NFL Playoff Clinching Scenarios Week Sixteen

Week Sixteen has arrived and is already getting underway. As is usual around now in the National Football League, the playoff picture starts getting a little muddled. So that's where we come in and help out. Here is what the playoff clinching scenarios for this week. It will be a little confusing I know, but please hang in there. It will be easy to figure out. So here's what the clinching possibilities are for week sixteen.

AFC 
CLINCHED: New England – AFC East and first-round bye; Oakland – playoff berth

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (vs. New York Jets Saturday)
New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs if the following happens:
-NE win + OAK loss or tie OR
-NE tie + OAK loss

OAKLAND RAIDERS (vs. Indianapolis, Saturday)
Oakland clinches AFC West division title and a first-round bye if the following happens:
-OAK win + KC loss or tie OR
-OAK tie + KC loss

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (vs. Baltimore, Sunday)
Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division title if the following happens:
-PIT win

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (vs. Denver, Sunday night)
Kansas City clinches a playoff berth if the following happens:
-KC win or tie OR
-BAL loss or tie

HOUSTON TEXANS (vs. Cincinnati, Saturday night)
Houston clinches AFC South division title if the following happens:
-HOU win + TEN loss

MIAMI DOLPHINS (at Buffalo, Saturday)
Miami clinches a playoff berth if the following happens:
-MIA win + DEN loss or tie OR
-MIA tie + BAL loss + DEN loss + HOU loss or tie OR
-MIA tie + BAL loss + DEN loss + TEN loss or tie

NFC 
CLINCHED: Dallas – playoff berth; Seattle – NFC West

DALLAS COWBOYS (vs. Detroit, Monday night)
Dallas clinches NFC East division title and home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs if the following happens:
-DAL win or tie OR
-NYG loss or tie

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (vs. Arizona, Saturday)
Seattle clinches a first-round bye if the following happens:
-SEA win + DET loss + ATL loss or tie

NEW YORK GIANTS (at Philadelphia, Thursday night)
New York clinches a playoff berth if the following happens:
-NYG win or tie OR
-DET loss or tie OR
-GB loss or tie OR
-TB loss or tie OR
-ATL loss

DETROIT LIONS (at Dallas, Monday night)
Detroit clinches NFC North division title if the following happens:
-DET win + GB loss or tie OR
-DET tie + GB loss

Detroit clinches a playoff berth if the following happens:
-DET win + TB loss or tie OR
-DET tie + TB loss OR
-DET tie + TB tie + ATL win OR
-WAS loss or tie + TB loss + ATL win or tie

ATLANTA FALCONS (at Carolina, Saturday)
Atlanta clinches NFC South division title if the following happens:
-ATL win + TB loss or tie OR
-ATL tie + TB loss

Atlanta clinches a playoff berth if the following happens:
-ATL win + ATL clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over DET OR
-ATL win or tie + GB loss or tie OR
-ATL win + DET loss or tie OR
-ATL tie + DET tie OR
-WAS loss or tie + GB loss OR
-WAS loss or tie + GB tie + DET loss

GREEN BAY PACKERS (vs. Minnesota, Saturday)
Green Bay clinches a playoff berth if the following happens:
-GB win + WAS loss or tie + TB loss + ATL win or tie + GB clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over TB

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (at New Orleans Saturday)
Tampa Bay clinches a playoff berth if the following happens:
-TB win + GB loss + DET loss + WAS loss OR
-TB win + GB loss + DET loss + WAS tie + TB clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over DET