Final Week Playoff Outlook

[Merlin]

Meandered across this whilst using my kid's ESPN+ login (evil laugh). Thorough look at the possibilities.

NFL playoff-clinching scenarios for Week 18: Which teams can lock in postseason spots

Here are the NFL playoff-clinching scenarios for Week 18. Nine of 14 teams have secured their spots in the postseason, which begins Jan. 13.

www.espn.com

NFL Week 18 playoff picture: Clinching scenarios, standings​

ESPN staffJan 3, 2024, 06:00 AM ET

There is just one week remaining in the NFL regular season, and the playoff picture is taking shape.
Nine teams have clinched postseason berths, including five in the NFC: the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams. In the AFC, the Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs have clinched. That means five more spots are on the line in Week 18. The playoffs begin Jan. 13.


There are four AFC teams at 9-7, including a three-way tie atop the South. In the NFC, there are four teams in the playoff hunt at 8-8 -- but there are two more teams on the outside looking in at 7-9.
Here is the playoff picture for Week 18, along with the clinching scenarios for the weekend:

More coverage:
Projecting the final seeding
FPI ratings for every team
Projected 2024 draft order​

NFL playoff matchups as things stand​

AFC​

• (7) Indianapolis Colts at (2) Miami Dolphins
• (6) Buffalo Bills at (3) Kansas City Chiefs
• (5) Cleveland Browns at (4) Jacksonville Jaguars
• Wild-card round bye: (1) Baltimore Ravens

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NFC​

• (7) Green Bay Packers at (2) Dallas Cowboys
• (6) Los Angeles Rams at (3) Detroit Lions
• (5) Philadelphia Eagles at (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Wild-card round bye: (1) San Francisco 49ers

Week 18 playoff-clinching scenarios in the AFC​

Houston Texans (9-7)​

The matchup: at Indianapolis on Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
What's at stake: Houston clinches the AFC South title with:

• Houston win OR
• Jacksonville loss or tie

How the Texans can clinch a playoff berth:

• Houston win OR
• Houston tie plus Jacksonville loss plus Pittsburgh loss or tie

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Indianapolis Colts (9-7)​

The matchup: vs. Houston on Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
What's at stake: Indianapolis clinches the AFC South title with:

• Indianapolis win plus Jacksonville loss or tie OR
• Indianapolis tie plus Jacksonville loss

How the Colts can clinch a playoff berth:

• Indianapolis win OR
• Indianapolis tie plus Pittsburgh loss or tie

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Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)​

The matchup: at Baltimore on Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
How the Steelers can clinch a playoff berth:

• Pittsburgh win plus Buffalo loss OR
• Pittsburgh win plus Jacksonville loss or tie OR
• Pittsburgh win plus Houston-Indianapolis tie OR
• Pittsburgh tie plus Jacksonville loss plus Houston-Indianapolis doesn't end in tie OR
• Jacksonville loss plus Denver win plus Houston-Indianapolis doesn't end in tie

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Miami Dolphins (11-5)​

The matchup: vs. Buffalo on Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
What's at stake: Miami will clinch the AFC East title with a win or tie.

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Buffalo Bills (10-6)​

The matchup: at Miami on Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
What's at stake: Buffalo will clinch the AFC East title with a win.
How the Bills can clinch a playoff berth:

• Buffalo tie OR
• Pittsburgh loss or tie OR
• Jacksonville loss or tie OR
• Houston-Indianapolis tie

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Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7)​

The matchup: at Tennessee on Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
What's at stake: Jacksonville will clinch the AFC South title with:

• Jacksonville win
• Jacksonville tie plus Indianapolis-Houston tie

How the Jags can clinch a playoff berth:

• Jacksonville tie plus Pittsburgh loss or tie OR
• Pittsburgh loss plus Denver loss or tie plus Indianapolis-Houston does not end in a tie

Week 18 playoff-clinching scenarios in the NFC​

Dallas Cowboys (11-5)​

The matchup: at Washington on Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
What's at stake: Dallas clinches the NFC East title with:

• Dallas win OR
• Dallas tie plus Philadelphia tie OR
• Philadelphia loss

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8)​

The matchup: at Carolina on Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
What's at stake: Tampa Bay clinches the NFC South title with:

• Tampa Bay win OR
• Tampa Bay tie plus New Orleans loss or tie

How the Bucs can clinch a playoff berth:

• Tampa Bay tie plus Seattle loss plus Green Bay loss or tie

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Atlanta Falcons (7-9)​

The matchup: at New Orleans on Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
What's at stake: Atlanta will clinch the NFC South title with a win plus a Tampa Bay loss.

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New Orleans Saints (8-8)​

The matchup: vs. Atlanta on Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
What's at stake: New Orleans clinches the NFC South title with:

• New Orleans win plus Tampa Bay loss or tie OR
• New Orleans tie plus Tampa Bay loss

How the Saints can clinch a playoff berth:

• New Orleans win plus Seattle loss or tie plus Green Bay loss or tie OR
• New Orleans tie plus Seattle loss plus Green Bay loss

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Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)​

The matchup: at Giants on Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
What's at stake: Philadelphia clinches the NFC East title with:

• Philadelphia win plus Dallas loss or tie OR
• Philadelphia tie plus Dallas loss

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Seattle Seahawks (8-8)​

The matchup: at Arizona on Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
How the Seahawks can clinch a playoff berth:

• Seattle win plus Green Bay loss or tie OR
• Seattle tie plus Green Bay loss plus Tampa Bay loss or tie OR
• Seattle tie plus Green Bay loss plus New Orleans loss or tie

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Green Bay Packers (8-8)​

The matchup: vs. Chicago on Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS

How the Packers can clinch a playoff berth:

• Green Bay win OR
• Green Bay tie plus Seattle loss or tie plus New Orleans loss or tie OR
• Green Bay tie plus Seattle loss plus Tampa Bay loss OR
• Green Bay tie plus Seattle tie plus Tampa Bay loss or tie OR
• Minnesota loss or tie plus Seattle loss plus Tampa Bay loss OR
• Minnesota loss or tie plus Seattle loss plus New Orleans loss

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Minnesota Vikings (7-9)​

The matchup: at Detroit on Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
How the Vikings can clinch a playoff berth:

• Minnesota win plus Green Bay loss plus Seattle loss plus Tampa Bay loss OR
• Minnesota win plus Green Bay loss plus Seattle loss plus New Orleans loss

 

[Angry Ram]

Let's go TEXANS!!!!!

 

[Flatlyner]

Does anyone know what scenario has to play out this weekend to maintain our Lions matchup in the playoffs?

From what I can see, if we lose and GB wins, we are tied and they own the tie breaker, so we'd be matched up with the cowgirls, which is the match up I'd most like to avoid in round 1, seeing as how we got spit roasted by them already this season. Granted, we didn't have Kyren and Stafford got hurt fairly early in that game, we still could not stop their offense at all.

Answered my own question. But wonder if Lions might change slots potentially.

GB plays the Bears, so i guess I'll be pulling for Bears this weekend (and us naturally). All we have to do is win, but, with backups, I think we may struggle.

 

[dieterbrock]

But wonder if Lions might change slots potentially.

If both Eagles and Cowboys lose and Detroit wins, the Rams would play Dallas with a win vs the 49ers, or Detroit with a loss

 

[TexasRam]

Does anyone know what scenario has to play out this weekend to maintain our Lions matchup in the playoffs?

From what I can see, if we lose and GB wins, we are tied and they own the tie breaker, so we'd be matched up with the cowgirls, which is the match up I'd most like to avoid in round 1, seeing as how we got spit roasted by them already this season. Granted, we didn't have Kyren and Stafford got hurt fairly early in that game, we still could not stop their offense at all.

Answered my own question. But wonder if Lions might change slots potentially.

GB plays the Bears, so i guess I'll be pulling for Bears this weekend (and us naturally). All we have to do is win, but, with backups, I think we may struggle.

Dallas will play to win to get potentially 2 home playoff games.

If Dallas wins, and we lose, only Green Bay could steal our 6 seed with a win which would force us to play Dallas in that scenario.

But if Dallas wins, either a Ram win or GB loss keeps us @Lions.