NFL Playoff Scenarios: 49ers and Postseason Locks With More on the Line

Even though teams such as the San Francisco 49ers have already clinched a postseason berth, many of them still have something to play for over the last two weeks of the NFL season.

Home-field advantage, a home playoff game and division titles will be fought for in Weeks 16 and 17, and watching the playoff picture take shape will be quite exciting.

Let's look at what's on the line for some of the postseason locks in Week 16.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens are fighting for a division title, a first-round bye, and even home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs over the final two weeks.

They are tied  at 10-4 with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North division, but they hold the tiebreaker because they beat Pittsburgh twice this season.

Baltimore plays Cleveland this week and Cincinnati in the season finale, and the Ravens must be ready to face each team's best effort. Especially from the Bengals who will be fighting for their own playoff lives in Week 17.

The Ravens have a ton to play for, and if they take care of business and win their final two games, they will earn a first-round bye and a division title.

If the New England Patriots lose their final two games while Baltimore wins out, the Ravens would be the AFC's No. 1 seed.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints are tied with the San Francisco 49ers for the second-best record in the NFC, and both teams will fight for the conference's No. 2 seed over the final two weeks, while assuming the 13-1 Green Bay Packers win at least one of their final two matchups.

New Orleans really needs to have the best chance to earn as many home playoff games as possible because in the Superdome they are 6-0 this season.

If they did not get a top two seed in the NFC playoffs then the Saints would have to travel on the road if they won their wild-card round game.

With that said, you can bet Saints quarterback Drew Brees would love another shot to beat the Packers at Lambeau Field and avenge his team's Week 1 loss.

The final two games for the Saints are against the Atlanta Falcons this week and the Carolina Panthers next week.

The Panthers are a team they should beat comfortably, but the Falcons will give them a test since they are fighting for a wild-card playoff spot.

San Francisco 49ers

As I mentioned above, the 49ers are battling the Saints for the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, but the 49ers don't need the home field as much as New Orleans does.

The Saints use a prolific passing game to win games, so playing at their dome stadium in a controlled weather climate really benefits them.

The 49ers excel at what teams must do to win playoff games on the road, and that's play defense and run the football.

San Francisco only allows 70 rushing yards per game this season, the best mark in the NFL. They also are the ninth-best rushing offense in football.

The 49ers can win ugly playoff games in terrible weather and the Saints cannot, but with that said, they would certainly like to earn the No. 2 seed and make life a bit easier for themselves come playoff time.

The final two games for the 49ers are against the Seattle Seahawks this week and the St. Louis Rams next week, both of which are certain wins.