Scenarios and tiebreakers (2024)

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Here is every NFL playoff scenario (except for tie games), along with the possible tiebreakers (in parentheses).

AFC

• NE @ BUF, 1 ET
• MIA @ NYJ, 4:15 ET
• JAC @ BAL, 4:15 ET (BAL clinches earlier if NE loses)
• DEN @ SD , 8:15 ET (NBC)

• TEN (13-2) has clinched the No. 1 seed.
• PIT (11-4) has clinched the No. 2 seed (see tiebreakers a & b).
• The DEN-SD winner will be the No. 4 seed (tiebreaker c).
• IND (11-4) has clinched the No. 5 seed (tiebreakers d & e).

Week 17 winners Seeds (applicable tiebreakers in parentheses) ? MIA BAL 3 MIA 11-5 vs. 6 BAL 11-5 out: NE , NYJ 9-7 (f, h) NE NYJ BAL 3 NE 11-5 vs. 6 BAL 11-5 out: NYJ 10-6, MIA 10-6 NE MIA 3 MIA 11-5 vs. 6 NE 11-5 out: BAL 10-6, NYJ 9-7 (f) NE NYJ 3 NE 11-5 vs. 6 NYJ 10-6 out: BAL 10-6, MIA 10-6 (g, i) MIA 3 MIA 11-5 vs. 6 BAL 10-6 out: NE 10-6, NYJ 9-7 (h) NYJ ? 3 NYJ 10-6 vs. 6 BAL out: MIA 10-6, NE 10-6 (g. f, j)

Tiebreakers
a. PIT (11-5) wins tie with MIA because of conference record (9-3 to 8-4).
b. PIT (11-5) wins tie with NE because of head-to-head victory (33-10 Nov. 30).
c. SD ( 8-8) wins tie with DEN because of division record (5-1 to 3-3).
d. IND (11-5) wins tie with BAL because of head-to-head victory (31-3 Oct. 12).
e. IND (11-5) wins tie with NE because of head-to-head victory (18-15 Nov. 2).
f. MIA (11-5/10-6) wins tie with NE because of better conference record (8-4/7-5 to 7-5/6-6).
g. NYJ (10-6) wins tie with MIA and NE because of head-to-head record (NYJ swept MIA; others split).
h. BAL (11-5/10-6) wins tie with NE because of conference record (8-4/7-5 to 7-5/6-6).
i. NYJ (10-6) wins tie with BAL because of conference record (8-4 to 7-5).
j. BAL (10-6) wins tie with MIA because of conference record (27-13 Oct. 19).

NFC

NYG @ MIN, 1 ET
CHI @ HOU, 1 ET
OAK @ TB , 1 ET
CAR @ NO , 1 ET
STL @ ATL, 1 ET
DAL @ PHI, 4:15 ET (PHI eliminated if TB or both MIN and CHI win/tie).

• NYG (12-3) has clinched the No. 1 seed (see tiebreaker a).
• CAR (11-4) has clinched a playoff berth.
• ARI (8-7) has clinched the No. 4 seed (tiebreakers c, d).
• ATL (10-5) has clinched a playoff berth.

Week 17 winners Seeds (applicable tiebreakers in parentheses) MIN ? CAR ATL ? DAL : 2 CAR 12-4, 5 ATL 11-5, 3 MIN 10-6 vs. 6 DAL 10-6 (b, e, f, g) ? CAR ATL ? DAL : 2 CAR 12-4, 5 ATL 11-5, 3 MIN vs. 6 DAL 10-6 (b, g) MIN ? CAR ? TB PHI : 2 CAR 12-4, 5 ATL , 3 MIN 10-6 vs. 6 TB 10-6 (b, h, j, f) ? CAR ? TB PHI : 2 CAR 12-4, 5 ATL , 3 MIN vs. 6 TB 10-6 (b, h) MIN ? ? TB PHI : 2 CAR , 5 ATL 10-6, 3 MIN 10-6 vs. 6 TB 10-6 (b, h, j, f) ? ? TB PHI : 2 CAR , 5 ATL 10-6, 3 MIN vs. 6 TB 10-6 (b, h) MIN CHI CAR ? PHI : 2 CAR 12-4, 5 ATL , 3 MIN 10-6 vs. 6 CHI 10-6 (b, j) MIN CHI ? PHI : 2 CAR , 5 ATL 10-6, 3 MIN 10-6 vs. 6 CHI 10-6 (b, j) ? CAR ? PHI : 2 CAR 12-4, 5 ATL , 3 MIN vs. 6 PHI 9-6-1 (b) ? ? PHI : 2 CAR , 5 ATL 10-6, 3 MIN vs. 6 PHI 9-6-1 (b) MIN ? ? ? DAL : 2 CAR , 5 DAL 10-6, 3 MIN 10-6 vs. 6 ATL 10-6 (b, h, e, i, j) ? ? ? DAL : 2 CAR , 5 DAL 10-6, 3 MIN vs. 6 ATL 10-6 (b, h, i) MIN ? ATL ? DAL : 2 ATL 11-5, 5 CAR 11-5, 3 MIN 10-6 vs. 6 DAL 10-6 (k, b, e, f, g) ? ATL ? DAL : 2 ATL 11-5, 5 CAR 11-5, 3 MIN vs. 6 DAL 10-6 (k, b, g) MIN ? ATL TB PHI : 2 ATL 11-5, 5 CAR 11-5, 3 MIN 10-6 vs. 6 TB 10-6 (k, b, f) ? ATL TB PHI : 2 ATL 11-5, 5 CAR 11-5, 3 MIN vs. 6 TB 10-6 (k, b) MIN CHI ATL PHI : 2 ATL 11-5, 5 CAR 11-5, 3 MIN 10-6 vs. 6 CHI 10-6 (k, b) ? ATL PHI : 2 ATL 11-5, 5 CAR 11-5, 3 MIN vs. 6 PHI 9-6-1 (k, b) CHI CAR ATL ? DAL : 2 CAR 12-4, 5 ATL 11-5, 3 CHI 10-6 vs. 6 DAL 10-6 (g) CHI CAR ? TB PHI : 2 CAR 12-4, 5 ATL , 3 CHI 10-6 vs. 6 TB 10-6 (h) CHI ? TB PHI : 2 CAR , 5 ATL 10-6, 3 CHI 10-6 vs. 6 TB 10-6 (h) CHI CAR ? PHI : 2 CAR 12-4, 5 ATL , 3 CHI 10-6 vs. 6 PHI 9-6-1 CHI ? ? DAL : 2 CAR , 5 DAL 10-6, 3 CHI 10-6 vs. 6 ATL 10-6 (g) CHI ATL ? DAL : 2 ATL 11-5, 5 CAR 11-5, 3 CHI 10-6 vs. 6 DAL 10-6 (k, g) CHI ATL TB PHI : 2 ATL 11-5, 5 CAR 11-5, 3 CHI 10-6 vs. 6 TB 10-6 (k) CHI ATL PHI : 2 ATL 11-5, 5 CAR 11-5, 3 CHI 10-6 vs. 6 PHI 9-6-1 (k)

Tiebreakers
a. NYG (12-4) wins tie with CAR because of head-to-head victory (31-28 Dec. 21).
b. MIN (10-6) wins tie with CHI because of conference record (8-4 to 7-5).
c. MIN ( 9-7) wins tie with CHI because of record vs. common opponents (7-5 to 6-6).
d. MIN ( 9-7) wins tie with ARI because of head-to-head victory (35-14 Dec. 14).
e. DAL (10-6) wins tie with CHI because of conference record (8-4 to 7-5).
f. TB (10-6) wins tie with CHI because of head-to-head victory (27-24 Sept. 21) or conference record (8-4 to 7-5).
g. DAL (10-6) wins tie with TB because of head-to-head victory (13-9 Oct. 26).
h. ATL (10-6) wins tie with TB because of record vs. common opponents (9-3 to 8-4).
i. DAL (10-6) wins tie with ATL because of conference record (8-4 to 7-5).
j. ATL (10-6) wins tie with CHI because of head-to-head victory (22-20 Oct. 12).
k. ATL (11-5) wins tie with CAR because of conference record (8-4 to 7-5).

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