NFL Playoff Picture Week 16: Scenarios for AFC and NFC 2015 Postseason Matchups

We're coming down the home stretch in the NFL's regular season. 

The level of intrigue Week 16 will provide is filled with potential drama. The NFC East, for example, can be won by the Washington Redskins as long as they beat the Philadelphia Eagles. The Kansas City Chiefs can still win the AFC West despite starting the season 1-5.

Oh, and the Carolina Panthers are still doing good football things and can finish the regular season undefeated.

Here's an updated look at the playoff picture heading into the second-to-last week of the regular season as well as some clinching scenarios.

Seed	Team	Record
In The Hunt	Record	Record
1	New England Patriots	12-2
2	Cincinnati Bengals	11-3
3	Denver Broncos	10-4
4	Houston Texans	7-7
5	Kansas City Chiefs	9-5
6	Pittsburgh Steelers	9-5
7	New York Jets	9-5
8	Indianapolis Colts	6-8
9	Jacksonville Jaguars	5-9

Scenarios to Watch for in Week 16 Games

New England Patriots vs. New York Jets

It's a simple formula for the Patriots: Win, and they clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC; lose, and they wait another week.

But a loss means Week 17 becomes even more of a must-win for New England if it wants the road to Super Bowl 50 to go through Foxborough.

The Patriots aren't faced with an easy task on Sunday. They're facing a New York Jets team that has as much to play for as they do. New York needs a win over the Patriots to keep pace with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs for one of the two wild-card spots. 

Regardless of how this turns out, the Patriots have already assured themselves of a home playoff game. Whether that will be as the No. 1, 2 or even 3 seed remains to be seen.

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Denver Broncos

Andy Dalton's broken thumb could not have come at a worse time for the Cincinnati Bengals.

If Dalton were playing, the edge would go to Cincinnati in this one. Instead, AJ McCarron will need to do just enough in Denver to get this win. The Broncos, despite losing two heartbreaking games in a row to Oakland and Pittsburgh, find themselves faced with a golden opportunity. 

Should Denver win, it will move up to No. 2 and stay in the hunt for home-field advantage if New England loses out. The Broncos can also clinch the AFC West with a win and a Kansas City loss to the Cleveland Browns, which is hard to think would actually happen. If the Bengals find the wherewithal to win on Monday night, they clinch the AFC North and at least a first-round bye. 

Speaking of the Chiefs, they're still mathematically alive in the AFC West but would need to win out and hope the Broncos lose one of their two final games. Should the Chiefs win on Sunday, this Monday night game will be of the utmost importance.

Seed	Team	Record
In The Hunt	Team	Record
1	Carolina Panthers	14-0
2	Arizona Cardinals	12-2
3	Green Bay Packers	10-4
4	Washington Redskins	7-7
5	Seattle Seahawks	9-5
6	Minnesota Vikings	9-5
7	Atlanta Falcons	7-7
8	Philadelphia Eagles	6-8
9	New York Giants	6-8

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons

Despite sitting at 14-0, the Carolina Panthers have yet to clinch home-field advantage.

A win over the Falcons would do just that, and that's why Sunday is a must-win situation inside the Georgia Dome. The Arizona Cardinals, with two wins and two losses by Carolina, would clinch home-field advantage because of the conference win-loss percentage tiebreaker.

So, it's important that the Panthers at least win this week and do whatever with their starters in Week 17.

But for the Panthers to have the best chance of making the Super Bowl, they need two home playoff games at Bank of America Stadium. They shouldn't slip up against Atlanta, so this should be the week Carolina clinches the No. 1 seed.

Who would've thought an undefeated team would need to accomplish so much?

Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals wrapped up the NFC West, and they can also clinch at least a first-round bye if they beat the Packers in Glendale.

If Green Bay wins, then a win over Minnesota and a Cardinals loss to the Seattle Seahawks would mean the Packers clinch the NFC North and a first-round bye. A Packers win also means the Panthers clinch the No. 1 seed, even if Carolina somehow loses to Atlanta.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they're going to have to play this game without star safety Tyrann Mathieu, who is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. Advantage: Packers.

But this is sure to be an offensive explosion with plenty on the line.

New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings

Speaking of plenty on the line, here's a game that has a lot going on.

If the Eagles beat the Redskins, then the Giants would need to beat the Vikings to force a winner-take-all matchup for the NFC East title in MetLife Stadium.

Minnesota, meanwhile, needs to beat the Giants (or have the Packers lose to Arizona) to make the Vikings-Packers Week 17 matchup for the NFC North title.

What a time for Odell Beckham Jr. to be suspended.

The Giants' best player will not be on the field Sunday due to the helmet-to-helmet hit toward Panthers corner Josh Norman in Week 15. If there was a time for Eli Manning to turn back the clock and put together a historic performance, it is this Sunday.

If not, the Giants' season is over.