NFL Playoff Picture Week 16: AFC, NFC Scenarios for Chargers, Eagles and More

Two AFC playoff hopefuls started Week 16 on the right foot.

Maintaining their postseason hopes with a 25-16 win over Washington, the Tennessee Titans also officially eliminated the Cleveland Browns while limiting Saturday's opponents to minuscule hopes of stealing an NFC wild-card spot. Later in the evening, the Baltimore Ravens maintained the final seat by beating the Los Angeles Chargers. Tied for the No. 6 seed at 9-6, they could claim their respective divisions.

Saturday's results place pressure on the Pittsburgh Steelers, who would drop from division leader to out in the cold by losing to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

Eighteen teams remain mathematically in play, but three clubs (Washington, Miami Dolphins and Carolina Panthers) are long shots who need multiple things to swing their way. Sunday's slate could knock them all out and present clearer scenarios for the final gameweek.

Week 16 Playoff Picture

AFC 

1. Kansas City Chiefs (11-3)

2. Houston Texans (10-4)

3. New England Patriots (9-5)

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5-1)

5. Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)

6. Baltimore Ravens (9-6)

In the Hunt

7. Tennessee Titans (9-6)

8. Indianapolis Colts (8-6)

9. Miami Dolphins (7-7)

NFC

1. New Orleans Saints (12-2)

2. Los Angeles Rams (11-3)

3. Chicago Bears (10-4)

4. Dallas Cowboys (8-6)

5. Seattle Seahawks (8-6)

6. Minnesota Vikings (7-6-1)

In the Hunt

7. Philadelphia Eagles (7-7)

8. Washington Redskins (7-8)

9. Carolina Panthers (6-8)

Chargers' Division Hopes Fall to Low Battery

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The Los Angeles Chargers already fortified a playoff spot before Saturday's 22-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Yet Week 16's shortcoming will likely relegate them to the wild card.

Since the Kansas City Chiefs boast a better division record (4-1) than the Chargers (3-2), they can lock down the AFC West by defeating the Seattle Seahawks—who can clinch a wild-card bid with a win—on Sunday. That would fasten the Chargers into the No. 5 seed, forcing them to open on the road against a division winner with an inferior record.

L.A. should still be treated as a viable Super Bowl contender without the luxury of hosting duties. The Chargers are 6-1 away from home, with triumphs over the Chiefs, Steelers—currently their Wild Card Round opponent—and Seahawks. They have yet to lose outside of Los Angeles, as the Rams claim responsibility for that lone defeat.

Should the Chiefs stumble versus the Seahawks and Oakland Raiders, the Chargers could still snag the division and the No. 1 seed.

They conclude their season with a road tilt against the Denver Broncos, who started a short-lived playoff surge by upsetting the Chargers in Week 11. Consecutive losses to the San Francisco 49ers and Browns, however, reframed them as a vulnerable opponent playing with no postseason ramifications.

Quarterback Philip Rivers hasn't missed a game since 2005, so look for the fiery signal-caller to at least make a Week 17 cameo even if Kansas City robs the season finale of any stakes. Yet it would allow the Chargers to rest Melvin Gordon and Keenan Allen, who are respectively dealing with knee and hip injuries.

If the Steelers lose to the Saints, the Chargers would likely draw a first-round rematch with the Ravens, who could then secure the AFC North by handling the Browns at M&T Bank Stadium.

Can Nick Foles Fly Eagles Back to Playoffs?

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The Philadelphia Eagles looked done in Week 15.

After losing a pivotal NFC East clash to the Dallas Cowboys, they then lost quarterback Carson Wentz to a back injury. This came right before a Sunday Night Football road bout against the Los Angeles Rams, who were heavily favored to block a championship defense.

Hours after Dallas got shut out by the Indianapolis Colts, the Eagles rallied behind Nick Foles to pull off a 30-23 upset. Per FiveThirtyEight, their odds of reaching the playoffs have soared to 41 percent.

Having dropped both games to Dallas, Philadelphia's slim chance of securing the division (5 percent) hinges on a pair of victories over the Houston Texans and Washington while the Cowboys fall to both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Giants. They should instead set their sights on the wild card, as the Minnesota Vikings close the season against the Chicago Bears.

If the Vikings slip once, the Eagles jump into the driver's seat for the final spot. Carolina has waved the white flag on 2018 by shutting down Cam Newton, and FiveThirtyEight slashed Washington's playoff chances to 4 percent following Saturday's loss.

The Eagles must first worry about defeating the 10-4 Texans, who are grappling for a first-round bye in the AFC. And even if they make it through the season, don't expect a Super Bowl repeat.

Courtesy of NBC Sports Philadelphia's Reuben Frank, Foles dismissed drawing a parallel to last season's title run.

"No, it's different," Foles said. "It's a different moment. If you start thinking that way, you're going to get lost in it all. It's a totally different scenario. Last year, we were one of the top teams in the NFL. This year, we're fighting. We're fighting to get into the hunt. We're in the moment, but we have to fight."

While a depleted secondary held up surprisingly well in Week 15, the Eagles have leaked the NFL's second-most passing yards per game (280.8). Foles does not have the same supporting cast as last year, and they are 2-5 against teams with winning records. Simply salvaging a disappointing campaign with a playoff bid would represent a victory.

Rams at Risk of Losing 1st-Round Bye

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Once the last undefeated team standing, the Rams likely won't have the same luxury of resting starters afforded to them late last year.

Since they suffered their first shortcoming to the Saints, they can only clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC bracket with considerable help. While the Rams should snap a two-game losing streak to dispatch the 3-11 Arizona Cardinals and 4-10 49ers to close out the regular season, the NFC South winners are less likely to lend a helping hand by falling to both the Steelers and Panthers.

The No. 2 seed is also far from a formality following Week 14's 15-6 loss to the Bears. If the Rams take their foot off the gas and fall short to either feeble NFC West foe, the NFC North champions can poach a bye by upending the 49ers and Vikings.

The Rams' loss at Soldier Field highlights the significance of avoiding a playoff rematch in the same setting. Jared Goff, who torpedoed his MVP chances by throwing one touchdown and seven picks in the past three games, fares far better when playing in Los Angeles.

The California native has posted a 69.3 completion percentage and 115.2 quarterback rating at home compared to a 59.0 completion percentage and 78.9 quarterback rating on the road.

Returning to Chicago in January won't go well for Goff, who has thrown five picks and no scores in his only two games below 40 degrees this season. Facing the NFC's premier defense in a venue where they are 7-1 wouldn't help either.

Despite this urgency, it still may behoove the Rams to sit Todd Gurley, whose Week 16 availability remains uncertain because a knee injury:

Per OddsShark, the Rams are 14-point favorites at Arizona. As proved by James Conner, Justin Jackson and Damien Williams, even elite running backs are replaceable if placed in the right environment.

John Kelly and a recently signed C.J. Anderson can get the job done against the NFL's 30th-ranked rushing defense. Regardless of the location, they will need a fully healthy Gurley to survive the Bears and/or Saints in January.