NFL Playoff Picture Week 16: Latest AFC, NFC Standings and Bracket Scenarios

It's rough watching late-season collapses happen to players who work so hard throughout the year. However, a team in each conference will begin or continue to slide in the standings before the year is out. What playoff scenarios should we consider going into Week 16?

It's not how clubs start; it's the way they finish. Looking at the schedules, a couple of teams face tough opponents in the final two gameweeks. We can quibble on whether it's a meltdown, but we are going to see strong competition separate pretenders from contenders. As a result, a less deserving club may sneak into the postseason. But who will make it?

Based on projections, it's almost safe to lock in one playoff matchup for the Wild Card Round.

Let's examine the standings, postseason picture and go through a few strong predictions for January.

Current AFC Playoff Scenarios

1. New England Patriots (11-3, first-round Bye)

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3, first-round Bye)

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4, vs. Buffalo Bills) 

4. Kansas City Chiefs (8-6 vs. Tennessee Titans) 

5. Tennessee Titans (8-6 vs. Kansas City Chiefs) 

6. Buffalo Bills (8-6 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars) 

7. Baltimore Ravens (8-6) 

8. Los Angeles Chargers (7-7)

9. Oakland Raiders (6-8)

10. Miami Dolphins (6-8)

11. New York Jets (5-9) 

12. Cincinnati Bengals (5-9)

13. Denver Broncos (5-9) 

14. Houston Texans (4-10)

15. Indianapolis Colts (3-11) 

16. Cleveland Browns (0-14)

Current NFC Playoff Scenarios

1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2, first-round bye)

2. Minnesota Vikings (11-3, first-round bye) 

3. Los Angeles Rams (10-4, vs. Atlanta Falcons) 

4. New Orleans Saints (10-4, vs. Carolina Panthers)

5. Carolina Panthers (10-4, vs. New Orleans Saints) 

6. Atlanta Falcons (9-5, vs. Los Angeles Rams)

7. Detroit Lions (8-6) 

8. Seattle Seahawks (8-6) 

9. Dallas Cowboys (8-6) 

10. Green Bay Packers (7-7) 

11. Washington Redskins (6-8) 

12. Arizona Cardinals (6-8) 

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-10) 

14. San Francisco 49ers (4-10)

15. Chicago Bears (4-10) 

16. New York Giants (2-12) 

Postseason Picture Predictions

Tennessee Titans Fall to 8-8 

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

You could see this one coming a mile away. The Tennessee Titans lost consecutive games to the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers. They will face playoff-caliber clubs in the Los Angeles Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars to finish the season.

Despite holding the No. 5 seed, there's a good chance the Titans' year ends on a sour note with a four-game losing streak en route to 8-8. The offense doesn't have enough firepower to outscore the Rams. The toughness seen in Week 3 to beat the Seattle Seahawks seems like a distant memory. 

After the 25-23 loss to the 49ers, wideout Rishard Matthews spoke about what he would like to see on offense moving forward, per ESPN.com reporter Cameron Wolfe: 

"I'd rather have Marcus calling the shots. There's proof in the success when that happens. I'd like to do no-huddle more. I know we'd all like to do it more. We definitely talk about it a lot. Sometimes we go into it a lot. Sometimes we don't. This game we stayed in it, and I feel like we were pretty good when were in it."

The aggressive no-huddle approach might work against teams like the Cardinals and 49ers, but the Titans will likely have to score at least 28 points to beat the Rams—something they haven't done since Week 6. Jacksonville's defense will overwhelm Tennessee in the regular-season finale.

Lock In a Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs AFC Wild-Card Matchup 

Larry French/Getty Images

Assuming the Titans fall to 8-8, one team on the outside looking in will take over a spot in the playoff picture. The Baltimore Ravens list as the next team up. Losses for Tennessee and the Buffalo Bills, who play the New England Patriots in Week 16, should shift the seeding after Sunday's action. 

The Ravens will take the No. 5 seed after a dominant showing against the Indianapolis Colts Saturday. They close the season at home against the Cincinnati Bengals, who have lost three consecutive games and will likely bring in a new head coach for the 2018 campaign, per ESPN's Adam Schefter: 

Baltimore's schedule clears the way for a 10-6 finish. The Kansas City Chiefs just need to beat the Miami Dolphins or the Denver Broncos, who may start Paxton Lynch in their final two games of the season, to win the AFC West title. 

In January, we are looking at the Chiefs hosting the Ravens in an AFC Wild Card Game. By the way, take Kansas City in that matchup.

Detroit Lions Sneak into the Playoffs 

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

How will the Detroit Lions clinch the No. 6 seed? Look at the schedules.

Despite holding a tiebreaker over the Lions, the Atlanta Falcons have a tough two-game slate to finish the year. Head coach Dan Quinn's group will go on the road to play the New Orleans Saints Sunday and follow up with the Carolina Panthers at home.

The NFC South title remains in play for all three teams mentioned above. New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara returned to action in Week 15 after dealing with a concussion, which will make it difficult for the Falcons to sweep the season series with the Saints.

After a loss, Atlanta would have to beat the Panthers in Week 17 to clinch a playoff berth over the Lions. Again, division sweeps don't come easily, but Carolina's defense matches up well with a Falcons offense that doesn't always live up to its potential.

The Lions will win their last two regular-season games, against the Bengals and the Green Bay Packers, who placed quarterback Aaron Rodgers on injured reserve Tuesday. With the Falcons losing out, Detroit clinches the No. 6 seed. Expect a matchup between the Lions and the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card Round.