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The Week 15 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals has eliminated the St. Louis Rams from playoff contention. It would’ve been a long shot, but they would’ve had to have won out [Weeks 15-17] in order to have a realistic chance at making the postseason. The loss, though, means a tenth consecutive season without a playoff game.
Four teams have already secured entry into the 2014 playoffs, but all are still vying to lock up the top seed and home field advantage.
Which 10-win team in the NFC sits at home and watches the winner of the NFC South play in a meaningful game beyond Week 17?
2014 NFL PLAYOFF SCENARIOS FOR WEEK 16
AFC
CLINCHED:
Denver – AFC West
Indianapolis – AFC South
New England – AFC East
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (at New York Jets)
New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
1) NE win + DEN loss
New England clinches a first-round bye with:
1) NE win OR
2) NE tie + IND loss or tie OR
3) IND loss + CIN loss or tie + PIT loss or tie + BAL loss or tie
DENVER BRONCOS (at Cincinnati)
Denver clinches a first-round bye with:
1) DEN win OR
2) DEN tie + IND loss or tie
CINCINNATI BENGALS (vs. Denver)
Cincinnati clinches AFC North division with:
1) CIN win + PIT loss + BAL loss or tie
Cincinnati clinches a playoff spot with:
1) CIN win OR
2) CIN tie + BAL loss OR
3) CIN tie + KC loss or tie + SD loss or tie OR
4) KC loss + SD loss + BUF loss or tie
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (vs. Kansas City)
Pittsburgh clinches a playoff spot with:
1) PIT win
BALTIMORE RAVENS (at Houston)
Baltimore clinches a playoff spot with:
1) BAL win + PIT loss + CIN loss OR
2) BAL win + KC loss or tie + SD loss or tie OR
3) BAL tie + KC loss + SD loss + BUF loss or tie
NFC
CLINCHED: Arizona – playoff spot
ARIZONA CARDINALS (vs. Seattle)
Arizona clinches NFC West division and home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
1) ARI win
DETROIT LIONS (at Chicago)
Detroit clinches NFC North division with:
1) DET win + GB loss
Detroit clinches a first-round bye with:
1) DET win + GB loss + DAL loss
Detroit clinches a playoff spot with:
1) DET win OR
2) DET tie + PHI loss or tie OR
3) PHI loss
DALLAS COWBOYS (vs. Indianapolis)
Dallas clinches NFC East division with:
1) DAL win + PHI loss or tie OR
2) DAL tie + PHI loss
Dallas clinches a playoff spot with:
1) DAL win + GB loss or tie + DET loss or tie as long as both don't tie
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (at Arizona)
Seattle clinches a playoff spot with:
1) SEA win + PHI loss or tie OR
2) SEA win + DET loss or tie OR
3) SEA win + GB loss or tie OR
4) SEA tie + PHI loss OR
5) SEA tie + DET loss + GB loss OR
6) PHI loss + DAL win or tie
GREEN BAY PACKERS (at Tampa Bay)
Green Bay clinches a playoff spot with:
1) GB win + PHI loss or tie OR
2) GB win + DAL win or tie OR
3) GB tie + PHI loss OR
4) GB tie + PHI tie + DAL win or tie OR
5) PHI loss + DAL win or tie
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (vs. Atlanta)
New Orleans clinches NFC South division with:
1) NO win + CAR loss