NFL Scores Week 17: Final Results, Playoff Standings and Picture for AFC, NFC

The full slate of Week 17 scores helps set the stage for the final playoff standings for both the AFC and the NFC.    

With fierce divisional battles in both conferences, football fans were treated to some of the most exciting season finales in recent memory. It will be hard to say goodbye to regular-season football, but the entertaining slate of games has helped ease the pain.

Here are the latest Week 17 scores and updated scenarios after the final games of the 2014 regular season.

Date	Time	Matchup	Watch	Stream
Saturday, Jan. 3	4:35 p.m. ET	Cardinals at Panthers	ESPN	Watch ESPN
Saturday, Jan. 3	8:15 p.m. ET	Ravens at Steelers	NBC	NBC Live Extra
Sunday, Jan. 4	1 p.m. ET	Bengals at Colts	CBS	CBSSports.com
Sunday, Jan. 4	4:40 p.m. ET	Lions at Cowboys	FOX	Fox Sports Go

Date	Time	Matchup	Watch	Stream
Saturday, Jan. 10	4:35 p.m. ET	BAL/CIN/PIT/IND at Patriots	NBC	NBC Live Extra
Saturday, Jan. 10	8:15 p.m. ET	DET/ARI/CAR at Seahawks	FOX	Fox Sports Go
Sunday, Jan. 11	1:05 p.m. ET	DAL/CAR/ARI at Packers	FOX	Fox Sports Go
Sunday, Jan. 11	4:40 p.m. ET	CIN/PIT/IND at Broncos	CBS	CBSSports.com

AFC Playoff Analysis

New England may have taken the loss to Buffalo on Sunday, but the team has still earned a first-round bye and home-field advantage. The Bills have built confidence heading into 2015, but the victory was due mostly to the Patriots sitting most of their starters in the second half.

As for the AFC Wild Card scene, it took every possible minute to shake out, but the picture is finally clear. The San Diego Chargers needed to win to get into the postseason but were unable to hold off the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Houston Texans and the Chiefs were both still in contention, but the Baltimore Ravens managed to beat the Cleveland Browns to secure the final wild-card berth.

The AFC playoff picture will also be featured in the regular-season finale of Sunday Night Football when the Pittsburgh Steelers go to battle with the Cincinnati Bengals. The winner of this game will be the AFC North champions and the loser will still make the postseason, but as a wild-card entrant.

NFC Playoff Analysis

On the NFC side, the majority of the playoff picture was already clear entering Sunday, with seeding and one spot left between Atlanta and Carolina.

While that was certainly the biggest matchup in terms of the final qualifying team, the Dallas Cowboys were the day's biggest winners. With a decisive win over the Washington Redskins, Tony Romo and the Cowboys enter the postseason as the NFC East champions and one of the hottest teams in the NFL.

Behind DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant producing record-setting numbers, the Cowboys are peaking at the right time.

Football fans will have a much clearer picture of the NFC playoff picture following the afternoon slate of games.

*Stats via NFL.com.