NFL Playoff Picture Week 16: Reviewing Latest Bracket Scenarios for AFC, NFC

With no game being played on Thursday Night Football, we won't have any new information on potential playoff berths until the weekend.

There are four teams in the AFC and three teams in the NFC in the hunt for a playoff spot.

Perhaps the most surprising is that—some way, somehow—the Miami Dolphins still have a chance. It's a small chance, but a chance nonetheless.

A few of these teams on the outside looking in have tough opponents in Week 16—the Oakland Raiders are at the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Dolphins are at the Kansas City Chiefs.

Not only that, but two of the NFC teams on the outside looking in are facing off this week: The Seattle Seahawks at the Dallas Cowboys.

Saturday will feature the Baltimore Ravens and the Minnesota Vikings—two teams who are fighting for different placements in the playoff picture.

Let's examine some different playoff scenarios as we approach seasons end.

Week 16 Conference Standings

AFC

1. New England Patriots (11-3)

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3)

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4)

4. Kansas City Chiefs (8-6)

5. Tennessee Titans (8-6)

6. Buffalo Bills (8-6)

7. Baltimore Ravens (8-6)

8. Los Angeles Chargers (7-7)

9. Oakland Raiders (6-8)

10. Miami Dolphins (6-8)

NFC

1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2)

2. Minnesota Vikings (11-3)

3. Los Angeles Rams (10-4)

4. New Orleans Saints (10-4)

5. Carolina Panthers (10-4)

6. Atlanta Falcons (9-5)

7. Detroit Lions (8-6)

8. Seattle Seahawks (8-6)

9. Dallas Cowboys (8-6)

If the Playoffs Started Now

As you can see above, if the playoffs started now, the Patriots, following a Week 15 win at the Steelers, would own the No. 1 seed in the AFC. As far as the No. 1 seed in the NFC, the Eagles may be without starting quarterback Carson Wentz, but they own the best record in the NFL at 12-2.

As far as matchups, this is what we'd see:

AFC: Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars; Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs.

NFC: Atlanta Falcons at Los Angeles Rams; Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints.

Besides the Patriots and Eagles, the Steelers and the Vikings would also own a first-round bye.

Scenarios to Watch For 

Bills Lose Once And They're Out

Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images

Over the next two weeks, the Bills face the Patriots and the Dolphins, respectively, and both on the road.

Should the Bills lose either of those games, they're automatically out of the playoffs. That's it. It's a wrap.

Of course, going into New England to try to down the Patriots is a monstrous task, but when you factor in a loss earlier this season in Buffalo while only scoring a field goal, the picture is that much more bleak.

With supreme confidence, it's safe to say it is highly unlikely the Bills will be in the Super Bowl hunt in 2017.

Panthers Win and They're In

Just as the headline reads, should the Panthers down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home in Week 16, they've booked themselves a one-way ticket to the grandest dance of them all: The NFL postseason.

It's that simple.

The Buccaneers looked good on Monday Night Football in Week 15 in a loss to the Falcons, so this may not be as big a layup as we think.

With that said, a simple win and the Panthers and quarterback Cam Newton are in.

Dolphins Win Out and Multiple Games Go Their Way

At 6-8, the Dolphins aren't dead yet, but close.

This is a whacky scenario, but it's still alive.

First, the Dolphins need to win out and go 8-8. On their way there, they'll need to beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium and defeat the Bills at home.

OK, this is where it gets a little whacky.

In Week 16, they would need the Bills, Rams and Indianapolis Colts to win; in Week 17, they would need the Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals and Raiders to win.

If those half-dozen games go that way, the Dolphins will make the playoffs.

This includes upsets like the Bills beating the Patriots in Foxborough, the Colts beating the Ravens in Baltimore and the Bengals beating the Ravens.

Something tells me it's more likely this won't happen, but football is not easy to predict.

Ravens Win Out

Over the next two weeks, the Ravens will host the Colts in Week 16 and the Bengals in Week 17.

Should they win both of those games, the Ravens are in.

Now, both the Colts and Bengals have two have the most inept offenses in the league.

With that said, the Ravens offense isn't known for lighting up the scoreboard on a consistent basis.

However, the Ravens defense is good enough that they should be able to take care of these two teams.

As far as a win-out situation goes, the Ravens have one of the easier ones you could think of as we approach the witching hour on the NFL regular season.

Can the Chargers Make the Comeback?

After starting the season 0-4, it appeared to be over for the Chargers.

Let's face it, there's only been one other team in NFL history to start the season 0-4 and make the playoffs, so it's nearly impossible for the Chargers to do it.

Only, wait a minute—the only team to do it was the Chargers.

Can they repeat their own history?

Like many of the teams on the outside looking in this year, it's not looking good, but it's still possible.

It may be a given, but the easiest route to the playoffs starts with the Chargers winning the remainder of their games, which are at the New York Jets and at home to the Oakland Raiders.

From there, the Chargers would need wins from the Dolphins, Titans and Ravens in Week 16, followed by a Broncos win in Week 17.

The Ravens win shouldn't be all that difficult as we laid out above, but the Dolphins beating the Chiefs at Arrowhead? The Titans hosting and beating the Rams? The Broncos beating the Chiefs at Mile High?

That's a whole other animal.

Either way, considering their start, the Chargers did well this season. If they make the postseason, they will be a team to watch—they have enough pieces in place to go far.

Scenarios courtesy of the New York Times and Randall Liu, NFL's Senior Director of Football Communications.