Week 17 NFL Playoff Scenarios: Playoff-Clinching Scenarios
There are just two weeks left in the NFL regular season, and they’ll decide who will make it into the NFL Playoffs. As we dive into the Week 17 schedule, let’s highlight some playoff scenarios from across the league.
Who could be in, who could be out, and their path to get into the Playoffs. We’ll look at teams both looking to clinch playoff berths and solidify their playoff seedings.
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Week 17 Games with Playoff Scenario Implications
Here are the games that have some level of Playoff Implications in Week 17. As the season winds down and teams are eliminated, it’s important to note what games have more importance. The teams with playoff implications are starred below.
- Chiefs* vs. Steelers* — Christmas, 1 p.m. ET
- Ravens* vs. Texans — Christmas 4:30 p.m. ET
- Seahawks* vs. Bears — Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET
- Chargers* vs. Patriots — Saturday, 1 p.m. ET
- Broncos* vs. Bengals* — Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET
- Cardinals vs. Rams* — Saturday, 8 p.m. ET
- Jets vs. Bills* — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (only if Chiefs lose on Christmas)
- Colts* vs. Giants — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
- Cowboys vs. Eagles* — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
- Panthers vs. Buccaneers* — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
- Packers* vs. Vikings* — Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (Packers only playing for NFC Wild Card seeding)
- Falcons* vs. Commanders* — Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
- Lions vs. 49ers — Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET
Teams Already Eliminated From The Playoffs
Here are the list of teams eliminated: New York Giants, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
A couple of big surprises here are the 49ers and Cowboys, who were both officially eliminated this week. While both teams entered the season with hopes of making deep playoff runs, they are already out of the playoffs with two weeks left in the season. Injuries impacted both teams significantly, especially on offense.
NFL Teams That Already Clinched a Playoffs Spot
Here are the teams that have already clinched an NFL Playoffs spot, with many still fighting for seeding for the postseason. That includes five teams in the AFC — three that have already won their divisions — and four in the NFC.
Kansas City Chiefs (14-1)
Week 17 game: @ Steelers (10-5) — Christmas, 1 p.m. ET
The Chiefs have already locked up the AFC West, but they are still looking to clinch the #1 seed in the AFC. They would clinch the top overall seed in the AFC with a win over the Steelers on Christmas, or a Buffalo loss.
Buffalo Bills (12-3)
Week 17 game: vs. Jets (4-11) — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
The Bills have already clinched the AFC East. They need to win their final two games and for the Chiefs to lose their final two games to earn the top seed in the AFC. In all likelihood, the Bills will finish as the #2 seed in the AFC.
Detroit Lions (13-2)
Week 17 game: @ 49ers (6-9) — Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET
The Lions control their own destiny — win out, and they’ve got the top seed in the NFC. If they defeat the 49ers in Week 17 and the Vikings lose to the Packers, then the Lions will clinch the #1 seed in the NFC. Even if the Vikings defeat the Packers, the Lions would clinch the top seed in the NFC with a win over the Vikings in Week 18.
Minnesota Vikings (13-2)
Week 17 game: vs. Packers (11-4) — Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
The Vikings have already clinched a playoff spot. There is still playoff positioning to be had, though. If they win their last two games — including Week 18 vs. the Lions, they win the AFC North and obtain the top seed in the NFC.
Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)
Week 17 game: vs Cowboys (7-8) — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
The Eagles saw their 10-game winning streak snapped last week. They now sit a game behind both the Vikings and the Lions to earn the top seed in the NFC. They do have a two-game lead over the Commanders in the NFC East, so the Eagles need to win just one or one Commanders loss over the final two weeks to take the division. The Eagles play the Cowboys at home in Week 17 and the Giants at home in Week 18.
Green Bay Packers (11-4)
Week 17 game: @ Vikings (13-2) — Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
With a win over the Saints on Monday Night Football, the Packers are officially in the playoffs. However, since either the Lions or Vikings will win when they face each other in Week 18, the Packers can’t win the AFC North. They are locked into a Wild Card spot.
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)
Week 17 game: vs. Chiefs (14-1) — Christmas, 1 p.m. ET
The Steelers have already clinched a playoff spot. The Steelers control the AFC North — if they win both games, they will host a home Playoff game. The Steelers currently hold the tiebreaker over the Ravens based on best winning percentage in conference games. If the Steelers lose a game, they will open up the door for the Ravens.
Baltimore Ravens (10-5)
Week 17 game: @ Texans (9-6) — Christmas, 4:30 p.m. ET
The Ravens have already clinched a playoff spot, but currently sit as the #5 seed. The division will come down to Week 18 more than likely; the Ravens will win the division if they beat the Browns and the Steelers lose to the Bengals. If the Steelers lose one game, and the Ravens win out, the Ravens are in.
Houston Texans (9-6)
Week 17 game: vs. Ravens (10-5) — Christmas, 4:30 p.m. ET
The Texans have already won the AFC South. Even if they win out, they are likely to land the #4 in the AFC.
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Playoff-Clinching Scenarios for Week 17
Here are the teams still looking to secure their spot in the 2024-25 NFL Playoffs, and how they can get in.
Los Angeles Rams (9-6)
Week 17 game: vs. Cardinals (7-8) — Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET
The Rams have a one-game lead over the Seahawks in the NFC West. They have two paths to clinching the division in Week 17.
The simplest option is that they win and the Seahawks lose or tie vs. the Bears. Another is that the Rams win and also clinch the strength of victory tiebreaker over the Seahawks — they need 3.5 combined wins from MIN, BUF, SF, WAS, CIN, or CLE.
Atlanta Falcons (8-7)
Week 17 game: @ Commanders (10-5) — Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
The Falcons are tied atop the NFC South with the Buccaneers. They won both regular season meetings with the Buccaneers, so they own the tiebreaker. If the Falcons win and the Buccaneers lose in Week 17, the Falcons clinch the division.
Washington Commanders (10-5)
Week 17 game: vs. Falcons (8-7) — Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
A huge comeback win over the Eagles last week has the Commanders one win away from clinching a Wild Card spot. The Commanders would claim a playoff spot in Week 17 if they win or if the Buccaneers lose to the Panthers.
Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)
Week 17 game: @ Patriots (3-12) — Saturday, 1 p.m. ET
The Chargers need one more win to clinch an AFC Wild Card spot. They have an identical record as the Broncos, but they own the tiebreaker after defeating the Broncos twice during the regular season. Even if they lose in Week 17, they would clinch a playoff spot if both the Colts and Dolphins lose.
Denver Broncos (9-6)
Week 17 game: vs. Bengals (7-8) — Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET
The Broncos have a two-game lead over the Colts, Dolphins, and Bengals, so one more win and they are in the playoffs, just like the Chargers. They have a difficult schedule, though, with a Week 17 matchup against the Bengals and a Week 18 bout with the Chiefs — though they could potentially rest starters. If the Broncos don’t win a game, they will need Miami, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati to lose or tie a game.
Seattle Seahawks (8-7)
Week 17 game: vs. Bears — Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET
The Seahawks can only get into the Playoffs by winning the NFC West. They play the Rams in Week 18, so their destiny really comes down to that game.
If the Rams win this week, it becomes tough for the Seahawks to win the division; even if they win out and the Rams beat the Cardinals, the Seahawks would need their Strength of Victory (combined record of all teams they won against) to improve, as the Rams currently hold that key tiebreaker.
Indianapolis Colts (7-8)
Week 17 game: @ Giants — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
The Colts’ easiest path into the Playoffs is for them to win out, and Chargers to lose out. However, they can still get in if they win out, the Broncos lose out, and either Miami or Cincinnati wins out. They have tiebreakers over the Chargers, Bengals, and Dolphins, which makes their path a bit easier than the Bengals below.
Cincinnati Bengals (7-8)
Week 17 Game: vs. Broncos — Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET
The Bengals only have one scenario to get into the playoffs. They must win out, Broncos must lose out (including week 18 vs. Chiefs), Miami must lose or tie one game (@ Browns, vs. Jets), and Indianapolis must lose or tie one game (@ Giants, vs. Jaguars). It’s thin, but possible we could see QB Joe Burrow in the Playoffs.
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Week 17 is filled with playoff scenarios that add excitement to every game as the regular season winds down. There is no better way to get in on the Week 17 action and cash in than by building an NFL DFS team on PrizePicks.
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