Week 16 NFL Playoff Picture, AFC, NFC Bracket Scenarios Ahead of Saturday's Games

Week 16 got underway with a huge NFC West showdown between the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams. The matchup didn't just determine who holds first place in the division, but it also gave the winner the inside track for the NFC's No. 1 seed.

Seattle pulled off an epic comeback, erasing a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit and winning on an overtime two-point conversion.

While the Seahawks have taken over the race for the NFC's No. 1 seed, the path to the playoffs is far from settled. Let's dive into the current standings and examine this weekend's playoff scenarios before Saturday's schedule gets underway.

AFC Playoff Picture

AP Photo/Jack Dempsey

Broncos head coach Sean Payton

Division Leaders

1. x-Denver Broncos (12-2, AFC West)

2. New England Patriots (11-3, AFC East)

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4, AFC South)

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6, AFC North)

A full list of clinching scenarios can be found at NFL.com, but there aren't too many at the top of the AFC playoff race. The Denver Broncos currently control the top seed and can clinch the NFC West this weekend with a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars and a loss by the Los Angeles Chargers.

However, Denver is unlikely to actually clinch the No. 1 seed this week. The Broncos would need a win, along with losses by the Chargers, New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills.

The Patriots can clinch a playoff spot with a win or tie against the Baltimore Ravens. If the Jaguars beat Denver, they can clinch a playoff berth with losses by the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans. However, the Jaguars, Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers aren't in positions to clinch division titles this week.

The Steelers are -130 (bet $130 to win $100) to make the playoffs, while the Jaguars are -10000, and the Patriots do not carry odds to get in. New England is +20000 (bet $100 to win $20,000) to miss the postseason.

Wild Card Teams

5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-4)

6. Buffalo Bills (10-4)

7. Houston Texans (9-5)

The Bills remain in the AFC East mix after beating New England in Week 15. That game could have clinched the division for the Patriots, but they'll have to wait at least another week for another shot to secure it.

Buffalo, meanwhile, can clinch a playoff spot with a win or tie, plus a loss by Indianapolis or Houston. Similarly, the Chargers can secure a playoff berth with a win or tie, plus a loss by Houston or Indianapolis.

The Texans would hold a wild-card spot if the season ended today, but they do not have a clinching scenario this week. Fortunately, they don't face elimination either. Houston could also take the top spot in the AFC South with a win and a Jaguars loss.

The Bills are +9000 to miss the playoffs, while the Chargers and Texans are -4000 and -10000 to make the postseason, respectively.

In the Hunt

8. Indianapolis Colts (8-6)

9. Baltimore Ravens (7-7)

Neither the Colts nor the Baltimore Ravens can clinch this week. Baltimore has to beat Pittsburgh in Week 18 to have a shot at the postseason and likely needs to win two of its last three. Winning out would give the Ravens the AFC North.

The Colts could potentially win their three remaining games and still miss out on the postseason, though they would only have a two-percent chance of missing the playoffs in that scenario, according to Ryan Best and Austin Mock of The Athletic. However, a loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday would raise Indy's chances of missing the playoffs to 59 percent, even if the Colts went on to win their final two games.

Baltimore is +110 to reach the playoffs, while Indianapolis is +700.

Eliminated

10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-8)

11. Miami Dolphins (6-8)

12. Cincinnati Bengals (4-10)

13. New York Jets (3-11)

14. Cleveland Browns (3-11)

15. Tennessee Titans (2-12)

16. Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)

x-clinched playoffs

NFC Playoff Picture

AP Photo/Brynn Anderson

Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald

Division Leaders

1. x-Seattle Seahawks (12-3, NFC West)

2. Chicago Bears (10-4, NFC North)

3. Philadelphia Eagles (9-5, NFC East)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7, NFC South)

Seattle clinched a playoff spot on Thursday, but it cannot clinch the No. 1 seed this week. In fact, we might not see the top seed decided until the final week. One loss could open the door for the Chicago Bears, Rams and 49ers.

The Rams and 49ers are still alive in the NFC West too. However, the Philadelphia Eagles can clinch the NFC East this week with a win or a loss by the Dallas Cowboys. The Bears can clinch a postseason berth with a win over the Green Bay Packers and a loss by the Detroit Lions, though no one can clinch the NFC North this week.

No one can clinch the NFC South either, though Sunday's battle between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers will determine first place. Those two will meet again in Week 18.

The Eagles are +5500 to miss the playoffs, while the Bears and Bucs are -370 and -435, respectively, to make the postseason.

Wild Card Teams

5. x-Los Angeles Rams (11-4)

6. San Francisco 49ers (10-4)

7. Green Bay Packers (9-4-1)

The Rams are already in the playoffs and still have a shot at the NFC's top seed. However, L.A. will need to win its last two games while getting Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle to each lose one.

According to The Athletic, the Rams will have a 34-percent chance of claiming the top seed if they take care of business on their end.

The 49ers can also claim the No. 1 seed by winning out. San Francisco beat Seattle at the beginning of the season and split the series with Los Angeles, so tiebreakers are on the 49ers' side.

San Francisco can also clinch a playoff spot with a win this week, and it only faces a 14-percent chance of missing the postseason if it doesn't win another game. The Packers can also clinch with a win this week and would retake the top spot in the NFC North by doing so.

The Packers and 49ers are -800 and -10000 to make the playoffs, respectively.

In the Hunt

8. Detroit Lions (8-6)

9. Carolina Panthers (7-7)

10. Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)

The hunt is where things get really interesting in the NFC. The Detroit Lions feel like a legitimate contender but are +145 to make the playoffs and could potentially miss the playoffs even by winning out.

One loss over the final three games will drop Detroit's chances of missing the postseason to at least 60 percent.

The Panthers, meanwhile, are +330 to make the playoffs. If they win both games against Tampa Bay, they'll win the NFC South. If they lose either game, they'll have roughly a 50-percent chance of missing the postseason because Tampa owns tiebreakers.

The Cowboys are the only "in-the-hunt" squad that can be eliminated this week, and even if they win out, they only have a four-percent chance of making the playoffs. If the Eagles beat the Washington Commanders on Saturday, Dallas will be eliminated before it next takes the field.

Eliminated

11. Minnesota Vikings (6-8)

12. Atlanta Falcons (5-9)

13. New Orleans Saints (4-10)

14. Washington Commanders (4-10)

15. Arizona Cardinals (3-11)

16. New York Giants (2-12)

x-clinched playoffs

*Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook

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