	JAX	NE	DEN	PIT	IND	CIN	KC
OAK	CIN	SD			NE	CIN	DEN	IND	PIT	SD
OAK	CIN	KC	BAL		NE	CIN	DEN	IND	PIT	BAL
OAK	CIN	KC	CLE	HOU	NE	CIN	DEN	IND	PIT	HOU
OAK	CIN	KC	CLE	JAX	NE	CIN	DEN	IND	PIT	KC
OAK	PIT	SD			NE	DEN	PIT	IND	CIN	SD
OAK	PIT	KC	BAL		NE	DEN	PIT	IND	CIN	BAL
OAK	PIT	KC	CLE	HOU	NE	DEN	PIT	IND	CIN	HOU
OAK	PIT	KC	CLE	JAX	NE	DEN	PIT	IND	CIN	KC