NFL Playoff Picture To Clear Up For Nine Teams Playing In Seven Games This Weekend

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The NFL’s final weekend will clear up a playoff picture that has remained murky in recent weeks and needs a couple of tweaks to come into full focus.

It’s going to be a busy weekend.

Four games in the AFC and three games in the NFC have playoff implications that will determine the postseason outlook for nine teams.

Ravens Chase AFC North Title

Five of those nine teams still have not locked down a playoff spot and are playing Saturday or Sunday to try to get into the postseason. The rest is about clinching the No.1 overall seed and home field advantage in the postseason or winning a division title.

Let’s dig into the games and the stakes:

AFC

CLINCHED:

Kansas City Chiefs (15-1) – AFC West, No. 1 seed, first-round bye and home-field advantage.

Buffalo Bills (13-3) – AFC East, No. 2 seed.

Houston Texans (9-7) – AFC South, No. 4 seed.

Baltimore Ravens (11-5) – playoff berth.

Los Angeles Chargers (10-6) – playoff berth.

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) – playoff berth.

The game: Baltimore Ravens (11-5) vs. Cleveland Browns (3-13); Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC.

The stakes: The Ravens can clinch the AFC North title and the No. 3 seed, which gets an opening round home game with: 

1. BAL win or tie.
2. PIT loss or tie.

Steelers Want AFC North Title, Too

The game: Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8); Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC.

The stakes: Because the Ravens play earlier on Saturday, the Steelers will know their situation when they take the field against the Bengals. The Steelers can clinch the AFC North title and the No. 3 seed, which gets an opening round home game, with:  

1. PIT win + BAL loss

That game is vital to the Cincinnati Bengals as well. They must win to keep their slim hopes of making the playoffs alive. The Bengals can clinch a playoff berth with:  

1. CIN win + DEN loss + MIA loss or tie.

The game: Denver Broncos (9-7) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1); Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS.

The stakes: The Broncos are on the precipice of making the playoffs. They clinch a berth with:  

1. DEN win or tie.
2. MIA loss or tie + CIN loss or tie.

The game: Miami Dolphins (8-8) at New York Jets (4-12); Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX.

The stakes: The Dolphins can clinch a playoff berth, but they need help. They get in with:  

1. MIA win + DEN loss.

Lions Versus Vikings For Alotta Marbles

NFC

CLINCHED:

Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) – NFC East, No. 2 seed

Los Angeles Rams (10-6) – NFC West

Detroit Lions (14-2) – playoff berth

Green Bay Packers (11-5) – playoff berth

Minnesota Vikings (14-2) – playoff berth

Washington Commanders (11-5) – playoff berth

The game: Detroit Lions (14-2) vs. Minnesota Vikings (14-2); Sunday night, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC.

The stakes: This is the game of the week and possibly the matchup of the entire season. Thus, it was moved to Sunday night. It’s not for all the marbles, but it’s for a lot of marbles, including the shiny blue ones with swirls.

Detroit clinches the NFC North title and NFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and home field advantage with: 

1. DET win or tie.

Minnesota clinches the NFC North division title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and home field advantage with: 

1. MIN win.

Falcons, Bucs Play For One Spot

The game: Atlanta Falcons (8-8) vs. Carolina Panthers (4-12); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS.

The stakes: Atlanta can clinch the NFC South division title but it needs help. A loss means they’re out of the playoff altogether. The Falcons can clinch the division title with:

1. ATL win + TB loss.

The game: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) vs. New Orleans Saints (5-11); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX.

The stakes: Tampa Bay controls its own destiny. The Bucs clinch the NFC South division title with:

1. TB win or tie.
2. ATL loss or tie.