With just two weeks left in the NFL season, both the AFC and NFC will have a good chance to give fans a full heart or heartbreak.
The AFC is one spot away from a clear three-team race, though the Steelers have a two-percent chance of making it. The NFC has a five-team race for two spots, and the Giants have a more than 85 percent chance of a bid if they need just one win in their final two games. And the team most likely to clinch the final AFC wild card spot, the Miami Dolphins, lost Tua Tagovailoa to concussion protocol, leaving his status for this weekend and the rest of the season unclear.
Heading into Week 17, five teams have clinched playoff spots in the AFC and four in the NFC. The scenarios for the other playoff hopefuls are endless, and with both untied and three divisions still up for grabs, there are only so many wild-card spots on the line this week. Only the Tennessee Titans have nothing to play for this week, as their fate hinges on their result in Jacksonville in Week 18.
• Buffalo earns AFC No. 1 seed against the Bengals in Week 17 and a loss to the Chiefs.
• Buffalo’s Week 17 opponent, the Bengals, will clinch the AFC North with a win Monday night and a loss or tie against the Ravens. Steelers or with Buffalo and Ravens losing.
• The Dolphins clinched the playoff berth with the Patriots and Jets losing or tying the Patriots, the Jets losing and the Steelers tying or losing.
• The Eagles won the NFC East with it. The Saints or Cowboys lose or tie against the Titans. They also secure the NFC’s top seed and home-field advantage in the playoffs by winning or losing to the Cowboys and 49ers, or tying and losing to the Vikings.
• The Buccaneers beat the Panthers on Sunday to win the NFC South.
• The Giants will clinch a playoff spot if they win the remaining two games. And even if they don’t win this week, if the combination of the Seahawks, Commanders, Lions and Packers lose, the Giants will go in.
Let’s see how the playoff picture changes with each result this week:
Cowboys at Titans, 8:15 pm ET Thursday
What if the Cowboys win and the Eagles lose?
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
6.2 percent |
+ 4.6 percent |
What if the Titans lose?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
22.8 percent |
+0.0 percent |
What if the Titans win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
23.0 percent |
+0.2 percent |
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
0.0 percent |
-1.6 percent |
Saints at Eagles, 1 pm ET Sunday
What if the Saints win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
9.3 percent |
+ 6.5 percent |
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
75.0 percent |
-17.4 percent |
What if the Eagles win?
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
100.0 percent |
+ 7.6 percent |
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
0.0 percent |
-2.8 percent |
Jaguars at Texas, 1 p.m. ET Sunday
What if the Jaguars win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
78.7 percent |
+0.5 percent |
What if the Texans win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
76.1 percent |
-2.1 percent |
Broncos at Chiefs, 1 p.m. ET Sunday
What if the Broncos win?
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
2.5 percent |
-32.7 percent |
What if the bosses win?
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
41.8 percent |
+ 6.6 percent |
What if the Chiefs win and the Bills lose?
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
75.6 percent |
+ 40.4 percent |
|
|
17.2 percent |
+ 9.2 percent |
|
|
7.2 percent |
-49.6 percent |
Bears at Lions, 1 p.m. ET Sunday
What if the Lions win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
40.6 percent |
+ 7.6 percent |
What if the Bears win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
4.6 percent |
-28.4 percent |
Dolphins at Patriots, 1 p.m. ET Sunday
What if the Dolphins win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
84.4 percent |
+ 16.8 percent |
|
|
0.0 percent |
-10.4 percent |
What if the Patriots win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
20.7 percent |
+ 10.4 percent |
|
|
42.0 percent |
-25.6 percent |
Panthers at Buccaneers, 1 pm ET Sunday
What if the Bucks win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
100.0 percent |
+ 19.2 percent |
|
|
0.0 percent |
-17.6 percent |
What if the Panthers win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
50.1 percent |
+ 32.5 percent |
|
|
44.7 percent |
-36.1 percent |
Browns at Commanders, 1 p.m. ET Sunday
What if the Browns win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
8.5 percent |
-20.8 percent |
What if the commanders win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
50.4 percent |
+ 21.1 percent |
Colts at Giants, 1 pm ET Sunday
What if the Colts win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
79.9 percent |
-6.2 percent |
What if the Giants win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
100.0 percent |
+ 13.9 percent |
Jets at Seahawks, 4:05 pm ET Sunday
What if the Jets win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
44.7 percent |
+ 25.8 percent |
|
|
7.7 percent |
-15.0 percent |
What if the Seahawks win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
53.6 percent |
+ 30.9 percent |
|
|
0.0 percent |
-18.9 percent |
49ers at Raiders, 4:05 pm ET Sunday
What if the 49ers win?
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
5.2 percent |
+ 2.1 percent |
What if the 49ers win and the Eagles lose?
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
16.3 percent |
+ 13.2 percent |
What if the robbers win?
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
0.0 percent |
-3.1 percent |
Vikings at Packers, 4:25 pm ET Sunday
What if the Vikings win?
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
6.5 percent |
+ 3.3 percent |
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
2.9 percent |
-25.4 percent |
What if the Packers win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
39.5 percent |
+ 11.2 percent |
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
0.0 percent |
-3.2 percent |
What if the Vikings win and the Eagles lose?
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
20.2 percent |
+ 17.0 percent |
Steelers at Ravens, 8:20 pm ET Sunday
What if the Steelers win?
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
5.1 percent |
+ 3.1 percent |
| group | Class opportunities | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
80.9 percent |
+ 7.5 percent |
|
|
19.1 percent |
-7.5 percent |
What if the Ravens win?
| group | Class opportunities | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
67.2 percent |
-6.2 percent |
|
|
32.8 percent |
+ 6.2 percent |
| group | Game chance | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
0.0 percent |
-2.0 percent |
Bills at Bengals, 8:15 pm ET Monday
What if the bills win?
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
86.7 percent |
+ 30.5 percent |
|
|
13.3 percent |
-22.6 percent |
|
|
0.0 percent |
-8.0 percent |
What if the Bills win and the Chiefs lose?
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
100.0 percent |
+ 46.8 percent |
What if the Bengals win?
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
64.4 percent |
+ 28.5 percent |
|
|
25.5 percent |
+ 17.5 percent |
|
|
10.1 percent |
-46.1 percent |
What if the Chiefs win and the Bills lose?
| group | 1-RACE ODDS | Change |
|---|---|---|
|
75.6 percent |
+ 40.4 percent |
|
|
17.2 percent |
+ 9.2 percent |
|
|
7.2 percent |
-49.6 percent |
(Photo by Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds of Detroit: Leon Halip/Getty Images)
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