NFL playoff picture: Broncos top seed; Pack-Vikes final piece

Updated standings | AFC | NFC | Eliminated teams

AFC first-round byes: (1) Broncos; (2) Patriots

AFC wild card: (6) Steelers at (3) Bengals; (5) Chiefs at (4) Texans

NFC first-round byes: (1) Panthers; (2) Cardinals

NFC wild card: (6) Seahawks/Vikings at (3) Vikings/Packers;
(5) Packers/Seahawks at (4) Redskins (*Vikings are No. 5 if Min@GB tie)

 

The New York Jets blew their chance to make the playoffs. The New England Patriots blew their chance to clinch the top seed for the second straight week.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos took full advantage. The Steelers won at the Cleveland Browns and will visit the Cincinnati Bengals next week.

The Broncos jumped to the No. 1 seed by virtue of head-to-head wins against both the Patriots and Bengals. The Broncos would have fallen all the way to the wild card with a loss against the San Diego Chargers.

The Houston Texans officially clinched the AFC South when the New Orleans Saints won at the Atlanta Falcons, but the Texans beat the Jacksonville Jaguars to win the division outright.

In the NFC, the Carolina Panthers emphatically clinched the No. 1 seed when the Arizona Cardinals were crushed by the Seattle Seahawks.

The Seahawks would climb to the No. 5 seed if the Minnesota Vikings lose at the Green Bay Packers, which would set up a rematch of NFC North rivals next week again at Lambeau Field. The Seahawks will be No. 6 anyway and travel to Minnesota for a wild-card game if the Vikings win.

(x=clinched playoff berth, y=clinched division, z=clinched first-round bye, *=clinched home-field advantage)

 

*-1. Denver Broncos (12-4, West leader; W 27-20 vs. Chargers)
• Clinched the No. 1 seed with a win and Patriots loss because of a Week 12 win against the Patriots and Week 16 win against the Bengals.

z-2. New England Patriots (12-4, East champion; L 10-20 at Dolphins)
• Clinched a first-round playoff bye because of a better record (4-1) than the Bengals (2-3) in common games (against the Bills, Broncos, Steelers and Texans).

y-3. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4, North champion; W 24-16 vs. Ravens)
• Locked into the No. 3 seed after the Broncos beat the Chargers.
• Will play host to the No. 6 Steelers next week. In the teams' previous meetings, the Bengals won 16-10 in Week 8 and lost 33-20 in Week 14.

y-4. Houston Texans (9-7, South champion; W 30-6 vs. Jaguars)
• Clinched the South and No. 4 seed when the Saints beat the Falcons because of a better strength of victory than the Colts.
• Will play host to the No. 5 Chiefs next week in a rematch of Week 1 (a 27-20 Chiefs win at Houston).

x-5. Kansas City Chiefs (11-5, top wild card; W 23-17 vs. Raiders)
• Locked into the No. 5 seed when the Broncos improved to 12-4 by beating the Chargers.
• Will visit the No. 4 Texans next week in a rematch of Week 1 (a 27-20 Chiefs win at Houston).

x-6. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6; W 28-12 at Browns)
• Clinched a playoff berth with a win at the Browns and a Jets loss at the Bills because of a better record (4-1) than the Jets (3-2) in common games (against the Browns, Colts, Patriots and Raiders).
• Will visit the No. 3 Bengals next week. In the teams' previous meetings, the Steelers lost 16-10 in Week 8 and won 33-20 in Week 14.

*-1. Carolina Panthers (15-1, South champion; W 38-10 vs. Buccaneers)
• Clinched the No. 1 seed and home-field through the NFC playoffs when the Cardinals lost at the Seahawks.

z-2. Arizona Cardinals (13-3, West champion; L 6-36 vs. Seahawks)
• Eliminated from contention for the No. 1 seed with a loss to the Seahawks.

x-3. Green Bay Packers (10-5, North leader; vs. Vikings, 8:30 ET NBC)
• Would clinch the North and No. 3 seed with a win/tie against the Vikings.
• Have clinched at worst the No. 5 seed because of a Week 2 win against the Seahawks.
• 3 seed (vs. No. 6 Vikings): Win against the Vikings
• 3 (vs. No. 6 Seahawks): Tie the Vikings (because of a Week 11 win)
• 5 (at No. 4 Redskins): Loss to the Vikings

y-4. Washington Redskins (9-7, East champion; W 34-23 at Cowboys)
• Clinched the East and No. 4 seed with a Week 16 win at the Eagles.
• vs. No. 5 Packers: Packers loss to the Vikings
• vs. No. 5 Seahawks: Vikings loss
• vs. No. 5 Vikings: Vikings-Packers tie

x-5. Minnesota Vikings (10-5, top wild card; at Packers, 8:30 ET NBC)
• Would clinch the North and No. 3 seed with a win at the Packers.
• 3 seed (vs. No. 6 Seahawks): Win at the Packers
• 5 (at No. 4 Redskins): Tie at the Packers
• 6 (at No. 3 Packers): Loss at the Packers

x-6. Seattle Seahawks (10-6, bottom wild card; W 36-6 at Cardinals)
• Can clinch the No. 5 seed because of a Week 13 win at the Vikings but lost to the Packers in Week 2.
• 5 seed (at No. 4 Redskins): Vikings loss at the Packers
• 6 (at No. 3 Vikings): Packers loss
• 6 (at No. 3 Packers): Vikings-Packers tie

---

Eliminated teams and their first-round selection order in the draft:
1. Tennessee Titans (3-13), 2. Cleveland Browns (3-13), 3. San Diego Chargers (4-12), 4. Dallas Cowboys (4-12), 5. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11), 6. Baltimore Ravens (5-11), 7. San Francisco 49ers (5-11), 8. New York Giants (6-10), 9. Chicago Bears (6-10), 10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-10), 11. Miami Dolphins (6-10), 12. New Orleans Saints (7-9), 13. Philadelphia Eagles (7-9), 14. Oakland Raiders (7-9), 15. St. Louis Rams (7-9), 16. Detroit Lions (7-9), 17. Atlanta Falcons (8-8), 18. Indianapolis Colts (8-8), 19. Buffalo Bills (8-8), 20. New York Jets (10-6).