NFL playoffs clinching scenarios revealed for Week 17

The 2025 NFL regular season is winding down, and the league just released the playoffs clinching scenarios for Week 17. 10 teams have already clinched a spot in the playoffs, meaning there are two spots available for each conference.

With there being only two more weeks in the regular season, the playoff picture will look clearer by the end of this weekend. Here’s a look at the NFL Week 17 playoffs clinching scenarios.

AFC

CLINCHED:

Buffalo Bills (11-4) – playoff berth

Denver Broncos (12-3) – playoff berth

Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4) – playoff berth

Los Angeles Chargers (11-4) – playoff berth

New England Patriots (12-3) – playoff berth

Denver Broncos (12-3) at Kansas City (6-9); Thursday night, 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video

Denver clinches AFC West division title and the AFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and home-field advantage with:

1. DEN win + LAC loss or tie + NE loss + BUF loss or tie + JAX loss or tie

Denver clinches AFC West division title with:

1. DEN win + LAC loss or tie OR
2. DEN tie + LAC loss

Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4) at Indianapolis (8-7); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

Jacksonville clinches AFC South division title with:

1. JAX win + HOU loss or tie OR
2. JAX tie + HOU loss

New England Patriots (12-3) at New York Jets (3-12); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

New England clinches AFC East division title with:

1. NE win + BUF loss or tie OR
2. NE tie + BUF loss

Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6) at Cleveland (3-12); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division title with:

1. PIT win or tie OR
2. BAL loss or tie

Houston Texans (10-5) at Los Angeles Chargers (11-4); Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network

Houston clinches playoff berth with:

1. HOU win or tie OR
2. IND loss or tie OR
3. HOU clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over IND

*Note: HOU needs the following to happen to clinch a tie in strength of victory with IND:    BAL win + BUF win + KC win + SF win + ATL loss + MIA loss

NFC

CLINCHED:

Philadelphia Eagles (10-5) – NFC East

Chicago Bears (11-4) – playoff berth

Los Angeles Rams (11-4) – playoff berth

San Francisco 49ers (11-4) – playoff berth

Seattle Seahawks (12-3) – playoff berth

Seattle Seahawks (12-3) at Carolina (8-7); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

Seattle clinches NFC West division title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and home-field advantage with:

1. SEA win + LAR loss or tie + SF-CHI tie

Seattle clinches NFC West division title with:

1. SEA win + LAR loss or tie + SF loss or tie OR
2. SEA tie + LAR loss + SF loss

Carolina Panthers (8-7) vs. Seattle (12-3); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

Carolina clinches NFC South division title with:

1. CAR win + TB loss or tie OR
2. CAR tie + TB loss

Chicago Bears (11-4) at San Francisco (11-4); Sunday night, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC

Chicago clinches NFC North division title with:

1. CHI win OR
2. GB loss OR
3. CHI tie + GB tie

Green Bay Packers (9-5-1) vs. Baltimore (7-8); Saturday night, 8 p.m. ET, Peacock

Green Bay clinches playoff berth with:

1. GB win or tie OR
2. DET loss or tie