2024 NFL Playoff Scenarios: Which teams could win in Week 17?

With just two weeks left in the 2024 NFL regular season, 10 teams are vying for the remaining five spots.

Five AFC teams have punched their playoff tickets: Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans and defending champion Kansas City Chiefs.

Four others in the NFC have joined the postseason team: the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers (all of whom reside in the NFC North), and the Philadelphia Eagles.

There’s still a lot at stake in the final two weeks, including five division titles and the No. 1 seed in both conferences.

Check out this week’s playoff odds below!

[Related:2024 NFL Playoff Bracket, Schedule, Standings]

AFC

HOW TO GET THE NUMBER FOR THE KANSAS CITY MAJORS. 1 SEED

• Kansas City Chiefs win or tie OR
• Buffalo Bills lose or tie

The Chiefs have taken number 1 three times since Patrick Mahomes started his first game. They can make it four with a win or tie on Christmas Day, when they visit the Steelers. Pittsburgh is already guaranteed to appear in the postseason, but they are also trying to keep pace with Baltimore in the AFC North race.

Kansas City could lock up the top seed, along with the all-important first-round bye and home-field advantage for every playoff game that comes with it, otherwise. It will require the Bills to reach against the four-time New York Jets on Sunday.

THE WAY DENVER BRANCOS CAN’T GET A PLAY BET

• Denver Broncos win or tie

The Broncos have one of the NFL’s longest playoff droughts. They haven’t been to the postseason since their 2015 Super Bowl winning season. Denver missed its first chance to win last Thursday, when it fell to the Chargers in Los Angeles. But the Broncos will get another shot at ending their postseason-less streak with a win or tie at Cincinnati on Saturday.

The Bengals, who have won three in a row, are still alive in the wild card hunt. However, they will end up losing.

THE WAY LOS ANGELES CHARGERS CAN’T GET A PLAY BET

Leading up to Saturday’s NFL tripleheader, the Chargers will begin a cross-country road trip to meet the Patriots in New England. A win or tie on the road would put LA back in the playoffs as a wild card team. The Patriots are on a five-game losing streak, though three of those games have been decided by one point.

If New England pulls off the upset, then the Chargers can enter Sunday if two home underdogs also win or tie: the New York Giants against the Colts and the Cleveland Browns against the Dolphins.

NFC

HOW THE DETROIT LIONS CAN GET THE NFC NORTH AND NO. 1 SEED

• Detroit Lions wins + Minnesota Vikings losses

The Lions already made history last week when they recorded their 13th win of the season. Now they can snatch the No. 1 seed. 1 in the NFC for the first time in the Super Bowl era. But Detroit needs a little help from one of its rivals to take down another rival.

The Vikings, who sit at 13-2 like the Lions, must lose to the Packers on Sunday for Detroit to have any chance of winning this week. Minnesota is coming off a 31-29 win over Green Bay earlier this season, and the highly anticipated rematch will air on FOX at 4:25 pm ET, with Tom Brady and Kevin Burkhardt in the booth.

The Lions don’t play until Monday night, when they travel to San Francisco to face the 49ers for the first time since Detroit lost in the NFC Championship game last season. If the Lions get revenge, and the Packers make a strong case for them, then Detroit will win the division for the second year in a row, and hold the top seed in the conference.

THE WAY PHILADELPHIA EAGLE CAN’T FIND NFC EAST

• Philadelphia Eagles win or tie
• Washington Commanders loss or tie

The NFC East hasn’t had a back-to-back win since 2004, and that streak will continue for at least another year. The Dallas Cowboys won the division last season, but were eliminated from playoff contention in Week 16 after the Commanders defeated the Eagles.

Philadelphia can claim the division, and bragging rights, with a win or a tie at home against the Cowboys on Sunday, airing at 1 pm ET on FOX. The Eagles have a little uncertainty at the quarterback position, however. Starter Jalen Hurts left the game against the Commanders with a concussion and backup Kenny Pickett is dealing with a rib injury. Meanwhile, injury-plagued Dallas has won four of its last five.

The Eagles can still seal the division title with a loss, if the Commanders fall or tie with the Falcons on Sunday night.

THE WAY Power of the ATLANTA FALCONS CAN’T FIND NFC SOUTH

• Atlanta Falcons wins + Tampa Bay Buccaneers losses

So far, the Falcons’ bet on Michael Penix Jr. it pays off. They benched veteran Kirk Cousins ​​last week and turned to the rookie quarterback, who led Atlanta to a 34-7 victory in his first start. That, coupled with the Bucs’ loss to the Cowboys, put the Falcons in control of their own destiny. If they win this season, they will be the NFC South champions.

But the Falcons can accomplish that again this weekend, if they beat the Commanders on the road and Tampa loses to the Carolina Panthers at home.

THE WAY LOS ANGELES RAMS CAN’T FIND NFC WEST

• Los Angeles Rams win + Seattle Seahawks loss or tie OR
• Los Angeles Rams win + Los Angeles Rams take power tiebreaker over Seattle Seahawks OR
• Los Angeles Rams tie + Seattle Seahawks loss

The Rams looked DOA after starting the season 1-4 and couldn’t find a break in the injury zone. Since then, however, they’ve lost just twice and taken first place in the NFC West. They can complete their remarkable turnaround, and win the division for the first time since the Super Bowl in 2021, if things go their way this weekend.

First, the Rams need the Seahawks to lose or tie the Chicago Bears – who are on a nine-game winning streak – on Thursday night. Then they need to beat the Arizona Cardinals in Los Angeles on Saturday night.

There are also two other, more complicated situations for the Rams this week. They can secure the power tiebreaker over the Seahawks with a win over the Cardinals, and 3.5 or more wins from the Vikings, Bills, 49ers, Commanders, Bengals and Browns.

A Rams-Cardinals tie, coupled with a loss to the Seahawks, will repeat LA’s postseason.

THE WAY WASHINGTON COMMANDER CAN’T GET A PLAY BET

• Washington Commanders win or tie OR
• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost or tied

Dan Quinn has been to the playoffs seven times as a head coach and defensive coordinator. He can bring the Commanders there in his first season at the helm in DC with a win/tie against the Falcons on Sunday night.

But it is possible that Quinn’s team will have received a play-off bid before the start of the game. If the Bucs don’t beat the Carolina Panthers, the Commanders will be guaranteed at least a wild-card berth.

Which teams have already won?

AFC

• Buffalo Bills (12-3)*
• Houston Texas (9-6)*
• Kansas City Chiefs (14-1)*
• Baltimore Ravens (10-5)
• Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)

NFC

• Detroit Lions (13-2)
• Minnesota Vikings (13-2)
• Green Bay Packers (11-4)
• Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)

*division is overcome

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