NFL Week 17 playoff scenarios: who can clinch, who faces elimination

With just two weeks left in the regular season, Week 17 has the potential to lock in division titles, first-round byes, and playoff spots...or end seasons entirely.

While five teams in each conference have officially clinched playoff berths so far, several others still have a chance to punch their ticket or be eliminated this weekend depending on how the results fall.

Here’s a breakdown of the key clinching and elimination scenarios to watch in Week 17.

NFC clinching scenarios Week 17

Seattle Seahawks

• Clinch NFC West + No. 1 seed (first-round bye & home-field advantage) with:
  • A win and a Rams loss or tie and a 49ers tie
• Clinch NFC West title with:
  • A win and a Rams loss/tie and a 49ers loss/tie
  • OR a tie and losses by both the Rams and 49ers

Chicago Bears

• Clinch NFC North with:
  • A win
  • OR a tie plus a Packers tie
  • OR a Packers loss

Carolina Panthers

• Clinch NFC South and playoff berth with:
  • A win and a Buccaneers loss or tie
  • OR a tie and a Buccaneers loss

Green Bay Packers

• Clinch a playoff berth with:
  • A win or tie
  • OR a Lions loss or tie

AFC clinching scenarios

Denver Broncos

• Clinch AFC West with:
  • A win and a Chargers loss or tie
  • OR a tie and a Chargers loss
• Clinch No. 1 seed with:
  • A win and losses or ties by the Patriots, Chargers, Jaguars, and Bills

New England Patriots

• Clinch AFC East with:
  • A win and a Bills loss or tie
  • OR a tie and a Bills loss

Jacksonville Jaguars

• Clinch AFC South with:
  • A win plus a Texans loss or tie
  • OR a tie plus a Texans loss

Pittsburgh Steelers

• Clinch AFC North and playoff berth with:
  • A win or tie
  • OR a Ravens loss or tie

Houston Texans

• Clinch a playoff berth with:
  • A win or tie
  • OR a Colts loss or tie

NFC elimination scenarios

Detroit Lions

• Eliminated from playoff contention with:
  • A loss or tie
  • OR a Packers win or tie

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Eliminated from playoff and NFC South contention with:
  • A loss and a Panthers win or tie
  • OR a tie and a Panthers win

Los Angeles Rams

• Eliminated from NFC West and No. 1 seed contention with:
  • A loss
  • OR a tie combined with Seahawks and/or 49ers wins

San Francisco 49ers

• Eliminated from NFC West race with:
  • A loss and a Seahawks win or tie
• Eliminated from No. 1 seed race with:
  • A loss
  • OR a tie and a Seahawks win

Chicago Bears

• Eliminated from No. 1 seed contention with:
  • A loss
  • OR a tie combined with a Seahawks win or tie

AFC elimination scenarios

Baltimore Ravens

• Eliminated from playoff and AFC North contention with:
  • A loss or tie
  • OR a Steelers win or tie

Indianapolis Colts

• Eliminated from playoff contention with:
  • A loss or tie
  • OR a Texans win or tie

Houston Texans

• Eliminated from AFC South race with:
  • A loss and a Jaguars win or tie

Los Angeles Chargers

• Eliminated from AFC West race with:
  • A loss and a Broncos win or tie
• Eliminated from No. 1 seed race with:
  • A loss combined with wins by top AFC contenders

New England Patriots

• Eliminated from No. 1 seed contention with:
  • A loss and a Broncos win

Jacksonville Jaguars

• Eliminated from No. 1 seed contention with:
  • A loss combined with wins by the Broncos, Patriots, or Chargers

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