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Here’s how the NFL playoff picture looks three games through the early Sunday games of Week 16. This week has already featured the Philadelphia Eagles clinching the NFC East for the second straight season<\/a>, the elimination of the Dallas Cowboys from the postseason race, the Chicago Bears taking a big leap in the NFC North and Seattle assuming control of the No. 1 seed in the NFC from the Los Angeles Rams<\/a>.<\/p>\n (* Clinched playoff spot)<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n 1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3)*:<\/strong> Remaining schedule \u2014 at Carolina Panthers, at San Francisco 49ers<\/p>\n NFC No. 1 seed-clinching scenario: <\/strong>The Seahawks are in the driver’s seat for home-field advantage in the NFC. Two victories to close out the season \u2014 at Panthers and at 49ers \u2014 will give them the NFC West crown, a first-round bye and home-field throughout the conference playoffs.<\/p>\n Notable odds:<\/strong> Seattle has a 50% chance of holding onto the No. 1 seed and a 54% probability of winning the NFC West, according to The Athletic’s playoff predictor<\/a>. That’s how big Thursday night’s victory was for Sam Darnold and company.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n 2. Chicago Bears (11-4):<\/strong> Remaining schedule \u2014 at San Francisco 49ers, vs. Detroit Lions<\/p>\n Notable odds:<\/strong> The Bears are near locks for the postseason with 94% odds, according to NFL.com. Saturday night’s overtime win puts them in firm control of the NFC North, holding an 83% probability of winning the division. Entering Saturday, they had a 6% chance at the No. 1 overall seed, according to The Athletic. That rose to 12% after DJ Moore’s game-winning TD catch<\/a> Saturday.<\/p>\n Playoff-clinching scenarios:<\/strong><\/p>\n Lions loss or tie vs. Steelers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n 3. Philadelphia Eagles* (10-5):<\/strong> Remaining schedule \u2014 at Buffalo Bills, vs. Washington Commanders<\/p>\n Notable odds:<\/strong> The Eagles, back-to-back champs of the NFC East, have a less than 1% shot at clinching the No. 1 seed in the NFC.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n 4. Carolina Panthers (8-7):<\/strong> Remaining schedule \u2014 vs. Seattle Seahawks, at Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/p>\n Notable odds:<\/strong> A big win over the Bucs moved Carolina into first place in the NFC South. The Panthers bumped up to 43% to win the division, according to The Athletic. They still have to play at Tampa Bay in the regular season finale.<\/p>\n 5. Los Angeles Rams (11-4)*:<\/strong> Remaining schedule \u2014 at Atlanta Falcons, vs. Arizona Cardinals<\/p>\n Playoff-clinching scenarios: <\/strong>The Rams are already in the postseason field, however they’ll need some help to secure the NFC West crown and the conference’s No. 1 seed. L.A. needs, per RamsWire<\/a>, to:<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Beat Falcons and Cardinals<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Have Seahawks lose to Panthers and beat 49ers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Have 49ers beat Colts and Bears, and lose to Seahawks<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Have Bears lose to 49ers and NOT tie Lions<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Notable odds: <\/strong>The Rams’ odds of clinching the No. 1 seed fell from 53% to 20% after Thursday night’s thrilling defeat in Seattle, per The Athletic.<\/p>\n 6. San Francisco 49ers (10-4):<\/strong> Remaining schedule \u2014 at Indianapolis Colts, vs. Chicago Bears, vs. Seattle Seahawks<\/p>\n Notable odds:<\/strong> Strong playoff favorites at 99%, per The Athletic. They also have 21% shot at the No. 1 seed in the conference.<\/p>\n Playoff-clinching scenarios:<\/strong><\/p>\n Tie vs. Colts AND Lions tie vs. Steelers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n NFC No. 1 seed-clinching scenario:<\/strong> The Niners are still in play for the division crown and the top seed in the conference. If they win out to close the regular season, the big prize belong to San Francisco. Victories vs. the Colts on Monday and vs. the Bears in Week 17 would would set up a titanic regular-season finale against the Seahawks if Seattle wins its next game. In that scenario, the winner of the Week 18 finale would walk away with the No. 1 seed and division title.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n 7. Green Bay Packers (9-5-1):<\/strong> Remaining schedule \u2014 vs. Baltimore Ravens, at Minnesota Vikings<\/p>\n Notable odds:<\/strong> The Packers’ shot at the NFC North title dropped to 10%, according to The Athletic, after Saturday night’s overtime defeat in Chicago.<\/p>\n Still in the NFC picture<\/strong><\/p>\n 8. Detroit Lions (8-6):<\/strong> Remaining schedule \u2014 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, at Minnesota Vikings, at Chicago Bears<\/p>\n Notable odds:<\/strong> Down to 22% to make the playoffs, per The Athletic. They still have a shot at the NFC North. Detroit would need to:<\/p>\n Go 3-0 the rest of the way (vs. Steelers, Vikings and Bears)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Have Bears lose to 49ers in Week 17<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Have Packers lose one of their two remaining games (vs. Ravens and Vikings)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n 9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8):<\/strong> Remaining schedule \u2014 at Miami Dolphins, vs. Carolina Panthers<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Notable odds:<\/strong> While the loss to the Panthers drops Tampa Bay out of playoff position for the time being, the Bucs still have a 58% shot at winning the NFC South, per The Athletic. That’s because they face Carolina one more time and will hold the tiebreaker if they win that game.<\/p>\n 1. Denver Broncos (12-2)*:<\/strong> Remaining schedule \u2014 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, at Kansas City Chiefs<\/a>, vs. Los Angeles Chargers<\/p>\n AFC West-clinching scenarios: <\/strong><\/p>\n Victory vs. Jaguars AND Chargers loss or tie vs. Cowboys<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Tie vs. Jaguars AND Chargers loss vs. Cowboys<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n AFC No. 1 seed-clinching scenarios: <\/strong><\/p>\n Victory vs. Jaguars AND Chargers loss or tie vs. Cowboys AND Bills loss or tie vs. Browns<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Notable odds:<\/strong> The Broncos secured a postseason spot with a win over the Packers, and they are now the favorite to earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC at 73% odds, according to The Athletic’s playoff predictor<\/a>.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n 2. New England Patriots (11-3):<\/strong> Remaining schedule \u2014 at Baltimore Ravens, at New York Jets, vs. Miami Dolphins<\/p>\n Playoff-clinching scenarios:<\/strong><\/p>\n Victory or tie vs. Ravens<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Colts loss or tie vs. 49ers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Texans loss or tie vs. Raiders<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Notable odds:<\/strong> The Patriots squandered their chance to clinch the AFC East title with a loss to the Bills<\/a>, but they still have at least 70% odds to win the division, per The Athletic. They’re a virtual lock to make the playoffs at 99%, according to NFL.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n 3. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4):<\/strong> Remaining schedule \u2014 at Denver Broncos, at Indianapolis Colts, vs. Tennessee Titans<\/p>\n Playoff-clinching scenarios:<\/strong><\/p>\n Victory vs. Broncos AND Colts loss or tie vs. 49ers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Victory vs. Broncos AND Texans loss or tie vs. Raiders<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Tie vs. Broncos AND Colts loss vs. 49ers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Tie vs. Broncos AND Colts tie vs. 49ers AND Texans loss vs. Raiders<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Notable odds:<\/strong> The Jags maintained their lead in the AFC South, and are at least 60% likely to win the division, per The Athletic. Their overall playoff probability is 97%, according to NFL.com.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n 4. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6):<\/strong> Remaining schedule \u2014 at Detroit Lions, at Cleveland Browns, vs. Baltimore Ravens<\/p>\n Notable odds:<\/strong> The Steelers still lead the AFC North, and their win over the Dolphins boosted their playoff probability to 60%, according to NFL.com.<\/p>\n 5. Los Angeles Chargers (11-4):<\/strong> Remaining schedule \u2014 vs. Houston Texas, at Denver Broncos<\/p>\n Playoff-clinching scenarios: <\/strong><\/p>\nNFC<\/h2>\n
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