NFL playoff clinching scenarios for Week 18

Los Angeles Rams v San Francisco 49ers
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Related: AFC playoff picture | NFC playoff picture

The NFL released the following playoff clinching scenarios for Week 18 of the 2021 season:

AFC

CLINCHED (5 of 7):

Cincinnati Bengals – AFC North division title
Kansas City Chiefs – AFC West division title
Tennessee Titans – AFC South division title
Buffalo Bills – playoff berth
New England Patriots – playoff berth

BALTIMORE RAVENS (8-8) (vs. Pittsburgh (8-7-1), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Baltimore clinches playoff berth with:

BAL win + LAC loss + IND loss + MIA loss or tie


BUFFALO BILLS (10-6) (vs. New York Jets (4-12), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)

Buffalo clinches AFC East division title with:

BUF win OR
NE loss OR
BUF tie + NE tie


CINCINNATI BENGALS (10-6) (at Cleveland (7-9), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, FOX)

Cincinnati clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage with:

CIN win + TEN loss + KC loss + NE loss or tie OR
CIN win + TEN loss + KC loss + BUF win


INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-7) (at Jacksonville (2-14), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Indianapolis clinches playoff berth with:

IND win or tie OR
LAC loss + BAL-PIT tie OR
LAC loss + PIT loss + MIA win


KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-5) (at Denver (7-9), Saturday, 4:30 PM ET, ESPN/ABC)

Kansas City clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage with:

KC win + TEN loss or tie OR
KC tie + TEN loss


LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (9-7) (vs. Los Angeles Chargers (9-7), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)

Las Vegas clinches playoff berth with:

LV win OR
LV tie + IND loss OR
IND loss + PIT loss or tie


LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (9-7) (at Las Vegas (9-7), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)

Los Angeles Chargers clinch playoff berth with:

LAC win or tie


NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (10-6) (at Miami (8-8), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)

New England clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage with:

NE win + BUF loss or tie + KC loss + TEN loss

New England clinches AFC East division title with:

NE win + BUF loss or tie OR
NE tie + BUF loss


PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-7-1) (at Baltimore (8-8), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Pittsburgh clinches playoff berth with:

PIT win + IND loss + LV-LAC game does not end in a tie


TENNESSEE TITANS (11-5) (at Houston (4-12), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Tennessee clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage with:

TEN win OR
TEN tie + KC loss or tie OR
KC loss + CIN loss or tie + NE loss or tie OR
KC loss + CIN loss or tie + BUF win


NFC

CLINCHED (6 of 7):

Green Bay Packers – NFC North division title, No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage
Dallas Cowboys – NFC East division title
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – NFC South division title
Arizona Cardinals – playoff berth
Los Angeles Rams – playoff berth
Philadelphia Eagles – playoff berth


ARIZONA CARDINALS (11-5) (vs. Seattle (6-10), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

Arizona clinches NFC West division title with:

ARI win + LAR loss


LOS ANGELES RAMS (12-4) (vs. San Francisco (9-7), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

Los Angeles Rams clinch NFC West division title with:

LAR win or tie OR
ARI loss or tie


NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (8-8) (at Atlanta (7-9), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

New Orleans clinches playoff berth with:

NO win + SF loss


SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (9-7) (at Los Angeles Rams (12-4), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

San Francisco clinches playoff berth with:

SF win or tie OR
NO loss or tie

12 responses to “NFL playoff clinching scenarios for Week 18

  1. Man I hate that the saints playoffs hinge on a cruddy QB. And I don’t mean anybody on the saints. Stafford stinks he is gonna lay an egg I am certain of that. The only hope is that the Rams defense plays ball.

  2. blowncallssuck says:
    January 4, 2022 at 10:30 am
    Man I hate that the saints playoffs hinge on a cruddy QB. And I don’t mean anybody on the saints. Stafford stinks he is gonna lay an egg I am certain of that. The only hope is that the Rams defense plays ball.
    //////////////
    Your Saints and my 49ers don’t deserve to be in the playoffs. Neither do the Eagles, but that’s what we are getting in this oddball seventeen game season.

  3. Rams need to be smart and eliminate a dangerous Niners team. Colts aint losing to Jax, who want the 1st pick in the draft.

    Titans play down to bad teams but need to take care of business so Henry can be ready for divisional game.

  4. Packers guaranteed to win the NFC, with Brady’s depleted receiving core, and everyone know Stafford and Dak will choke .

  5. “Man I hate that the saints playoffs hinge on a cruddy QB. ”

    The Niner swill likely lose vs the Rams. They have a backup, rookie QB. They just announced that some of their top defenders are out with COVID…..and the Rams are playing great right now.

    Betting money is on the Rams getting in. All they have to do is beat the lowly Falcons.

  6. radar773 says:
    January 4, 2022 at 12:26 pm
    Saints getting in…not Rams

    —————————————–

    You read that the Rams are already in, right?

  7. If the Saints, 49ers and Eagles all don’t deserve to be in the playoffs, who do you suggest fill the last 2 spots? Not well thought out.

  8. Philly hasn’t beaten one team with a winning record this season so technically there are 2 teams that get a first round bye in the NFC.

  9. The Eagles clinched playoff spot after game 16 not 17. They won enough games to get in…period.

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