NFL Playoffs 2021: Known AFC, NFC Schedule and Updated Bracket Scenarios

The Buffalo Bills simplified one aspect of the AFC playoff picture heading into Week 17 by beating the New England Patriots on Monday night.

A win over the Miami Dolphins will put the Bills into the No. 2 seed and sets them up as the top competitor to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC.

Miami is part of a complicated mess to determine the three wild-card positions. The Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts are also in the mix. 

The NFC wild-card hunt took an unexpected twist in the last 48 hours, as the Los Angeles Rams will be without Jared Goff and the Arizona Cardinals have some injury concerns regarding Kyler Murray.

In the worst-case scenario, the Rams-Cardinals game that carries plenty of playoff implications could be decided by two backup quarterbacks.

Known Playoff Schedule

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Wild-Card Round: January 9-10

Divisional Round: January 16-17

Conference Championships: January 24

Super Bowl: February 7

AFC Playoff Picture

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Division Leaders

1. Kansas City (14-1)

2. Buffalo (12-3)

3. Pittsburgh (12-3)

4. Tennessee (10-5)

The only change that would occur in the top three in the AFC would come if the Bills lose to the Dolphins and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns. 

The Bills hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Steelers and would have the No. 2 seed if they finish with the same record.

The Tennessee Titans need a victory over the Houston Texans to lock up the AFC South. They hold a one-game advantage in divisional record over the Colts.

Wild-Card Race

5. Miami (10-5)

6. Baltimore (10-5)

7. Cleveland (10-5)

8. Indianapolis (10-5)

The simplest wild-card scenario features victories by the Dolphins, Browns and Baltimore Ravens. In that situation, those three franchises would move on to the postseason and the Colts would be left on the outside.

Indianapolis needs to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars and for one of the three teams above it to lose in Week 17.

Miami and Cleveland face the Bills and Steelers respectively, and both should be looking to win to secure the No. 2 seed and the right to potentially hold at least two playoff games.

Baltimore appears to have the easiest path to the postseason, as it faces the Cincinnati Bengals. As long as John Harbaugh's team wins, it will be in the field of seven. 

If one of Miami, Baltimore or Cleveland loses, it would need Indianapolis to stumble versus Jacksonville to remain in the top seven.

NFC Playoff Picture

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Division Leaders

1. Green Bay (12-3)

2. New Orleans (11-4)

3. Seattle (11-4)

4. Washington (6-9)

If the Green Bay Packers defeat the Chicago Bears on Sunday, they will be the NFC's No. 1 seed. Where things get complicated is if the Bears secure their wild-card berth by beating their NFC North rival. 

If Green Bay finishes in a three-way tie with the New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks, the NFC West champion would move from No. 3 to No. 1. New Orleans can't finish first if it ties with Green Bay because of the Packers' head-to-head tiebreaker. 

The Washington Football Team could be the last franchise to lock in a playoff berth against Philadelphia on Sunday night. 

Ron Rivera's side will call upon either Alex Smith or Taylor Heinicke to start at quarterback following the release of Dwayne Haskins. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Washington "is hopeful" Smith will start.

If Washington loses, the winner of Sunday afternoon's clash between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants will win the NFC East. 

Wild-Card Race

5. Tampa Bay (10-5)

6. Los Angeles Rams (9-6)

7. Chicago (8-7)

8. Arizona (8-7)

Tampa Bay is in the clear. The Buccaneers have clinched a playoff berth and will set up a meeting with the NFC East champions if they defeat the Atlanta Falcons. 

Two of Los Angeles, Arizona and Chicago will get into the postseason, but determining which teams will earn those spots got more challenging Monday.

John Wolford is slated to start at quarterback in place of the injured Jared Goff. If the Rams lose and Bears win, they would be out of the playoffs. 

Arizona head coach Kliff Kingsbury said Murray's status for Sunday "is uncertain" after he suffered a lower leg injury, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Murray's backup is Chris Streveler. 

No matter who plays quarterback for the NFC West sides on Sunday, the winner of that contest will secure a wild-card position. Both teams could make the playoffs if Arizona wins and Chicago loses.