NFL Playoff Scenarios 2014-15: AFC, NFC Picture, Wildcard Odds Before Week 17

Only two spots are still available in the NFL playoffs, but almost every Week 17 game still has some sort of playoff implication.

Some teams will spend Sunday fighting for a wild-card berth. Others will try to improve their seeding. Meanwhile, there are a bunch of teams who have nothing to gain except pride.

All of this comes together to create an exciting week of football where almost every play matters. This means you better be ready with the remote control to keep track of all the action.

Here is a breakdown of the NFL playoff picture heading into the final week of the season with a deep look at the most important things to watch.

Winner-Take-All Games

Week 17 resembles conference title week from college football thanks to three different games that will directly decide division races:

The most intriguing one might be the matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers. Neither of these teams will finish with a winning record, but one of them will end up with a home game in the playoffs.

As Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight notes, it's a stretch to say one of these squads is deserving of a playoff spot:

However, the rules of the NFL are there for a reason, and one of them will luck out. Considering the Falcons are already 5-0 in the division and are playing at home, the odds have to be in their favor.

The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions will also compete for a title, although both squads will be in the playoffs no matter what. Still, a win could represent the difference between a No. 2 seed and a No. 6 seed, so the game remains important.

This is not good news for the Lions, which haven't won in Green Bay since 1991.

In the AFC North, both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals have clinched playoff berths, but the head-to-head matchup will decide which team wins the division. After the Bengals earned an impressive win over the Denver Broncos Monday night, they should feel confident in another prime-time battle on Sunday.

AFC Wild Card

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Four teams are fighting for just a single spot in the AFC, and it is certain to make things interesting.

The race starts with the battle between the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs. The Chargers have the easiest path to the playoffs; all they have to do is win and they are in.

Considering Philip Rivers has found a way to keep his squad alive with comeback victories multiple times this year, it's hard to count out the veteran quarterback at any point.

Of course, there are a bunch of other teams rooting against him. This includes the Baltimore Ravens, who would get in with a win over the Cleveland Browns and a San Diego loss. Receiver Torrey Smith understands the stakes for the weekend:

In the event the Chargers and Ravens both lose, the Houston Texans are next on the depth chart. After beating Baltimore last week, Houston is in good position to finish 9-7 if it can win at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Finally, it can all come back to the Chiefs if they beat the Chargers and the Ravens and Texans falter in Week 17. The odds are not great, but they can at least take care of one part of the equation with their own win.

Seeding

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The New England Patriots have a nice break in Week 17 after clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. They can relax for the next two weeks until having to go to work in the divisional round.

Conversely, the Denver Broncos actually have to do work Sunday after losing to the Bengals Monday night. Jeff Darlington of NFL.com breaks down the possibilities for the second bye:

No matter what happens, the Indianapolis Colts will remain in the No. 4 seed after losing to the Steelers earlier in the year.

In the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks are in the top position for the No. 1 seed if they can win. On the other hand, a loss leaves the door open for the Arizona Cardinals to take control of the NFC West with a win of their own, knocking the Seahawks down to a wild-card spot.

Meanwhile, the winner of the NFC North battle between the Packers and Lions is likely to get the second bye and could even get the first overall seed with a Seahawks loss.

The Dallas Cowboys could potentially get the No. 1 seed with a win, a Cardinals loss and a tie between the Packers and Lions. However, the most likely scenario is the team finishes with the No. 3 seed after already securing the NFC East title.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.