NFL Playoff Scenarios 2016-17: AFC, NFC Picture, Wild-Card Odds Before Week 16

Now, things are starting to get interesting. 

No longer do NFL teams have a comfort zone to "figure things out" or do better next week. It's Week 16, and every game matters. With the exception of the New England Patriots, Oakland Raiders, Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks, it's officially time to freak out for the rest of the AFC and NFC teams.

The Patriots and Raiders have clinched playoff berths for the AFC, and the Cowboys and Seahawks have done the same in the NFC.

Teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants and Green Bay Packers, despite decent records, are currently in the wild-card spots, but are technically still on the outside looking in until they pull off some wins in Week 16 and Week 17.

Without further ado, let's take a look at the wild-card picture with my latest odds for each team in the hunt for the postseason. 

Team	Odds	Reasoning
AFC
Kansas City Chiefs	2-1	Even after a tough loss to Tennessee, Kansas City is still very dangerous.
Miami Dolphins	5-1	A win over an inconsistent Buffalo team is very doable.
Baltimore Ravens	3-1	Huge showdown against Pittsburgh will decide Baltimore's fate.
Tennessee Titans	7-1	On a hot streak, Tennessee takes on the hapless Jaguars.
Denver Broncos	10-1	Will have to beat Kansas City and get some help in the process.
Indianapolis Colts	15-1	Tough test against Oakland; need a lot of help from other teams.
Buffalo Bills	20-1	With Miami and New England in the picture, Buffalo needs a miracle.
NFC
New York Giants	2-1	One of the most underrated teams in the NFL, New York could surprise a lot of people in the postseason.
Washington Redskins	10-1	Not playing great football as of late; might be the end of Washington's run.
Green Bay Packers	7-1	Tough test against Minnesota but should be able to come away with the win.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	7-1	A must-win game against New Orleans to stay in the hunt.
Minnesota Vikings	20-1	The Vikings are spiraling down after a hot start; won't recover.
New Orleans Saints	50-1	Drew Brees needs to throw a few Hail Mary's, and so do the Saints, if they're going to have a hope at a wild-card spot.

Week 16 Game to Watch: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens

There are plenty of good games to watch in Week 16, from the Packers vs. Vikings to the Colts vs. Raiders, but let's be serious for a second. Who isn't excited about watching two playoff contenders in the same division facing off in a heated rivalry for bragging rights and an edge in the playoff race?

The Steelers vs. Ravens could be one of the best games of the 2016-2017 season, and it couldn't come at a better time. 

The AFC North Division is up for grabs, and tensions will be running high as the Steelers are coming off an impressive 24-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals while the Ravens narrowly escaped the clutches of the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-26, in Week 15.

Both teams' offenses have had their moments this season, looking like the cream of the crop in the NFL. When Joe Flacco feels the need to air it out, few quarterbacks in the league have the arm strength to make every type of throw. While he may be inconsistent at times, Flacco does one thing and one thing often: He shows up when it's time for the playoffs. 

On the other side of the field, the Steelers have, arguably, the best offense in the AFC when healthy.

With the likes of Ben Roehtlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell, few teams can line up a trio of players on the offensive side of the ball that can change the game with one play.

Even though Bell missed three games due to suspension at the start of the season and was recovering from a knee injury that ended his season a year ago, he hasn't missed a beat and has put up some incredible numbers en route to giving his team a legitimate shot at the playoffs.

But perhaps no performance was better than his Week 14 outing against the Bills, where Bell single-handedly carried Pittsburgh past Buffalo.

While this matchup is a must-win game for both sides, losing doesn't necessarily knock either team out of the playoff picture.

If the Bills can beat the Dolphins this weekend, Miami would fall to 9-6, which would be the same record as both teams would have if the Ravens beat the Steelers. And if the Chiefs can beat the Broncos and drop them to 8-7, and the Titans lose to the Jaguars, then it would essentially become a two-horse race between the Ravens/Steelers and the Dolphins for the sixth and final spot in the AFC's playoffs.

Oh, how chaotic Week 17 can be with the amount of scenarios still possible. Who would have thought that the Titans would even have a shot at the playoffs this season, let alone a legitimate shot at a wild-card spot with a win in Week 16?

It's the ultimate game of wait-and-see, and NFL fans can't wait to get this weekend's slate of games going. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.