NFL Playoff Scenarios 2020: Week 17 AFC, NFC Postseason Picture

Typically, Thursday night marks the start of a new week of the NFL season. That's not the case in Week 17, though. Instead, all 32 teams will be in action on Sunday. And it's sure to be an eventful day.

Two division crowns and seven total playoff berths are still up for grabs heading into the final week of the 2020 regular season. Either the Tennessee Titans or Indianapolis Colts will win the AFC South title, while the Washington Football Team, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants are all still alive in the battle for the NFC East crown.

Tennessee and Indianapolis also factor into the AFC wild-card picture, which features three other teams with identical 10-5 records. In the NFC, there are three teams battling for the final two wild-card berths.

Here's a look at the NFL playoff picture, followed by a breakdown of the Week 17 clinching scenarios from both conferences (per NFL.com).

NFL Playoff Picture

Morry Gash/Associated Press

AFC

Division Leaders

1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-1, clinched AFC West and No. 1 seed)

2. Buffalo Bills (12-3, clinched AFC East)

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-3, clinched AFC North)

4. Tennessee Titans (10-5)

Wild-Card Leaders

5. Miami Dolphins (10-5)

6. Baltimore Ravens (10-5)

7. Cleveland Browns (10-5)

In the Hunt

8. Indianapolis Colts (10-5)

NFC

Division Leaders

1. Green Bay Packers (12-3, clinched NFC North)

2. New Orleans Saints (11-4, clinched NFC South)

3. Seattle Seahawks (11-4, clinched NFC West)

4. Washington Football Team (6-9)

Wild-Card Leaders

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-5, clinched playoff berth)

6. Los Angeles Rams (9-6)

7. Chicago Bears (8-7)

In the Hunt

8. Arizona Cardinals (8-7)

The Dallas Cowboys (6-9) and New York Giants (5-10) are still alive in the NFC East race.

AFC Clinching Scenarios

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AFC South Title

Titans clinch with: a win over the Houston Texans OR a Colts loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars OR ties in both games.

Colts clinch with: a win and a Titans loss/tie OR a tie and a Titans loss.

Tennessee remains in great position to capture the AFC South crown for the first time since the 2008 season. It already beat Houston once earlier in the year (a 42-36 overtime victory at home in Week 6), and it's favored to do so again. The Texans are 4-11 and enter the matchup on a four-game losing streak.

If the Titans lose, though, it opens the door for the Colts to win the division title. Indianapolis is highly unlikely to lose at home to Jacksonville, which is 1-14. Although the Jaguars' lone win this season was a Week 1 victory over the Colts.

AFC Playoff Berth

Titans clinch with: a Ravens loss to the Cincinnati Bengals OR a Dolphins loss to the Bills OR a tie and a Browns loss to the Steelers OR a tie and a Dolphins tie OR a tie and a Ravens tie.

Dolphins clinch with: a win OR a Ravens loss OR a Browns loss OR a Colts loss OR a tie and a Ravens tie OR a tie and a Browns tie OR a tie and a Colts tie OR a tie and a Titans loss.

Ravens clinch with: a win OR a Browns loss OR a Colts loss OR a tie and a Dolphins loss OR a tie and a Titans loss OR a tie and a Browns loss OR a tie and a Colts tie.

Browns clinch with: a win OR a Colts loss OR a Titans loss, a Dolphins win/tie and a Ravens win/tie OR a tie and a Ravens loss OR a tie and a Dolphins loss OR a tie and a Titans loss OR a tie and a Colts tie OR a tie, a Titans tie, a Ravens win and a Dolphins win.

Colts clinch with: a win and a Ravens loss/tie OR a win and a Browns loss/tie OR a win and a Dolphins loss/tie OR a tie and a Ravens loss OR a tie and a Browns loss OR a tie and a Dolphins loss.

Among these five teams, Indianapolis is the only one not in control of its own playoff destiny. The other four can all win and get in, while the Colts will need help.

The Dolphins have a tough matchup against the Bills, although it's unclear whether Buffalo will play its starters with it no longer in contention for the first-round bye. If it doesn't, then Miami's odds of winning and clinching a playoff berth will greatly go up.

The Ravens shouldn't have trouble beating the Bengals on the road to get into the postseason. Baltimore beat Cincinnati 27-3 in Week 5.

The Browns, who have the longest active playoff drought in the NFL (dating back to the 2002 season), are playing the AFC North champion Steelers at home. However, Pittsburgh already announced that Ben Roethlisberger won't be playing and that backup quarterback Mason Rudolph will start. It's possible that the Steelers will rest more of their starters now that they can no longer get the first-round bye.

While the Colts should beat the Jaguars, they'll have to hope they get help. Their best chance is likely hoping for the Dolphins to lose to the Bills, but as mentioned, that may not be likely, either, if Buffalo doesn't start its top players.

NFC Clinching Scenarios

Jim Mone/Associated Press

NFC No. 1 Seed and First-Round Bye

Packers clinch with: a win/tie against the Bears OR a Seahawks loss/tie against the San Francisco 49ers.

Saints clinch with: a win over the Carolina Panthers, a Packers loss and a Seahawks win.

Seahawks clinch with: a win, a Packers loss and a Saints loss/tie.

Green Bay is the only one of these three teams that can clinch the top seed with a win and no help, but it has a tough matchup against Chicago, which will be trying to secure a spot in the playoffs itself. The Packers beat the Bears 41-25 at home in Week 12, but this week's matchup will be in Chicago with higher stakes.

New Orleans and Seattle each have favorable matchups against division rivals that are already eliminated from postseason contention. If both teams win (as they're expected to do) and the Packers lose, then the Saints would end up with the No. 1 seed.

It's unlikely that the Packers and Saints both lose, so the Seahawks' odds of landing the top seed are likely slim. But anything could happen, of course.

NFC East Title

Washington clinches with: a win over the Philadelphia Eagles OR a tie and a Cowboys loss/tie.

Cowboys clinch with: a win over the Giants and a Washington loss/tie OR a tie and a Washington loss.

Giants clinch with: a win and a Washington loss.

The NFC East race is quite clear. If Washington wins, it'll be the division champions. If it loses, then whichever team wins the matchup between Dallas and New York will win the NFC East crown. None of these three teams have any other path to the playoffs, as they're all going to finish with sub-.500 records.

Washington already beat Philadelphia once this season (a 27-17 victory at home in Week 1), so now it just needs to do it again. The Cowboys won their first meeting against the Giants, beating them 37-34 at home in Week 5.

NFC Playoff Berth

Rams clinch with: a win/tie against the Cardinals OR a Bears loss/tie against the Packers.

Bears clinch with: a win OR a Cardinals loss OR a tie and a Cardinals tie.

Cardinals clinch with: a win OR a tie and a Bears loss.

Because Los Angeles and Arizona are going head-to-head, all three of these teams control their own playoff destinies and can get into the postseason with a win. However, the Cardinals are the only one of the three that has to win (or at least tie) to get in, as the Rams and Bears could lose and still make it.

Los Angeles could be in some trouble, though, with quarterback Jared Goff (right thumb surgery) and wide receiver Cooper Kupp (positive COVID-19 test) out. Backup quarterback John Wolford will be making his first career start looking to lead the Rams into the postseason.

In Week 13, the Rams notched a 38-28 road victory over the Cardinals. But it's likely going to be more difficult for them to win this time, especially because Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray will be playing after suffering a leg injury last week.

The Bears have a tough matchup against the Packers, who will be playing to try to secure the No. 1 seed. Chicago will be at home, but it's going to be a difficult task either way.