NFL Playoff Scenarios 2019: Week 17 Picture and Latest Bracket Predictions

The New Orleans Saints are one of two teams in the NFC playoff structure playing a game that will not impact their position for the NFL postseason.

Head coach Sean Payton's team has enjoyed a brilliant season, and they go into the season finale with a 13-2 record. After dropping their season opener at home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Saints have won 13 of 14 games and have secured the NFC South crown and the top seed in the conference.

So, while everything seems to be going well for the Saints, they are about to be tested by inactivity. They close the season with a meaningless game against the Carolina Panthers, and Payton will get a chance to rest quarterback Drew Brees and others.

A week later, the Saints will be watching during wild-card week, and they won't have another meaningful game until the divisional playoffs during the weekend of January 12 and 13.

While the time away from the most competitive aspects of NFL football will give the Saints a chance to heal bumps and bruises, it's difficult to predict what kind of impact that will have during the divisional playoffs.

They may be somewhat rested, but rust could also be an issue. Payton is going to have to figure out how to keep his team sharp and in peak form when the Saints start their pursuit of the Super Bowl.

Anything less than hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after the Super Bowl will clearly be a disappointment for these Bayou boys.

Here's a look at all the playoff scenarios heading into the final week of the season and predictions on how the brackets will look after Sunday's games. 

NFC Playoff Standings

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, clinched wild-card)

6. Minnesota Vikings (8-6-1)

7. Philadelphia Eagles (8-7)

Rey Del Rio/Associated Press

The Saints are locked into the top spot in the NFC, while the Cowboys cannot move from the No. 4 spot. They have clinched the NFC East, but they can't pass the Bears, who currently own the third seed.

Chicago is most likely going to remain in that position, but the Bears have a chance to move up to the No. 2 spot. For that to happen, the Rams would have to lose at home to the San Francisco 49ers, while the Bears would have to win on the road against the Vikings.

The Rams have not played as well in the second half of the season as they did in the first, but they are not likely to be defeated by the hustling Niners unless they lose complete concentration. While running back Todd Gurley (knee) is not going to play, the Rams still have enough weapons on both sides to the ball to win the game.

The Bears certainly want to win and have a chance to move up, but their opponents have to win if they want to get into the playoffs.

The Vikings currently sit in the No. 2 wild-card spot, half-a-game ahead of defending Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles. If the Eagles beat the Washington Redskins on the road Sunday and the Vikings lose, Philadelphia will gain the final NFC playoff spot.

The Seattle Seahawks clinched a wild-card spot with their win in Week 16 over the Chiefs, and if they beat the Arizona Cardinals at home, they will be the No. 1 wild-card team. If they lose and the Vikings win, they will slip to the No. 2 wild-card position.

AFC Playoff Standings

1. Kansas City Chiefs (11-4, clinched playoffs)

2. New England Patriots (10-5, clinched AFC East)

3. Houston Texans (10-5, clinched playoffs)

4. Baltimore Ravens (9-6)

5. Los Angeles Chargers (11-4, clinched playoffs)

6. Indianapolis Colts (9-6)

7. Tennessee Titans (9-6)

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6-1)

The top spot in the AFC West and the conference rankings is still up for grabs going into the last week. The Chiefs still control their own destiny even though they have dropped their last two games.

If the Chiefs win at home against Jon Gruden and the Oakland Raiders, they win the AFC West and the top seed in the conference. If the Raiders, who have won three of their last six games, manage an upset, that will open the door for the Chargers.

Los Angeles plays the Denver Broncos in the Mile High City, and they can win the West and the top seed if they beat the home team and the Chiefs lose.

If the Chargers don't win the division title, they will be the AFC's No. 1 wild-card team

The Patriots clinched the AFC East for the 10th year in a row when they beat the Buffalo Bills in Week 16. If they beat the New York Jets in the season finale at home, they will clinch the No. 2 seed and earn a bye in the wild-card week of the playoffs.

That's the way the Patriots have gone about their business regularly during the Bill Belichick era, but they usually accomplish that quite a bit earlier than Week 17.

The Houston Texans need to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars to win the AFC South title. If they lose, the winner of the showdown game Sunday night between the Colts and Titans will take the AFC South.

If the Texans accomplish their goal, the winner of the Indianapolis-Tennessee game will take the AFC's second wild-card spot.

The Ravens have a half-game lead over the Steelers in the AFC North, and if they beat the Cleveland Browns in the final game, they will clinch the division title.

The Steelers have lost four of their last five games, and they may have lost what once looked like a sure playoff spot. They need to beat the Cincinnati Bengals and hope the Browns upset the Ravens to take the division title away from the Ravens.

Cleveland comes into the game with a 7-7-1 record, and that's a huge jump for a team that was winless in 2017. The combination of quarterback Baker Mayfield and running back Nick Chubb has been impactful, while the Ravens have gotten a lift from rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson.

The Steelers have a remote chance at making the playoffs as a wild-card team. However, they would need to win their final game and the Colts-Titans game would have to end in a tie for that to happen.

Predictions

The Rams should beat the 49ers and hang on to the No. 2 seed, and that means the Bears will remain in the No. 3 spot.

The Seahawks will easily beat the Cardinals and hang on to the fifth seed. We also see the desperate Vikings outlasting the Bears at home and holding on to the No. 6 seed.

Chicago will be a difficult opponent for the Vikings, but when the Bears see the Rams have a sizable lead over the Niners, they will lose some of their internal motivation and the Vikings will win the game.

The Chiefs will beat the Raiders, and while Oakland is motivated to end the season on a positive note, they seem to have little chance of slowing down quarterback Patrick Mahomes enough to win the game. Mahomes has 48 TD passes through the first 15 games of the season, and he should go past 50 in this game.

The Patriots will take care of business against the Jets to earn the No. 2 seed, and the Texans will get the job done against Jacksonville to win the No. 3 spot.

The Ravens will be put to the test by the Browns, but Baltimore will take charge in the fourth quarter and beat the Browns by a touchdown.

That will leave the Steelers on the outside looking in and facing an offseason of regret.

We see the Colts getting the best of the Titans because Andrew Luck will not let his team lose such a vital game. The Colts make the playoffs and could be a difficult out during the postseason.