With just 31 games left in the regular-season, the NFL playoff picture is starting to take shape.
With their 37-20 win over the Jets on Thursday night, the Cleveland Browns became the seventh team to punch their playoff ticket this year. Although the Browns were the first team to clinch a spot in Week 17, there's a good chance they won't be the last. As a matter of fact, by the time Week 17 is in the books, we could see six more spots clinched.
Here are the the playoff-clinching scenarios for Week 17, starting with the AFC:
Jaguars (8-7)
Can clinch AFC South and playoff berth with:
1. Jaguars win over Panthers combined with Colts loss to Raiders AND Texans loss to Titans.
Chiefs (9-6)
Can clinch AFC West and playoff berth with:
1. Chiefs win or tie vs. Bengals OR
2. Raiders loss or tie to Colts combined with Broncos loss or tie to Chargers
Bills (9-6)
The Bills have 14 SCENARIOS where they could clinch a playoff berth this weekend, so let's take a look at them.
Can clinch a playoff berth with:
- Bills win over Patriots + Steelers loss or tie to Seahawks + Bengals loss or tie to Chiefs OR
- Bills win + Steelers loss or tie + Jaguars loss or tie to Panthers OR
- Bills win + Steelers loss or tie + Texans loss or tie to Titans + Colts loss or tie to Raiders OR
- Bills win + Bengals loss or tie + Jaguars loss or tie OR
- Bills win + Bengals loss or tie + Texans loss or tie + Colts loss or tie OR
- Bills tie + Steelers loss + Bengals loss + Jaguars loss OR
- Bills tie + Steelers loss + Bengals loss + Texans loss or tie OR
- Bills tie + Steelers loss + Bengals loss + Colts loss or tie OR
- Bills tie + Steelers loss + Jaguars loss + Texans loss or tie OR
- Bills tie + Steeles loss + Jaguars loss + Colts loss or tie OR
- Bills tie + Steelers loss + Texans loss + Colts loss OR
- Bills tie + Bengals loss + Jaguars loss + Texans loss or tie OR
- Bills tie + Bengals loss + Jaguars loss + Colts loss or tie OR
- Bills tie + Bengals loss + Texans loss + Colts loss
The Bills will also be playing for the AFC East title in Week 18 if they beat the Patriots and the Dolphins lose to the Ravens. If the Dolphins lose, that will also allow the Ravens to clinch the top seed in the AFC. On the other hand, if the Dolphins win, they'd clinch the AFC East and stay alive for the No. 1 seed.
Alright, let's check out the clinching scenarios in the NFC:
Buccaneers (8-7)
Can clinch playoff berth and NFC South title with:
1. Buccaneers win over Saints OR
2. Buccaneers tie combined with Falcons loss to Bears
Rams (8-7)
Can clinch a playoff berth with:
1. Rams win over Giants combined with Seahawks loss to Steelers OR
2. Rams win combined with Vikings-Packers tie
Seahawks (8-7)
Can clinch a playoff berth with:
1. Seahawks win over Steelers combined with Vikings-Packers tie
In the NFC, the Eagles could clinch the division title with a win over the Cardinals plus a Cowboys loss or tie to Detroit. The Eagles would also clinch the NFC East with a tie combined with a Cowboys loss.
Also, the 49ers could clinch the No. 1 overall seed with a win over the Commanders combined with a loss by BOTH the Eagles and Lions.
No matter what happens this weekend, there will be at least one spot up for grabs heading into Week 18 and that would be the seventh-seed in the AFC, which can't be clinched this week. Also, based on the fact that the Seahawks need a tie to clinch, there's a good chance the seventh-seed in the NFC will also be up for grabs in Week 18.
If you're scoring at home, here's a list of the teams that have already clinched:
AFC (3 of 7): Ravens, Dolphins, Browns
NFC (4 of 7): 49ers, Eagles, Lions, Cowboys (DET and SF have clinched its division title)
The most notable thing there is that the Browns and Lions are in the playoffs together for the first time since 1994.
Although seven playoffs spots are locked up, all seven seeds in each conference are still up in the air since none of them have been clinched, which should add some serious drama to the final two weeks of the regular season.
For a full look at the current playoff standings, be sure to check out our breakdown here.
