NFL Playoff Scenarios: New York Jets Far from a Postseason Lock

Given what we've seen from them in the last two seasons, all the New York Jets need to do is get into the postseason. Once they're in, they're dangerous.

The good news for the Jets is that they would be in the playoffs if the season ended today, as they currently have their hands on the AFC's second wild-card berth and No. 6 seed.

The not-so-good news is that they have a bunch of pursuers on their tail, and holding onto their wild-card berth is not going to be easy.

The Jets' focus, obviously, should be on taking care of their own business. They have two games left, and they will be in the playoffs if they win both of them.

First up is a tilt against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium, a home game for both teams. The Giants are a battered and torn team, but they are still very much alive in the chase for the NFC East title.

A win against the Jets would put them in position to earn the division crown with a win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17. 

Make no mistake, the Giants are not going to go quietly, and it doesn't help that Eli Manning has been a hard guy to beat this season. 

Even if the Jets win, they can't afford to underestimate the Miami Dolphins in Week 17. The Dolphins have played pretty well on occasion in the last couple months, and they have been tough to beat at home.

The Jets are a better team, but their matchup at Miami is a classic trap game.

Winning both these game will mean an automatic playoff berth, but there is a way the Jets can make it into the playoffs if they just win one.

Actually, there are a couple of ways.

The worst-case scenario for the Jets involves them beating the Giants and then losing to the Dolphins.

If they do, the Bengals can earn a wild-card berth if they lose to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16 and then turn around and beat the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17. The Bengals will get the edge because of their win percentage in conference games.

The Oakland Raiders are also a threat to the Jets. If the Raiders and Jets both finish 9-7, the Raiders will get the nod because of their win over the Jets way back in Week 3.

The Chargers are another threat. If they beat the Detroit Lions in Week 16 and the Raiders in Week 17, they could win the tiebreaker over the Jets on either win percentage against common opponents or win percentage in conference games.

The Tennessee Titans are yet another threat, but they need to win out and hope that the other teams in the mix stumble in the final two weeks.

Given the circumstances, it suffices to say the Jets can save themselves a bunch of trouble by winning their final two games.

If they don't, they leave their playoff fate up to chance, and that's not something they want to do at a time when the Green Bay Packers are losing and the Indianapolis Colts are winning.

For what it's worth, my gut feeling is that the Jets will make the postseason. They got a wake-up call in Philadelphia, and both of their final two games are winnable. The Jets should win both of them.

But as you can tell, I'm ruling nothing out.