NFL Playoff Schedule 2016-17: Postseason Dates, Wild-Card Predictions and More

The playoff picture is coming into focus as the NFL reaches the home stretch of its regular season, but there are still a number of variables that will impact the final playoff standings.

The New England Patriots (12-2), Oakland Raiders (11-3), Dallas Cowboys (12-2) and Seattle Seahawks (9-4-1) have clinched playoff positions, while the New York Giants (10-4) and Kansas City Chiefs (10-4) are on the verge of punching their playoff tickets.

The Patriots picked up a 16-3 road victory over the Denver Broncos in Week 15 and clinched their eighth consecutive AFC East title. The Pats currently own the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, but a slip-up in the final two weeks could open the door for the Raiders to take that vaunted spot.

Oakland moved back into first place in the AFC West by beating the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, taking advantage of Kansas City's home defeat to the Tennessee Titans. The Raiders have a one-game lead over the Chiefs, but if those two teams finish with the same records, the Chiefs will gain the division crown, since they swept the season series against Oakland.

Date(s)	Playoff Round
Jan. 7 and 8	AFC and NFC Wild Card Rounds
Jan. 14 and 15	AFC and NFC Divisional Rounds
Jan. 22	AFC and NFC Championship Games
Feb. 5	Super Bowl LI in Houston

The Pittsburgh Steelers (9-5) have a one-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens (8-6), and those two teams will meet in Pittsburgh on Sunday. If the Steelers win, they will clinch the AFC North title, but a victory by the Ravens would give them the advantage, since they would own the tiebreaker as a result of a series sweep.

The Houston Texans (8-6) and Tennessee Titans (8-6) both pulled out late wins in Week 15, and those two teams will meet in the Week 17 season finale. That game will likely decide the AFC South winner.

The Miami Dolphins (9-5) currently own the No. 2 wild-card spot, and if they can beat the Bills and the Patriots in the final two weeks of the season, they will earn a spot in the postseason. While beating the Patriots is a tall order, the Dolphins defeated New England in the season finale last year, and the Fins have a better team this year.

In the NFC, a win by the Cowboys in either of their last two games will give the team the NFC East title and the No. 1 seed in the conference.

However, if the Cowboys lose to Detroit and Philadelphia while the Giants beat Philadelphia and Washington, the Giants will take the division title and the No. 1 overall seed.

Ron Jenkins/Associated Press

The likelihood is that the Cowboys will win the division and the Giants will earn the No. 1 wild-card seed. The Washington Redskins (7-5-1) currently hold the No. 2 wild-card spot, and their final three games will see them play the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears and Giants. 

The Detroit Lions (9-5) hold a one-game lead in the NFC North over the streaking Green Bay Packers (8-6). The Lions lost to the Giants in Week 15, while the Packers pulled out a last-second victory over the Bears. Unless the Lions beat the Cowboys in Week 16 while the Packers lose to the Minnesota Vikings (7-7), Detroit and Green Bay will play for the division title in Week 17 at Detroit's Ford Field.

The Atlanta Falcons (9-5) have a one-game lead in the NFC South over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Falcons have registered back-to-back blowout victories over the Los Angeles Rams, while the Bucs lost their Sunday night game to the Cowboys.

That loss knocked the Bucs out of the No. 2 wild-card spot, but they can regain it if they can beat the New Orleans Saints and Panthers and the Redskins lose one of their remaining games.

Predictions

The Patriots are not going to boot away home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs two years in a row. They will clinch the No. 1 seed overall.

Look for the Raiders to survive in the AFC West and corral the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs, while the Chiefs will finish as the No. 1 wild-card team and the fifth overall seed.

The Steelers will beat the Ravens Sunday night and earn the AFC North title as well as the No. 3 AFC seed, while the Titans will beat the Texans and take the AFC South.

The Dolphins will lose the season finale to the Patriots but will still end up with the No. 2 wild-card spot and the sixth seed in the AFC playoffs.

The Cowboys will win the NFC East and finish as the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, while the Giants will finish second and earn the top wild-card spot.

The Redskins should beat the Panthers and the Bears, but their season finale with the Giants will likely decide their playoff fate. They will need to beat the Giants to hold off the Bucs, and since the Redskins have home-field advantage and the Giants may not need the game, we'll give Washington the edge and the No. 2 wild-card spot.

Heartbreak is on the horizon for the Lions. The Packers will win the season finale and steal the division from Detroit. Since the Lions are unlikely to win in Week 16 against the Cowboys, they will likely find themselves missing the playoffs.

Unless the Seahawks lose one of their final two games to the Arizona Cardinals or the 49ers, they will earn the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs in addition to their NFC West crown.

The Falcons will win the NFC South title.