NFL Playoff Picture Week 16: AFC and NFC Scenarios and Predictions

Even though there are only two games remaining in the NFL regular season, plenty of things need to be cleared up before the postseason, as only six of 12 teams have clinched a playoff spot. 

Heading into Week 16, here is what the AFC and NFC playoff picture looks like:

While the NFC has four of its six playoff spots already decided, the AFC just has two, which belong to the top-seeded New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals. 

Here are all of the possible playoff scenarios for every team involved in the AFC and NFC races:

AFC Scenarios

Cincinnati Bengals

• Clinch the AFC North and a first-round bye if they defeat the Denver Broncos in Week 16.

Denver Broncos

• Clinch the AFC No. 1 Seed if they win vs. the Bengals and San Diego Chargers.
• Clinch No. 2 Seed if they defeat the Bengals and Chargers and Patriots win.
• Lose the AFC West if they lose once and Kansas City Chiefs win vs. Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders.
• Miss the playoffs if they lose or split their last two games while the Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets win their last two games.

Houston Texans

• Win one of their remaining two games against the Tennessee Titans or Jacksonville Jaguars to win the division.

Kansas City Chiefs

• Clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Browns and losses from either the Jets or Steelers in Week 16.
• Win the AFC West if they defeat the Browns and Oakland Raiders.

Pittsburgh Steelers

• Clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Baltimore Ravens and a Jets loss against the New England Patriots in Week 16.

New York Jets

• Clinch a playoff spot if they win their last two games and either the Steelers, Broncos or Chiefs lose one. 
• Clinch a playoff spot if they win one game and the Steelers, Broncos or Chiefs all lose their last two games.

Indianapolis Colts

• Clinch the AFC South if they win their last two games and Texans lose both games. 

Jacksonville Jaguars

• Clinch the AFC South if they win their last two games, the Texans lose their last two and the Colts lose to the Tennessee Titans in Week 17.

NFC Scenarios

Arizona Cardinals

• Clinch No. 2 seed with win over Green Bay Packers or Seattle Seahawks.

Green Bay Packers

• Clinch NFC North with Week 16 win and Minnesota Vikings loss to New York Giants.
• Clinch NFC North with loss to Arizona Cardinals and Week 17 win over Vikings.

Washington Redskins

• Clinch the NFC East if they defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16.

Seattle Seahawks

• Can clinch No. 5 seed if they finish the season with a better record than the Vikings/Atlanta Falcons.

Minnesota Vikings

• Clinch a playoff spot with a win or a Seahawks win or a Falcons loss.

Atlanta Falcons

• Clinch a playoff spot with wins in their last two games while the Vikings and Seahawks lose both of theirs.

Philadelphia Eagles

• Clinch the NFC East if they defeat the New York Giants and Redskins.

New York Giants

• Clinch NFC East if they win their final two games while the Eagles and Redskins lose theirs.

Week 16 Predictions for Teams in Playoff Hunt

Matchup	Time (ET)	Prediction	Week 16 Scenario
Saturday, Dec. 26
Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles	8:25 p.m.	Redskins	WAS clinch NFC East
Sunday, Dec. 27
Indianapolis Colts at Miami Dolphins	1 p.m.	Dolphins	IND eliminated
Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs	1 p.m.	Chiefs	KC clinch playoff berth
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens	1 p.m.	Steelers	PIT clinch playoff berth
New England Patriots at New York Jets	1 p.m.	Patriots	NYJ eliminated
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons	1 p.m.	Panthers	ATL eliminated
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans	1 p.m.	Texans	HOU clinch AFC South
Jacksonville Jaguars at New Orleans Saints	4:05 p.m.	Saints	JAX eliminated
Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals	4:25 p.m.	Cardinals	AZ clinch first-round bye
New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings	8:30 p.m.	Vikings	MIN clinch playoff berth, NYG eliminated
Monday, Dec. 28
Cincinnati Bengals at Denver Broncos	8:30 p.m.	Bengals	CIN clinch first-round bye

Game to Watch: Cincinnati Bengals at Denver Broncos

There is going to be pressure on the Broncos. After starting the season 10-2, they've lost their last two games and are hearing footsteps behind them in the AFC playoff race, especially in the division after the Kansas City Chiefs reeled off their eighth straight win on Sunday. 

It's that kind of pressure that is going to see them play timid against the Cincinnati Bengals even with the visitors having to play backup quarterback A.J. McCarron.

A situation at the quarterback position in Denver doesn't help either, as the job is currently up in the air with Peyton Manning nearing a return. It still remains unclear whether or not he'll take the starting job away from Brock Osweiler. 

Osweiler, who put together a great first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night, showed inconsistencies that can't be tolerated on a team that is trying to hold a playoff spot. After going 14-18 for 214 yards and three touchdowns, Osweiler came out in the second half and completed just seven of 26 passes for 82 yards and an interception.

This is the kind of game that looks attractive on paper but won't be a fun one to watch, as it will probably be low-scoring due to the defensive standings of both teams. The Broncos have the league's best defense, while the Bengals' unit is ranked ninth. 

The Bengals, though, have given up fewer points than Denver this season, allowing more than 21 points in a game just four times this season. If the Broncos can only put up 15 and 17 points to the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers respectively, they aren't going to have much success against the Bengals. 

Prediction: Bengals defeat Broncos 23-17

Stats courtesy of NFL.com