NFL Playoff Picture: 3 Things You Need to Know Heading into Week 16

With two weeks to go in the 2011 regular season and five playoff spots still up for grabs, what is the most important knowledge to obtain? 

All the possible postseason scenarios. 

Which team controls its own destiny? Which team gets in with help from a loss by a division rival? How  about the teams that have to win out to sneak into one of the final playoff spots?

I've got it all right here as the playoff races near their end. 

You might want to print this out.  

AFC West Playoff Scenarios

Every team in the AFC West is still alive. 

Yes, even the 5-8 Kansas City Chiefs. 

Let's break it down by teams and start with the team that ended the Packers' perfect season last week. 

Kansas CIty Chiefs (to win the AFC West, already out of wild card contention)

•  Win their final two games against the Raiders and Broncos. 
• Have the Bills beat the Broncos this weekend in Buffalo.
• The Chargers have to lose one of their last two games against the Lions or Raiders.

Denver Broncos (to win the AFC West this weekend)

• Win over the Bills and Raiders loss/tie. 
• Tie at Bills and a Raiders loss and a Chargers loss/tie

They clinch a wild card spot with: 

• Win over the Bills, and a Bengals, Jets and Titans loss

Oakland Raiders (to win the AFC West)

• Win their final two games against the Chiefs and Chargers and have the Broncos lose to the Chiefs in Week 17. 

To secure a wild card spot:

• Win their final two games, along with either a Jets or Bengals loss in one of their last two games. 

San Diego Chargers (to win AFC West)

• Win their final two games and have the Broncos lose out and the Raiders lose out

To win a wild card spot:

• Win their final two games, have the Jets lose out to Giants and Dolphins and the Bengals lose at least one more game to either the Cardinals or Ravens. 

Insanity!

NFC East Playoff Scenarios

The NFC East isn't as complicated as the AFC West, but with three teams still alive for the playoffs, it isn't not exactly cut and dry. 

Let's start with the Cowboys, who are currently in the driver's seat. 

Dallas Cowboys (to win the NFC East)

• Beat the Eagles and have Jets beat the Giants 
• Beat the Eagles and if the Giants beat the Jets, Dallas beats the Giants on January 1st. 
• Lose to the Eagles, the Jets beat the Giants, Dallas beats the Giants on January 1st. 

New York Giants (to win the NFC East) 

• Beat the Jets and the Cowboys beat the Eagles, then the Giants beat the Cowboys on January 1st.
• Beat  the Jets and the Eagles beat the Cowboys, then Giants beat the Cowboys on January 1st. 
• Lose to the Jets and the Eagles beat the Cowboys, then the Redskins beat the Eagles and the Giants beat the Cowboys on Jan. 1st.

Philadelphia Eagles (to win the NFC East)

• Beat the Cowboys and have the Jets beat the Giants, then they beat the Redskins and the Giants beat the Cowboys on January 1st. 

Additional Information

Now that I've gotten those specific divisional NFL playoff scenarios out of the way, there's a few more tidbits of info you must know heading into this weekend. 

• The Green Bay Packers can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win against the Bears or a San Francisco 49ers loss in Seattle to the Seahawks
• The 49ers can secure a first-round bye with a win plus a Saints loss to the Falcons on Monday night. 
• The Saints can clinch the NFC South with a win over Atlanta.
• The Baltimore Ravens can wrap up the AFC North with a win over the Browns along with a Steelers loss to the Rams and a Texans loss to the Colts.
• Tom Brady's Patriots can lock up home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a win over the Dolphins if the Ravens, Texans and Steelers all lose this weekend.