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| | Thursday, December 30 | |||||
| The possibilities for the NFL playoffs through games of Monday,
Dec. 27:
AFC East Indianapolis Colts: Have clinched AFC East title and a first-round playoff bye. Can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with EITHER a win AND EITHER a Jacksonville loss or tie OR with Indianapolis beating Jacksonville in best net points in conference games (currently Indianapolis +67 to Jacksonville +81) OR a Jacksonville loss AND a Tennessee loss. Buffalo Bills: Have clinched playoff berth. Miami Dolphins: Can clinch playoff berth with EITHER a Kansas City loss or a Seattle loss. If either the Chiefs or Seahawks tie, Miami can clinch a playoff spot with a win. AFC Central Jacksonville Jaguars: Have clinched playoff berth. Can clinch AFC Central title and a first-round playoff bye with a win or tie OR a Tennessee loss or tie. Can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win AND EITHER an Indianapolis loss or tie OR with Jacksonville beating Indianapolis in best net points in conference games (currently Indianapolis +67 to Jacksonville +81). Tennessee Titans: Have clinched a playoff berth. Can clinch AFC Central title and a first-round playoff bye with a win AND a Jacksonville loss. Can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win AND a Jacksonville loss AND an Indianapolis loss. Note: Eventual AFC Central champion has clinched a first-round playoff bye. AFC West Seattle Seahawks: Can clinch AFC West title with EITHER a win or a Kansas City loss or tie. Can clinch playoff berth with a tie AND a Miami loss. Kansas City Chiefs: Can clinch AFC West title with a win AND a Seattle loss or tie. Can clinch playoff berth with a win OR a tie AND a Miami loss. NFC East Washington Redskins: Have clinched NFC East title. Can clinch first-round playoff bye with a win AND a Tampa Bay loss AND a Minnesota loss or tie. Dallas Cowboys: Can clinch playoff berth with a win. New York Giants: Can clinch playoff berth with EITHER a win AND EITHER a Green Bay loss or tie OR with New York beating Green Bay and Carolina in best net points in conference games (currently New York -56, Green Bay 0, Carolina -18) OR a tie AND a Green Bay loss AND a Carolina loss. NFC Central Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Have clinched a playoff berth. Can clinch NFC Central title with EITHER a win or tie OR a Minnesota loss or tie. Can clinch a first-round playoff bye with EITHER a win or tie OR a Minnesota loss or tie AND a Washington loss or tie. Minnesota Vikings: Have clinched a playoff berth. Can clinch NFC Central title and a first-round playoff bye with a win and a Tampa Bay loss. Detroit Lions: Have clinched a playoff berth. Green Bay Packers: Can clinch a playoff berth with EITHER a win AND EITHER a New York win AND with Green Bay beating New York and Carolina in best net points in conference games (currently New York -56, Green Bay 0, Carolina -18) OR New York-Dallas game ends in a tie AND a Carolina loss or tie OR a tie AND New York-Dallas game ends in a tie AND a Carolina loss or tie. NFC West St. Louis Rams: Have clinched NFC West title, a first-round playoff bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Carolina Panthers: Can clinch a playoff berth with a win AND EITHER a New York win and a Green Bay win AND with Carolina beating New York and Green Bay in best net points in conference games (currently New York -56, Green Bay 0, Carolina -18) OR New York-Dallas game ends in a tie. Note: Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, New England, New Orleans, N.Y. Jets, Oakland, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego and San Francisco are eliminated from playoff contention. | ALSO SEE NFL Week 17 previews Week 17 picks 'Tis the season for parity  Murphy: Y2K bug bites NFLTuesday Morning Quarterback ESPN.com's NFL Power Rankings NFL Question of the Week Rookie Report: Bulldog pup  | |||||