Sports Reference Blog
Week 16 NFL Playoff Scenarios
Posted by Mike Lynch on December 23, 2015
PER NFL COMMUNICATIONS:
2015 NFL PLAYOFF SCENARIOS FOR WEEK 16
AFC
CLINCHED: New England – AFC East and a first-round bye
Cincinnati – playoff berth
- NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (at New York Jets, Sunday)
New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
- NE win OR
- NE tie + CIN loss or tie
CINCINNATI BENGALS (at Denver, Monday)
Cincinnati clinches AFC North division with:
- CIN win or tie OR
- PIT loss or tie
Cincinnati clinches a first-round bye with:
- CIN win or tie
DENVER BRONCOS (vs. Cincinnati, Monday)
Denver clinches AFC West division with:
- DEN win + KC loss or tie OR
- DEN tie + KC loss
Denver clinches a playoff spot with:
- DEN win + NYJ loss or tie OR
- DEN win + PIT loss or tie OR
- DEN tie + NYJ loss OR
- DEN tie + PIT loss
HOUSTON TEXANS (at Tennessee, Sunday)
Houston clinches AFC South division with:
- HOU win + HOU clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over IND OR
- HOU win + IND loss or tie OR
- HOU tie + IND loss
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (vs. Cleveland, Sunday)
Kansas City clinches a playoff spot with:
- KC win + NYJ loss OR
- KC win + PIT loss
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (at Baltimore, Sunday)
Pittsburgh clinches a playoff spot with:
- PIT win + NYJ loss?
NFC
CLINCHED: Carolina – NFC South and a first-round bye
Arizona – NFC West
Green Bay – playoff berth
Seattle – playoff berth
CAROLINA PANTHERS (at Atlanta, Sunday)
Carolina clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
- CAR win or tie OR
- ARI loss or tie?
ARIZONA CARDINALS (vs. Green Bay, Sunday)
Arizona clinches a first-round bye with:
- ARI win or tie
GREEN BAY PACKERS (at Arizona, Sunday)
Green Bay clinches NFC North division with:
- GB win + MIN loss or tie OR
- GB tie + MIN loss
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (vs. New York Giants, Sunday night)
Minnesota clinches a playoff spot with:
- MIN win or tie OR
- ATL loss or tie OR
- SEA win or tie
WASHINGTON REDSKINS (at Philadelphia, Saturday)
Washington clinches NFC East division with:
- WAS win OR
- WAS tie + NYG loss
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