NFL Playoff Scenarios 2018-19: Wild-Card Picture, Postseason Bracket Post-Week 16

Four more teams officially secured a place in the postseason during a busy Week 16 slate around the NFL.

While a loss by the Miami Dolphins sealed the AFC East for the New England Patriots anyway, Tom Brady and Co. finished off a 24-12 victory over the Buffalo Bills. Additionally, the Dallas Cowboys clinched the NFC East, and both the Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks are in.

A couple of wild-card positions are still up for grabs, though. Behind the Los Angeles Chargers, the AFC lacks clarity because three other contenders added a notch in the win column.

Although clinching scenarios are clear, Week 17 will include several teams hoping for a win and some help.

Week 16 Results

Tennessee Titans 25, Washington 16

Baltimore Ravens 22, Los Angeles Chargers 10

Atlanta Falcons 24, Carolina Panthers 10

Cleveland Browns 26, Cincinnati Bengals 18

Dallas Cowboys 27, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20

Minnesota Vikings 27, Detroit Lions 9

Indianapolis Colts 28, New York Giants 27

Jacksonville Jaguars 17, Miami Dolphins 7

New England Patriots 24, Buffalo Bills 12

Green Bay Packers 44, New York Jets 38 (OT)

Philadelphia Eagles 32, Houston Texans 30

Los Angeles Rams 31, Arizona Cardinals 9

Chicago Bears 14, San Francisco 49ers 9

New Orleans Saints 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 28

Seattle Seahawks 38, Kansas City Chiefs 31

Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders, Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET

AFC Standings

Ed Zurga/Associated Press

1. Kansas City Chiefs (11-4)
2. New England Patriots (10-5, clinched AFC East)
3. Houston Texans (10-5)
4. Baltimore Ravens (9-6)
5. Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)
6. Indianapolis Colts (9-6)

7. Tennessee Titans (9-6)
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6-1)

Kansas City owns the most favorable path to home-field advantage in the AFC: Just win, baby.

Thanks to the Ravens' upset win against the Chargers, the Chiefs simply need a victory in Week 17 against the Raiders despite losing at Seattle. The road to Super Bowl LIII runs through Arrowhead Stadium unless KC loses and the Chargers win.

After that, it's a bit unsettled.

The Patriots hold the head-to-head tiebreaker on Houston, so New England needs to topple the Jets for a first-round bye. Houston losing to the Jaguars would also do the trick. Even the Ravens still have an outside shot at a bye, too.

Houston dropped out of the No. 2 seed following a loss to the Eagles but still clinched a playoff berth when the Saints clipped the Steelers. The news wasn't so positive for Pittsburgh.

Not only did the Steelers relinquish the AFC North lead, but they also fell out of the AFC playoff picture. Pittsburgh now must hope Baltimore loses to the Cleveland Browns because the Steelers cannot leap both the Colts and Titans in Week 17.

Tennessee hosts Indianapolis for a pivotal matchup next Sunday, and the winner is headed to the postseason.

Pittsburgh's only path to the playoffs is beating Cincinnati, plus a Baltimore loss against the Browns.

NFC Standings

Butch Dill/Associated Press

1. New Orleans Saints (13-2, clinched NFC South)
2. Los Angeles Rams (12-3, clinched NFC West)
3. Chicago Bears (11-4, clinched NFC North)
4. Dallas Cowboys (9-6, clinched NFC East)
5. Seattle Seahawks (9-6)
6. Minnesota Vikings (8-6-1)

7. Philadelphia Eagles (8-7)

Drew Brees is 1-5 in six career road playoff games. Good thing the Saints locked up home-field advantage in the NFC, right?

New Orleans is guaranteed the No. 1 seed, while the Rams and Bears will continue their battle for a first-round bye in Week 17. Both franchises won Sunday, but Chicago's tiebreaker edge means Los Angeles must defeat the San Francisco 49ers or hope for a Bears loss at the Vikings.

Either way, they're already division champions. The Cowboys joined that group this weekend.

Dallas knocked out the Bucs and settled into the No. 4 slot in the NFC. The division rival Eagles are alive for a wild card, but they need a triumph at Washington combined with a Bears victory over Minnesota in Week 17 to sneak into the postseason.

Seattle locked up a playoff spot Sunday night when it clipped Kansas City 38-31. Although the Seahawks could still drop to No. 6, beating Arizona would set up a first-round clash at Dallas.

Minnesota either needs a Week 17 victory opposite Chicago or an Eagles loss in Washington to secure a postseason berth. But if the Vikings lose and Eagles win, last season's Super Bowl champions will have an opportunity to defend their title.

Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.