NFL Playoff Scenarios 2016: Wild-Card Picture, Postseason Bracket and Odds

The NFL regular season concluded following Sunday's Week 17 action, as 12 fortunate teams moved forward with the chance to pursue a Super Bowl 50 triumph.

A battle for the NFC North crown capped off the slate, pitting the Green Bay Packers against the Minnesota Vikings, with the Vikings winning 20-13. There are plenty of potential outcomes to ponder now that the playoff participants have been determined.

Let's take a look at the Super Bowl 50 odds, followed by Wild Card Round analysis framed around the most notable developments that unfolded in Sunday's regular-season finales.

Team	Odds
New England Patriots	+350
Arizona Cardinals	+350
Carolina Panthers	+500
Seattle Seahawks	+750
Denver Broncos	+1000
Kansas City Chiefs	+1400
Pittsburgh Steelers	+1600
Green Bay Packers	+1600
Cincinnati Bengals	+2000
Minnesota Vikings	+2800
Washington Redskins	+5500
Houston Texans	+6600

Wild Card Round Preview, Analysis

The conversation has to start with the Seattle Seahawks. They went to Arizona to take on a Cardinals team still with a chance for the No. 1 seed in the NFC and laid waste to their division rival 36-6.

Even though Seattle often draws a lot of strength from its "12th Man" home fans, it did just fine on Sunday and put in a performance to suggest it could clinch a third straight Super Bowl berth in the playoffs.

The following analysis from former Super Bowl-winning coach Tony Dungy is one of several reasons to take a lot of stock in the Seahawks' blowout:

Reputable as the Seahawks defense deservedly is, the team's surge in the second half of the season was brought on by the career-best play of quarterback Russell Wilson. It ultimately led to a record-setting 2015 campaign, per the NFL on ESPN:

Between the Packers' suddenly sputtering offense, the Vikings' collective inexperience, the egg Arizona laid in Week 17 and Washington coming out of a weak NFC East division, there's plenty of merit to believing in these Seahawks.

Stud cornerback Richard Sherman's postgame quote was succinct, but it summarized the consistent tradition of excellence that makes Seattle so dangerous moving forward:

The Carolina Panthers easily disposed of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38-10 to finish with a 15-1 record and right the ship. Carolina has a dual-threat signal-caller of its own in Cam Newton to counter Wilson and Co., along with a magnificent defense and the edge of home-field advantage.

While the first and last teams in for the NFC appear to have the most momentum and could well meet in the divisional round, the tables have turned to a large degree in the AFC.

The Denver Broncos got Peyton Manning back Sunday. He actually looked solid in leading four scoring drives on five possessions in a 27-20 win over the San Diego Chargers to give Denver the No. 1 seed.

ESPN's Cari Champion observed how Manning's presence gave his team an extra boost:

That game went a long way in determining who got to rest during Wild Card Weekend and who had to suit up.

It seems to be anyone's game in the Broncos' conference. Their AFC West rival, the Kansas City Chiefs, closed the year with 10 straight victories but will still hit the road to take on the 9-7 South champion Houston Texans.

The Cincinnati Bengals will host the Pittsburgh Steelers, who got in by beating the Cleveland Browns and on the steam of a New York Jets loss to the Buffalo Bills as well. Pittsburgh could get hot—and has the benefit of facing either inexperienced Bengals QB AJ McCarron or a banged-up Andy Dalton this coming weekend.

So don't be surprised if both road teams in the AFC wind up advancing through to take on the Broncos and New England Patriots.

The reigning Super Bowl champions backed into the playoffs after two straight losses and are banged-up but will have the Wild Card Round to rest before they commence guarding the Lombardi Trophy.