Skip to main content

NFL playoff-clinching scenarios for Week 16

Here are the following playoff-clinching scenarios for Week 16 of the 2018 NFL season.

NFC

CLINCHED: Los Angeles Rams -- NFC West division title

New Orleans Saints -- NFC South division title

Chicago Bears -- NFC North division title

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (12-2) (vs. Pittsburgh (8-5-1), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)

New Orleans clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:

1) NO win OR

2) NO tie + LAR loss or tie OR

3) CHI loss or tie + LAR loss

New Orleans clinches a first-round bye with:

1) NO tie OR

2) CHI loss or tie OR

3) LAR loss

LOS ANGELES RAMS (11-3) (at Arizona (3-11), Sunday, 4:05 PM ET, FOX)

Los Angeles clinches a first-round bye with:

1) LAR win + CHI loss or tie OR

2) LAR tie + CHI loss

DALLAS COWBOYS (8-6) (vs. Tampa Bay (5-9), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, FOX)

Dallas clinches NFC East division title with:

1) DAL win OR

2) DAL tie + PHI loss or tie + WAS loss or tie OR

3) PHI loss + WAS loss

Dallas clinches a playoff berth with:

1) DAL tie + MIN loss

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (8-6) (vs. Kansas City (11-3), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)

Seattle clinches a playoff berth with:

1) SEA win + WAS loss or tie OR

2) SEA win or tie + MIN loss OR

3) SEA win + SEA clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over WAS OR

4) SEA win + MIN tie + SEA clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over MIN

OR

5) SEA tie + WAS loss + PHI loss or tie

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (7-6-1) (at Detroit (5-9), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, FOX)

Minnesota clinches a playoff berth with:

1) MIN win+ PHI loss or tie + WAS loss

AFC

CLINCHED: Kansas City Chiefs -- Playoff berth

Los Angeles Chargers -- Playoff berth

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-3) (at Seattle (8-6), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)

Kansas City clinches AFC West division title and a first-round bye with:

1) KC win + LAC loss

Kansas City clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

1) KC win + LAC loss + HOU loss or tie OR

2) KC win + LAC loss + KC clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over HOU

HOUSTON TEXANS (10-4) (at Philadelphia (7-7), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Houston clinches AFC South division title with:

1) HOU win or tie OR

2) IND loss or tie + TEN loss or tie

1) HOU win + NE loss or tie OR

2) HOU tie + NE loss

Houston clinches a playoff berth with:

1) BAL loss or tie OR

2) PIT loss OR

3) TEN loss or tie + HOU clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over BAL

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (9-5) (vs. Buffalo (5-9), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

New England clinches AFC East division title with:

1) NE win or tie OR

2) MIA loss or tie

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-5-1) (at New Orleans (12-2), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)

Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division title with:

1) PIT win + BAL loss or tie OR

2) PIT tie + BAL loss

1) PIT win + IND loss + TEN loss