NFL Playoff Scenarios: Looking at NFC East and NFL's Tightest Races

With just one week left in the 2011 NFL season, there are still a handful of playoff spots to be decided.

Let's take a quick look at every playoff position that hasn't been claimed and the teams in the running to secure them: 

NFC East

It's as cut and dry in the NFC East as you're going to get. Whoever wins Sunday's game between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys goes to the playoffs as the NFC East winner.

No other scenario exists.

AFC North

It's a pretty simple scenario in the AFC North as well. If the Baltimore Ravens beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, they are the division champions. If they lose, and if the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh is the division champion.

Regardless of who wins the division, the winner will secure a first-round bye.

AFC West

Again, there are no crazy scenarios out west. The Denver Broncos can win the division with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs or an Oakland Raiders loss to the San Diego Chargers.

The Raiders, on the other hand, can win the division by beating the Chargers and having the Chiefs beat the Broncos. The winner of the division would be the AFC's No. 4 seed. 

AFC No. 6 Seed

Four teams are in play for the final wild-card spot in the AFC—the Bengals, the Tennessee Titans, the New York Jets and the Raiders.

The Bengals can clinch the spot with a win over the Ravens. However, as long as either both the Jets and Raiders lose or both the Jets and Broncos lose, they can still get in if the Ravens win.

Meanwhile, the Raiders can get a wild-card spot with a win, as long as the Bengals and the Titans lose or the Bengals lose and Jets win.

The Titans need a win over the Houston Texans and a Bengals loss, plus a Jets loss, plus Raiders loss. On the other hand, if the Jets win and Broncos lose or if the Jets lose and the Raiders and Broncos win, the Titans could sneak in.

That being said, it's the Jets who might have the hardest scenario. Rex Ryan and company need to beat the Miami Dolphins and see either the Bengals, Raiders and Titans all lose or the Bengals, Broncos and Titans all lose.