Week 17 NFL Playoff Picture, AFC, NFC Bracket Scenarios After Saturday's Games

The Houston Texans became the sixth AFC team to clinch a postseason berth with their Saturday win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Houston also moved in front of the Chargers in a rearrangement of the AFC wild-card spots that allowed the Buffalo Bills to jump to No. 5.

With Houston's win, only two postseason spots remain up for grabs through the AFC North and NFC South divisional titles.

The Pittsburgh Steelers can book their postseason spot on Sunday with a win over the Cleveland Browns. Pittsburgh was unable to clinch the AFC North crown on Saturday night because the Baltimore Ravens beat the Green Bay Packers.

Green Bay's loss did allow the Chicago Bears to secure the NFC North title.

The Bears can now set their sights on the No. 1 seed with two regular-season games remaining.

AFC Standings

AP Photo

Division Leaders

1 Denver Broncos (13-3; clinched AFC West)

2. New England Patriots (12-3; clinched playoff berth)

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4; clinched playoff berth)

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)

Houston's win allowed the Denver Broncos to clinch the AFC West crown.

Denver's Week 18 matchup with the Chargers still has meaning, though, because the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC could still be on the line for the Broncos.

Denver needs losses by the New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills on Sunday to secure the No. 1 seed in Week 17.

New England must win and get a Buffalo loss to land the AFC East title on Sunday.

Jacksonville has to wait until Week 18 to clinch the AFC South due to Houston's victory.

The Pittsburgh Steelers need a win on Sunday to avoid a winner-take-all Week 18 matchup with the Ravens for the AFC North.

Wild-Card Race

5. Buffalo Bills (11-4; clinched playoff berth)

6. Houston Texans (11-4; clinched playoff berth)

7. Los Angeles Chargers (11-4; clinched playoff berth)

Buffalo is ahead of Houston and Los Angeles for now in the race for the No. 5 seed.

The Bills have a tough matchup at home with the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon.

Houston, still alive in the AFC South, needs to beat the Indianapolis Colts and have the Jags lose to the Tennessee Titans in Week 18 to win the division.

The Chargers are left fighting for seeding since they can't win the AFC West.

In the Hunt

9. Baltimore Ravens (8-8)

Baltimore did its job to stay alive in the AFC North. The Ravens benefited from a four-touchdown night out of Derrick Henry to beat Green Bay.

The Ravens need the Browns to beat the Steelers to avoid elimination.

Eliminated

8. Indianapolis Colts (8-8)

10. Miami Dolphins (6-9)

11. Kansas City Chiefs (6-10)

12. Cincinnati Bengals (5-10)

13. New York Jets (3-12)

14. Tennessee Titans (3-12)

15. Cleveland Browns (3-12)

16. Las Vegas Raiders (2-13)

NFC Standings

AP Photo

Division Leaders

1 Seattle Seahawks (12-3; clinched playoff berth)

2. Chicago Bears (11-4; clinched NFC North)

3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5; clinched NFC East)

4. Carolina Panthers (8-7)

The Chicago Bears clinched the NFC North title with Green Bay's loss to Baltimore.

Chicago's Sunday night clash with the San Francisco 49ers is still meaningful to the franchise because it could still obtain the No. 1 seed.

The Seattle Seahawks visit the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Only the winner of that game has an opportunity to clinch their divisional title.

Seattle needs a win combined with losses by the Los Angeles Rams and 49ers to win the NFC West in Week 17.

Carolina must beat Seattle and get a Tampa Bay Buccaneers loss to secure the NFC South before their head-to-head battle in Week 18.

The Philadelphia Eagles are just playing for seeding after they clinched the NFC East in Week 16.

Wild-Card Race

5. San Francisco 49ers (11-4; clinched playoff berth)

6. Los Angeles Rams (11-4; clinched playoff berth)

7. Green Bay Packers (9-5-1; clinched playoff berth)

Green Bay became the sixth team to lock into the NFC playoff field on Thursday thanks to the Detroit Lions' loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Green Bay is locked into a wild-card spot after its loss to Baltimore.

San Francisco and Los Angeles both have eyes on the NFC West title and the No. 1 overall seed. Both teams already clinched playoff berths. Neither the 49ers nor Rams can secure the NFC West title until Week 18.

In The Hunt

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)

Tampa Bay's only path to the postseason is through the NFC South title.

The Buccaneers must at least match the Panthers' Week 17 result to make the Week 18 matchup with Carolina for the NFC South.

Eliminated

8. Minnesota Vikings (8-8)

9. Detroit Lions (8-8)

10. Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1)

12. Atlanta Falcons (6-9)

13. New Orleans Saints (5-10)

14. Washington Commanders (4-12)

15. Arizona Cardinals (3-12)

16. New York Giants (2-13)