NFL Playoff Scenarios for Week 18

Published Jan. 4, 2022 12:22 p.m. ET

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NFL Playoff Scenarios entering Week 18:

AFC

CLINCHED (5 of 7):

— Cincinnati Bengals – AFC North division title

— Kansas City Chiefs – AFC West division title

— Tennessee Titans – AFC South division title

— Buffalo Bills – playoff berth

— New England Patriots – playoff berth

BALTIMORE RAVENS (8-8) (vs. Pittsburgh (8-7-1), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Baltimore clinches playoff berth with:

1. BAL win + LAC loss + IND loss + MIA loss or tie

BUFFALO BILLS (10-6) (vs. New York Jets (4-12), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)

Buffalo clinches AFC East division title with:

1. BUF win OR

2. NE loss OR

3. BUF tie + NE tie

CINCINNATI BENGALS (10-6) (at Cleveland (7-9), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, FOX)

Cincinnati clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage with:

1. CIN win + TEN loss + KC loss + NE loss or tie OR

2. CIN win + TEN loss + KC loss + BUF win

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-7) (at Jacksonville (2-14), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Indianapolis clinches playoff berth with:

1. IND win or tie OR

2. LAC loss + BAL-PIT tie OR

3. LAC loss + PIT loss + MIA win

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-5) (at Denver (7-9), Saturday, 4:30 PM ET, ESPN/ABC)

Kansas City clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage with:

1. KC win + TEN loss or tie OR

2. KC tie + TEN loss

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (9-7) (vs. Los Angeles Chargers (9-7), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)

Las Vegas clinches playoff berth with:

1. LV win OR

2. LV tie + IND loss OR

3. IND loss + PIT loss or tie

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (9-7) (at Las Vegas (9-7), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)

Los Angeles Rams clinch playoff berth with:

1. LAC win or tie

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (10-6) (at Miami (8-8), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)

New England clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage with:

1. NE win + BUF loss or tie + KC loss + TEN loss

New England clinches AFC East division title with:

1. NE win + BUF loss or tie OR

2. NE tie + BUF loss

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-7-1) (at Baltimore (8-8), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Pittsburgh clinches playoff berth with:

1. PIT win + IND loss + LV-LAC game does not end in a tie

TENNESSEE TITANS (11-5) (at Houston (4-12), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Tennessee clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage with:

1. TEN win OR

2. TEN tie + KC loss or tie OR

3. KC loss + CIN loss or tie + NE loss or tie OR

4. KC loss + CIN loss or tie + BUF win

NFC

CLINCHED (6 of 7):

— Green Bay Packers – NFC North division title, No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage

— Dallas Cowboys – NFC East division title

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers – NFC South division title

— Arizona Cardinals – playoff berth

— Los Angeles Rams – playoff berth

— Philadelphia Eagles – playoff berth

ARIZONA CARDINALS (11-5) (vs. Seattle (6-10), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

Arizona clinches NFC West division title with:

1. ARI win + LAR loss

LOS ANGELES RAMS (12-4) (vs. San Francisco (9-7), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

Los Angeles Rams clinch NFC West division title with:

1. LAR win or tie OR

2. ARI loss or tie

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (8-8) (at Atlanta (7-9), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

New Orleans clinches playoff berth with:

1. NO win + SF loss

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (9-7) (at Los Angeles Rams (12-4), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

San Francisco clinches playoff berth with:

1. SF win or tie OR

2. NO loss or tie

___

More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

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National Football League

Arizona Cardinals

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Tennessee Titans

New England Patriots

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Kansas City Chiefs