NFL Playoff Picture Week 15: Full AFC, NFC Outlook and Predictions

With just three weeks remaining in the NFL regular season (can you believe that?), there are six teams that can clinch a playoff spot or an "advanced" playoff seeding.

Whether it's via a simple berth, the division title, or even a first-round bye or home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, there is only six: the Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Here, we'll look at the standings, lay out the clinching scenarios and also discuss the potential contenders who are on the outside of the playoffs looking in.

Let's get on with it.

NFL Playoff Picture 

AFC

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-2) 

2. New England Patriots (10-3)

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4) 

4. Kansas City Chiefs (7-6) 

5. Tennessee Titans (8-5) (Wild Card)

6. Buffalo Bills (7-6) (Wild Card)

7. Baltimore Ravens (7-6) 

8. Los Angeles Chargers (7-6) 

9. Oakland Raiders (6-7) 

10. Miami Dolphins (6-7) 

11. New York Jets (5-8) 

12. Cincinnati Bengals (5-8) 

13. Denver Broncos (5-9)

14. Houston Texans (4-9)  

15. Indianapolis Colts (3-11) 

16. Cleveland Browns (0-13) 

NFC 

1. Philadelphia Eagles (11-2) 

2. Minnesota Vikings (10-3) 

3. Los Angeles Rams (9-4) 

4. New Orleans Saints (9-4) 

5. Carolina Panthers (9-4) (Wild Card)

6. Atlanta Falcons (8-5) (Wild Card)

7. Seattle Seahawks (8-5) 

8. Detroit Lions (7-6) 

9. Green Bay Packers (7-6) 

1. Dallas Cowboys (7-6) 

11. Arizona Cardinals (6-7) 

12. Washington Redskins (5-8) 

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-8) 

14. Chicago Bears (4-9) 

15. San Francisco 49ers (3-10) 

16. New York Giants (2-11) 

AFC Week 15 Clinching Scenarios

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Pittsburgh Steelers 

Although the Steelers have already clinched a playoff spot, they have a chance to seal home-field advantage and/or a first-round bye throughout the playoffs in Week 15.

To clinch home-field advantage, the Steelers would need a win at home over the Patriots and a Jaguars loss or tie at home against the Texans.

The Steelers have two avenues to clinch a first-round bye. A simple win with nothing else attached would do it for the Steelers or if the Steelers tie and the Jaguars lose.

New England Patriots

Believe it or not, the Patriots have not technically clinched a playoff spot just yet. However, in Week 15, they could clinch a playoff berth and/or the AFC East Division title.

For the former, they need a Ravens loss or tie at the Browns. For the latter, they'll also clinch a playoff spot and the AFC East with a win or tie at the Steelers or the Bills losing or tying at home against the Dolphins.

There's a path either way to the playoffs for the Patriots should they win or lose.

Jacksonville Jaguars

In Week 15, the Jaguars cannot yet clinch the AFC South, but they have five avenues to clinching a playoff spot:

• Jaguars win
• Jaguars tie and the Bills lose or tie.
• Jaguars tie and the Ravens lose or tie.
• Bills and Ravens lose.
• Ravens lose and the Chiefs and Chargers game does not end in a tie. 

NFC Week 15 Clinching Scenarios

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Philadelphia Eagles

In Week 14, the Eagles clinched the NFC East Division with a road win over the Rams. However, the Eagles did lose quarterback Carson Wentz for the remainder of 2017 with a torn ACL. With that said, with Nick Foles, they can still, like the Steelers, clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs or a first-round bye.

Home-field advantage can be secured throughout with an Eagles win at the Giants and a Vikings loss hosting the Bengals.

A first-round bye is the other route. There are two scenarios. The easiest is a simple win in Week 15. The other is a bit more complex. All of the following elements must happen for this to happen:

• Eagles tie
• Rams loss or tie
• Saints loss or tie 
• Panthers loss of tie

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings are on the precipice of clinching the postseason. The can secure an NFC North title or simply a playoff berth.

For the NFC North title, the Vikings need to win or tie or they need the Lions and Packers to lose or tie.

There are five ways for the Vikings to have a seat at the table, though:

• Seahawks, Falcons and Saints loss
• Seahawks, Falcons and Panthers loss
• Seahawks, Falcons and Lions loss 
• Seahawks loss, Falcons tie, Saints loss and Lions loss or tie
• Seahawks loss, Falcons tie, Saints loss and Panthers loss

Los Angeles Rams

Despite a devastating loss in Week 14, there's one route for the Rams to clinch a playoff berth in Week 15, but it will take quite a few different dominos to fall in the right place.

The Rams would not only need to win, but they would need the Lions to lose or tie, the Packers to lose or tie, the Saints lose and the Falcons lose.

Quite the scenario, but still possible.

Other Contenders to Watch

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Los Angeles Chargers

Sitting as the eighth seed, the Chargers have come a long way since starting the season at 0-4. They're attempting to do something that only they themselves have done, but in 1992.

Coming up, the Chargers have two divisional matchups coming up against the Chiefs (Week 15) and the Raiders (Week 17). Other than that, in Week 16, the Chargers are on the road against the Josh McCown-less Jets.

Their journey begins this week. Should they win, they'll take over the division lead. Other than the Broncos, the Raiders, Chiefs and Chargers all have a chance to make it. The Chiefs and Chargers are both 7-6 and the Raiders, though they are 6-7, are in it, too.

The Chargers have a great offense and a great secondary with Trevor Williams and Casey Heyward. They also have perhaps the most dynamic pass-rushing duo of Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram.

With these players in place, the Chargers could be a dark horse in the playoffs should they make it in.

Green Bay Packers

This is really easy to figure out.

According to Aaron Rodgers himself on Twitter, he's back and ready to roll:

With Rodgers back in the fold, the Packers, although they are the ninth seed, are the most popular ninth seed in recent memory. 

The Packers have a tough schedule ahead of them on the road against the Panthers, at home against the Vikings and on the road against the Lions, respectively.

But hey, with Rodgers, I'm not going to count them out, and nor should you.

All clinching scenarios courtesy of NFL's Senior Director of Football Communications, Randall Liu.