NFL Playoffs 2019: Updated AFC, NFC Scenarios Before Monday Night Football

This year's NFL playoff race has been wild. We've seen the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers stumble down the stretch, the AFC South emerge as one of the league's most competitive divisions and the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs own matching 11-4 records.

Fortunately—for those of you planning ahead, anyway—a little bit more of the playoff picture got settled in Week 16. The Patriots clinched the AFC East, the New Orleans Saints clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and the Seattle Seahawks clinched a wild-card berth.

Monday night's game between the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos has no legitimate impact on the playoff race.

There's still a lot to be settled in the 2018 regular-season finale, though. We're here to examine what could transpire, but first, let's take a look at the playoff picture.

AFC

1. Kansas City Chiefs (11-4)

2. New England Patriots (10-5)

3. Houston Texans (10-5)

4. Baltimore Ravens (9-6)

Wild Card

5. Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)

6. Indianapolis Colts (9-6)

In the Hunt

7. Tennessee Titans (9-6)

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6-1)

NFC

1. New Orleans Saints (13-2)

2. Los Angeles Rams (12-3)

3. Chicago Bears (11-4)

4. Dallas Cowboys (9-6)

Wild Card

5. Seattle Seahawks (9-6)

6. Minnesota Vikings (8-6-1)

In the Hunt

7. Philadelphia Eagles (8-7)

Who's Out

The Cleveland Browns won in Week 16 but were eliminated when the Tennessee Titans won on Saturday afternoon. The Miami Dolphins joined them on the outside when they lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

Tennessee's win over the Redskins also dropped Washington out of the playoff picture. 

AFC Scenarios

The biggest question in the AFC heading into Week 17 is whether the Chargers can overtake the Chiefs for the AFC West crown. This is because the winner will likely also take the No. 1 seed in the conference.

Both teams lost in Week 16, which means the Chargers would have to win in their finale while the Chiefs would have to blow one against the lowly Oakland Raiders. This most likely sets up a rematch between Los Angeles and the Baltimore Ravens, who now control the AFC North.

"We'll [maybe] see them in a couple of weeks," Chargers running back Melvin Gordon said after losing to Baltimore on Saturday night, per Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times. "Can't run from it."

An even less likely scenario has both the Chargers and Chiefs losing, which would open up the No. 1 seed for New England. The Patriots jumped the Houston Texans for the No. 2 seed when Nick Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles knocked off the Texans.

Houston still hasn't locked up the AFC South. The winner of the Week 17 Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts matchup could take the crown if the Texans fall to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

If the Texans don't lose, though, the Titans and Colts will be battling for the No. 6 seed. Either way, it's a win-and-in matchup between these two AFC South rivals.

Because the Titans and Colts both won in Week 16 while the Steelers lost, Pittsburgh is on the outside and looking in. If Baltimore beats the Cleveland Browns in Week 17, the Steelers are out. If Cleveland pulls off the upset—which is certainly possible—Pittsburgh takes the AFC North and the Ravens are out.

Should Pittsburgh slip up against the Cincinnati Bengals, it won't matter what Baltimore does.

NFC Scenarios

The Saints are locked into the No. 1 seed, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara and the rest of the Saints starters sit the majority of the game against the Carolina Panthers.

Things get more interesting at the No. 2 spot, though. The Los Angeles Rams can clinch a first-round bye with either a win or a loss by the Chicago Bears. Chicago and the Rams both play in the 4:25 p.m. ET slot, so both are going to play their starters.

This, in turn, could open things up for the Eagles. They need a win and a loss by the Vikings to snag the last wild-card spot in the conference. Philadelphia plays the Redskins, while the Vikings will host Chicago.

Of course, Philadelphia is only in this position because of, who else, Foles.

If the Vikings manage to win and the Seahawks blow their game against the Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota can move up to the fifth seed. All of the division races in the conference have been settled.