NFL Playoff Picture 2021: AFC, NFC Wild-Card Scenarios and Week 17 Predictions

The anticipation continues to build for the final day of the 2020 NFL regular season. With all 32 teams set to be in action Sunday, some teams will be taking the field for the last time until the fall. For others, a trip to the playoffs is going to be in the cards.

So far, seven teams have secured postseason berths. In the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs (AFC West), Buffalo Bills (AFC East) and Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC North) are all division champions. In the NFC, the Green Bay Packers (NFC North), New Orleans Saints (NFC South) and Seattle Seahawks (NFC West) have clinched their respective divisions, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have secured a wild-card berth.

That means there are still seven spots up for grabs in the playoffs, which have expanded to a 14-team field by adding another wild-card berth in each conference. Two of those postseason berths will go to the teams that win the AFC South and NFC East, the two divisions that have yet to be clinched.

Here's a look at the current NFL playoff picture, followed by predictions for how things will unfold in Week 17 with the potential clinching scenarios (which can be found at NFL.com).

Current NFL Playoff Picture

Charlie Riedel/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 Predictions for Week 17 Scenarios

Adam Hunger/Associated Press

1. Kansas City Chiefs

2. Buffalo Bills

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

4. Tennessee Titans

5. Miami Dolphins

6. Baltimore Ravens

7. Cleveland Browns

Let's start with the AFC South title, which can still be won by either the Titans or Colts in Week 17. However, Tennessee remains in control in that race, and it can clinch with a win over Houston Texans or an Indianapolis loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It seems likely that the Titans are going to take care of business themselves. They should travel to Houston and notch another win over the Texans, who they beat 42-36 in overtime in Week 6. Knowing it can win its first division title since 2008 with a victory, Tennessee should be motivated to bounce back from last week's loss at Green Bay and secure its spot in the playoffs.

From there, the Colts will have to hope to secure a wild-card berth by winning and hoping that one of the three teams currently in wild-card spots (the Dolphins, Ravens and Browns) loses. But it's going to be difficult for that to happen.

Miami is playing Buffalo on the road, but there's a chance the Bills will be resting some of their starters with them no longer in the running for the No. 1 seed in the AFC (which the Chiefs clinched). The Dolphins lost 31-28 to the Bills in Week 2, and if Buffalo is without some of its top players, there's no reason to think Miami can't win and secure its spot in the playoffs.

Baltimore has a road matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, the last-place team in the AFC North. The Ravens already own a 27-3 win over the Bengals, who they defeated at home in Week 5. Expect Baltimore to handily win again.

Looking to end the longest active playoff drought in the NFL (which dates back to the 2002 season), Cleveland has a home matchup against Pittsburgh. However, the Steelers have already announced that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger won't be playing, and they're likely to rest some other starters, too. The Browns should be able to win and finally get back to the postseason.

And with that, the Colts will miss out on the playoffs, even though they're likely to finish 11-5 with a Week 17 win over the Jaguars.

NFC Predictions for Week 17 Scenarios

Mike Roemer/Associated Press

1. Green Bay Packers

2. New Orleans Saints

3. Seattle Seahawks

4. Washington Football Team

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

6. Arizona Cardinals

7. Los Angeles Rams

While the Packers, Saints and Seahawks will each have an opportunity to potentially end up as the No. 1 seed, Green Bay is in control of the race. It can secure the top spot with a win over Chicago, which it has had no trouble beating in recent seasons.

Including playoff matchups, the Packers have won 18 of their past 22 meetings with the Bears, which included a 41-25 victory at home in Week 12. That started Green Bay's current five-game winning streak, and it now has momentum entering its regular-season finale.

Although the Bears can clinch a playoff berth with a win, it's going to again be tough for them to stop a Packers offense led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Davante Adams. And so, Green Bay will pull out a win and clinch the No. 1 seed. It's also going to prevent Chicago from reaching the playoffs.

If the Bears lose, they'll need the Cardinals to lose to the Rams in order to still get into the playoffs. However, Los Angeles is going to be shorthanded with quarterback Jared Goff (right thumb surgery) and wide receiver Cooper Kupp (reserve/COVID-19 list) set to miss the game. Backup quarterback John Wolford will start for the Rams and make his NFL debut.

Arizona is going to have its starting quarterback, as Kyler Murray will play despite suffering a leg injury last week. And that should make a huge difference for the Cardinals, who will be looking to win and secure a spot in the playoffs for the first time since the 2015 season.

While Arizona will win and earn a wild-card berth, Los Angeles is still going to get into the playoffs. Although the Rams will lose, the Bears' loss will allow Los Angeles to finish as the No. 7 seed.

The NFC East will be the last division decided, as Washington will look to clinch the title with a win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. However, if Washington loses, then the winner of the Cowboys-Giants game from earlier in the day will be the NFC East champions.

Don't expect that to happen, though. Washington's defense should thrive against a Philadelphia offense that will be missing running back Miles Sanders (knee), wide receiver DeSean Jackson (ankle) and tight end Dallas Goedert (calf). That means Washington will win, secure the division title and return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2015 season.