NFL Playoffs 2019: Predictions for AFC, NFC Seeds and Matchups Before Week 17

Although 75 percent of the NFL playoff berths have been handed out, there's still plenty to be decided in terms of seeding and the remaining postseason participants in Week 17.

The things we know for sure are that the New Orleans Saints carry home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs and the Dallas Cowboys are locked into the No. 4 seed as the NFC East champion.

In the NFC, the playoff scenarios revolve around three games, and the beneficiaries depend on a certain sequence of results.

Over in the AFC, one of the two first-round byes is up for grabs in the early games, while the AFC North and AFC West titles, as well as home-field advantage, are decided in the late afternoon.

If those scenarios weren't exciting enough, the final game of the regular season decides the 12th and final playoff team.

All we can do is guess where teams land, but based off the previous weeks, we have a general idea of what might occur in Week 17.

Playoff Seed Predictions

AFC

1. Kansas City 

2. New England

3. Houston 

4. Baltimore

5. Los Angeles Chargers

6. Indianapolis

The division winners in the AFC have a clear path to the top three seeds in the playoff bracket, as they all face lesser opposition at home.

The Kansas City Chiefs take on the Oakland Raiders, the New England Patriots play host to the New York Jets and the Houston Texans welcome the Jacksonville Jaguars. If all three teams win, they will remain in the same order they entered Week 17 in.

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

The Los Angeles Chargers are the other team already locked into the AFC postseason, but they are firmly placed into the No. 5 seed, even with a win on the road to the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Anthony Lynn's team needs a win over the Broncos and a Chiefs loss to the Raiders to pick up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, but that won't happen with Kansas City picking up a victory.

There's also a chaotic scenario in play if the AFC West teams lose and the Patriots and Texans come out on top, as there would be four teams at 11-5.

In that situation, the Patriots would pick up home-field advantage and the Texans would take the No. 2 seed on a strength of a tiebreaker over Kansas City.

As wild as that would be, we don't see that much chaos popping up given the opposition for the AFC West playoff teams.

All the Baltimore Ravens have to do is beat the Cleveland Browns in order to clinch the AFC North, while the winner of the Sunday night clash between the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans takes the No. 6 seed.

Baltimore is playing with the most confidence of any team in the NFL, and its defense will be able to shut down Baker Mayfield and the Browns offense.

With Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota still banged up, put your trust in Andrew Luck and the Colts to go down to Nashville and advance to the playoffs.

NFC 

1. New Orleans

2. Los Angeles Rams

3. Chicago

4. Dallas

5. Seattle

6. Philadelphia

The race for playoff positions in the NFC is dictated by three games.

The Los Angeles Rams hold the No. 2 seed, but if they slip up against the San Francisco 49ers, the door is open for the Chicago Bears to take over the second first-round bye.

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Chicago should begin its game with the Minnesota Vikings by playing its starters, but that could change depending on how many points the Rams are winning by.

If the Rams run out to an early lead, the Bears could concede the first-round bye and rest some players.

However, in that situation, the Bears need to take into consideration which team they rather play in the Wild Card Round.

If the Vikings pick up a win in Week 17, Mike Zimmer's team will make its second trip to Chicago for its third meeting of the season with its NFC North rival.

If the Bears would rather not face the Vikings for the second time in two weeks, they could keep their starters on the field and eliminate that possibility.

That's where the Philadelphia Eagles come into play, as they could ride quarterback Nick Foles into the playoffs once again.

The defending Super Bowl champion needs help as long as it takes care of business against the Washington Redskins.

That's where the Bears' situation favors the Eagles, as the 49ers will keep their game with the Rams close enough in the second half to keep the possibility of earning the No. 2 seed alive.

By the time the Rams pull away from the 49ers, the Bears will be in control of their matchup with the Vikings, which would allow the Eagles to slide as the No. 6 seed and earn a trip to Soldier Field in the divisional round.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.