NFL Week 17 clinching scenarios: Three spots, one bye, seeding still up for grabs
A good chunk of the NFL’s playoff bracket has been filled out. Still, plenty of loose ends remain heading into the final weekend of the regular season.
Most notably, one spot remains open in the NFC — the Falcons or Seahawks will claim it — while four AFC teams are vying for the conference’s pair of wild-card slots. Also still unclaimed: Home field in the AFC as well as the NFC South title.
Here is a look at every clinching scenario for Week 17:
AFC
New England Patriots (already clinched AFC East and first-round bye) [vs. New York Jets]
New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
1) NE win OR
2) PIT loss OR
3) NE tie + PIT tie
Pittsburgh Steelers (already clinched AFC North and first-round bye) [vs. Cleveland Browns]
Pittsburgh clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
1) PIT win + NE loss or tie OR
2) PIT tie + NE loss
Baltimore Ravens [vs. Cincinnati Bengals]
Baltimore clinches a playoff berth with:
1) BAL win or tie OR
2) BUF loss or tie OR
3) TEN loss or tie
Tennessee Titans [vs. Jacksonville Jaguars]
Tennessee clinches a playoff berth with:
1) TEN win OR
2) TEN tie + BUF loss or tie + LAC loss or tie OR
3) BUF loss + LAC loss
Los Angeles Chargers [vs. Oakland Raiders]
Los Angeles clinches a playoff berth with:
1) LAC win + TEN loss or tie + BUF loss or tie OR
2) LAC win + TEN loss or tie + BAL win or tie OR
3) LAC tie + TEN loss + BUF loss or tie
Buffalo Bills [at Miami Dolphins]
Buffalo clinches a playoff berth with:
1) BUF win + BAL loss OR
2) BUF win + LAC loss or tie + TEN loss or tie OR
3) BUF tie + LAC loss + TEN loss
NFC
Minnesota Vikings (already clinched NFC North) [vs. Chicago Bears]
Minnesota clinches a first-round bye with:
1) MIN win or tie OR
2) CAR loss or tie OR
3) NO win
New Orleans Saints (already clinched playoff berth) [at Tampa Bay Buccanneers]
New Orleans clinches NFC South division title with:
1) NO win OR
2) CAR loss OR
3) NO tie + CAR tie
Carolina Panthers (already clinched playoff berth) [at Atlanta Falcons]
Carolina clinches NFC South division title with:
1) ​CAR win + NO loss or tie OR
2) CAR tie + NO loss
Carolina clinches a first-round bye with:
1) CAR win + NO loss or tie + MIN loss + LAR loss or tie
Atlanta Falcons [vs. Carolina Panthers]
Atlanta clinches a playoff berth with:
1) ATL win OR
2) SEA loss OR
3) ATL tie + SEA tie
Seattle Seahawks [vs. Arizona Cardinals]
Seattle clinches a playoff berth with:
1) SEA win + ATL loss or tie OR
​2) SEA tie + ATL loss
Source:-Â https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2017/12/26/nfl-week-17-clinching-scenarios-nfc-afc/981049001/
