NFL Playoff Scenarios 2014-15: AFC and NFC Bracket Picture Entering Week 16
Week 15 brought opportunities for many of the NFL's best to clinch their divisions, but a much clearer playoff picture should be produced after Week 16's action.
With that said, to say the battles for playoff berths and home-field advantage are tight with two weeks to play would be an understatement. Teams on the outside looking in can get back into the picture with just one key result, while others are a distasteful loss away from losing the chance to control their own destiny down the stretch.
Teams like the Patriots, Broncos, Cardinals and Colts are simply figuring out where they'll land in the playoff picture, but others have everything to play for. Here's what they've clinched so far.
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As we stand entering Week 16, let's look at how the postseason would shake out.
Note: NFL.com has organized a list of playoff-clinching scenarios. You can view it here.
NFC Playoff Scenarios
| AFC | |
| Denver Broncos | AFC West |
| Indianapolis Colts | AFC South |
| New England Patriots | AFC East |
| NFC | |
| Arizona Cardinals | Playoff Spot |
| ARI win | NFC West and Home-Field Advantage in NFC Playoffs |
| DET win & GB loss | NFC North |
| DET win, GB loss & DAL loss | NFC North and First-Round Bye |
| DET win | Playoff Spot |
| DET tie & PHI loss or tie | Playoff Spot |
| PHI loss | Playoff Spot |
| DAL win & PHI loss or tie | NFC East |
| DAL tie & PHI loss | NFC East |
| DAL win, GB loss or tie & DET loss or tie should both GB and DET not tie | Playoff Spot |
NFC Playoff Outlook
| SEA win & PHI loss or tie | Playoff Spot |
| SEA win & DET loss or tie | Playoff Spot |
| SEA win & GB loss or tie | Playoff Spot |
| SEA tie & PHI loss | Playoff Spot |
| SEA tie, DET loss & GB loss | Playoff Spot |
| PHI loss & DAL win or tie | Playoff Spot |
It's a two-game match of musical chairs for the two coveted NFC wild-card spots.
With the Cowboys and Eagles duking it out for the NFC East, the Packers and Lions in the North and Seattle vs. Arizona (the Cardinals having already clinched a playoff spot) possibly deciding the West, three division losers will be in the running for those two spots.
Up first, of course, is deciding who will take each division. And in the Cardinals' home game against the Seahawks, the scenario is quite simple—a win for Arizona will not only lock up the division but also guarantee home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
| GB win & PHI loss or tie | Playoff Spot |
| GB win & DAL win or tie | Playoff Spot |
| GB tie & PHI loss | Playoff Spot |
| GB tie, PHI tie & DAL win or tie | Playoff Spot |
| PHI loss & DAL win or tie | Playoff Spot |
As for the Seahawks, a win would bring them level in the West and clinch a playoff spot, so long as the Eagles, Lions or Packers lose.
The Cowboys got the win they needed in Week 15 over the Eagles, but their work is far from done. They need to stay in front of Philadelphia, which would win the tiebreaker if it eliminates the one-game deficit.
A Dallas win over Indianapolis and an ensuing Eagles loss would seal up the division for Tony Romo and Co. Even if Philly wins, a Cowboys victory and losses for the Packers and Lions would produce the same result. But ESPN's Skip Bayless noted why winning is far from a formality:
| NO win & CAR loss | NFC South |
After the Packers' loss in Buffalo last weekend, the NFC North looks like it will come down to a Week 17 matchup between Green Bay and Detroit. But should the Packers fall flat against Tampa Bay, the Lions can win the division with a victory.
If the Packers take care of business, however, an ensuing Eagles or Cowboys loss would clinch them at least a wild-card spot.
Not that the NFC South playoff race deserves much attention, but the Saints are in position to wrap up the garbage-fire divisional race before Week 17. To do that, New Orleans needs a win along with a Panthers loss.
Put any of these wild-card contenders—one of whom will miss out entirely—in the South, though, and it would've been decided weeks ago.
AFC Playoff Scenarios
| NE win & DEN loss | Home-Field Advantage in AFC Playoffs |
| NE win | First-Round Bye |
| NE tie & IND loss or tie | First-Round Bye |
| IND loss, CIN loss or tie, PIT loss or tie & BAL loss or tie | First-Round Bye |
| DEN win | First-Round Bye |
| DEN tie & IND loss or tie | First-Round Bye |
AFC Playoff Outlook
| CIN win, PIT loss & BAL loss or tie | AFC North |
| CIN win | Playoff Spot |
| CIN tie & BAL loss | Playoff Spot |
| CIN tie, KC loss or tie & SD loss or tie | Playoff Spot |
| KC loss, SD loss & BUF loss or tie | Playoff Spot |
Although the Colts, Patriots and Broncos all wrapped up division titles in Week 15, that's just step one for each team's hopes for the end of the regular season.
Up next is clinching a first-round bye, which the Broncos and Patriots have been in the driver's seat for all year. That's not changing now, as New England and Denver can both clinch with wins in Week 16.
The Broncos have a tough Monday Night Football matchup against Cincinnati, though, and a loss there would mean New England could wrap up the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage with a win of its own.
The Colts will need one of the two to lose along with a win in Dallas, and they'd need a similar result in Week 17. It's pretty safe to say Indianapolis can punch another ticket to Wild Card Weekend.
Where the AFC playoff hunt really gets juicy is in the North, where the Bengals can win the division with a win along with Steelers and Ravens losses. Pittsburgh can clinch a postseason spot with a win over Kansas City.
| PIT win | Playoff Spot |
The Ravens (9-5) can make it a clean sweep for the North in the wild-card race with a win, a Steelers win and a Chargers loss. Baltimore can also get in if the Steelers and Bengals both lose.
If one or all of these teams hit a roadblock in Week 16, expect the division to come down to a Week 17 tilt between the Steelers and Bengals—a seasoned playoff veteran in Ben Roethlisberger against Andy Dalton, looking to rebound from past playoff failures.
Don't sleep on a trio of teams right behind the main group, however. The Chargers, Bills and Chiefs all sit at 8-6 and just one game out of those final wild-card spots.
All three will need a win and some help in Week 16 to stay alive.
Whoever clinches one of those spots should be able to plan on soon paying a visit to Andrew Luck and the Colts in an enticing first-round playoff matchup. First, they will have to focus on what's in front of them; otherwise, some hungry teams behind them will be ready to pounce.
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