With the NFL calendar moving to Week 16, seven of the 14 playoff spots are accounted for and several more can be locked down ahead of Christmas.
In the AFC, the Buffalo Bills (AFC East winners), Houston Texans (AFC South winners), Kansas City Chiefs (AFC West winners) and Pittsburgh Steelers are in the fold. On the NFC side, the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles have spots secured.
Here’s a look at which teams could punch their ticket to the postseason, secure home field or earn a division title in Week 16:
Chiefs (13-1) vs. Texans (9-5)
Saturday, 1 p.m. ET, NBC
Kansas City clinches the No. 1 seed in the AFC, the lone first-round bye and home field with:
1. Chiefs win and a Buffalo Bills loss or tie
2. Chiefs tie and a Bills loss
GO DEEPER
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes pushing to play through sprained ankle this week
Steelers (10-4) vs. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX
Pittsburgh clinches the AFC North division title with:
1. Steelers win
Baltimore clinches a playoff berth with:
1. Ravens win or tie
2. Miami Dolphins loss or tie and Indianapolis Colts loss or tie
Denver Broncos (9-5) at Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video
Denver clinches a playoff berth with:
1. Broncos win or tie
2. Dolphins loss or tie and Cincinnati Bengals loss or tie and Colts loss or tie
Los Angeles clinches a playoff berth with:
1. Chargers win and Dolphins loss or tie and Colts loss or tie
2. Chargers tie and Dolphins loss and Colts loss and Bengals loss or tie
GO DEEPER
Commanders-Falcons flexed to ‘Sunday Night Football’ in Week 17
Eagles (12-2) at Washington Commanders (9-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX
Philadelphia clinches the NFC East division title with:
1. Eagles win or tie
Washington clinches a playoff berth with:
1. Commanders win and Atlanta Falcons loss or tie and Los Angeles Rams loss or tie
2. Commanders win and Falcons loss or tie and Seattle Seahawks loss or tie
3. Commanders tie and Falcons loss and Arizona Cardinals loss or tie and Rams loss or tie and Seahawks loss or tie (as long as Rams and Seahawks both don’t tie)
Green Bay Packers (10-4) vs. New Orleans Saints (5-9)
Monday 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
Green Bay clinches a playoff berth with:
1. Packers win or tie
2. Falcons loss or tie and Rams loss or tie
3. Falcons loss or tie and Seahawks loss or tie
Required reading
• NFL Power Rankings Week 16: Eagles, Bills the new 1-2, plus team MVPs
• NFL playoff projections: The Athletic’s model projects the field
• How do NFL kickers deal with pressure and failure? We asked three former greats
(Photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
