Week 17 NFL Playoff Clinching Scenarios: Can the Dolphins, Eagles, Chiefs, and Buccaneers Lock Up Their Divisions?

Entering Week 17, there are a total of 11 teams with NFL playoff scenarios to clinch various playoff positions. The remaining six division titles can all be clinched this week, and so could both of the No. 1 seeds.

On top of that, we have already seen one team ensure their postseason spot on Thursday Night Football. We could see another three teams ensure they have a spot in the postseason via the Wild Card route at the very least.

Scenarios in bold font remain in play. Any scenarios in plain fault can no longer occur, and italicized scenarios indicate a team has already clinched a playoff spot through this method.

Playoff Clinching Scenarios | Week 17 Update

Note that this article was originally published on Dec. 30 before Saturday’s game began. The results of this week’s games are below and will continue to be updated throughout the weekend.

The San Francisco 49ers have clinched the NFC No. 1 Seed
The Baltimore Ravens have clinched the AFC No. 1 Seed
The Kansas City Chiefs have clinched the AFC West
The Los Angeles Rams have clinched a playoff spot

Saturday Night Update
Cowboys (11-5) defeated Lions (11-5)

1 p.m. ET Games Update
Texans (9-7) defeated Titans (5-11)
49ers (12-4) defeated Commanders (4-12)
Jaguars (9-7) defeated Panthers (2-14)
Cardinals (4-12) defeated Eagles (11-5)
Colts (9-7) defeated Raiders (7-9)
Bills (10-6) defeated Patriots (4-12)
Rams (9-7) defeated Giants (5-11)
Steelers (9-7) defeated Seahawks (8-8)
Broncos (8-8) defeated Chargers (5-11)
Chiefs (10-6) defeated Bengals (8-8)

Keep reading below to see the NFL playoff-clinching scenarios for each contending team entering Week 17. And head over to PFN’s free NFL Playoff Predictor to test various scenarios and see how they change the playoff picture.

All the NFL Playoff Clinching Scenarios for Week 17

Baltimore Ravens Playoff Clinching Scenarios

The Baltimore Ravens enter Week 17 with the opportunity to lock up both the AFC North and the No. 1 seed in the conference. The best part is that both of those elements are completely in their hands on Sunday. No results elsewhere this week will stop the Ravens from those two things if they win this week.

Baltimore clinches the AFC North division title with:

1. Baltimore win or tie OR
2. Cleveland Browns loss or tie

Meanwhile, Baltimore can clinch the AFC No. 1 seed with:

1. Baltimore win

Buffalo Bills Playoff Clinching Scenarios

There are 14 scenarios that could see the Buffalo Bills clinch a playoff spot in Week 1, but all of them require other results to work in their favor.

MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor

There are five scenarios where the Bills need to win and a further nine that come into play if they tie.

1. Buffalo win + Pittsburgh Steelers loss or tie + Cincinnati Bengals loss or tie OR
2. Buffalo win + Pittsburgh loss or tie + Jacksonville Jaguars loss or tie OR
3. Buffalo win + Pittsburgh loss or tie + Houston Texans loss or tie + Indianapolis Colts loss or tie OR
4. Buffalo win + Cincinnati loss or tie + Jacksonville loss or tie OR
5. Buffalo win + Cincinnati loss or tie + Houston loss or tie + Indianapolis loss or tie OR
6. Buffalo tie + Pittsburgh loss + Cincinnati loss + Jacksonville loss OR
7. Buffalo tie + Pittsburgh loss + Cincinnati loss + Houston loss or tie OR
8. Buffalo tie + Pittsburgh loss + Cincinnati loss + Indianapolis loss or tie OR
9. Buffalo tie + Pittsburgh loss + Jacksonville loss + Houston loss or tie OR
10. Buffalo tie + Pittsburgh loss + Jacksonville loss + Indianapolis loss or tie OR
11. Buffalo tie + Pittsburgh loss + Houston loss + Indianapolis loss OR
12. Buffalo tie + Cincinnati loss + Jacksonville loss + Houston loss or tie OR
13. Buffalo tie + Cincinnati loss + Jacksonville loss + Indianapolis loss or tie OR
14. Buffalo tie + Cincinnati loss + Houston loss + Indianapolis loss

Cleveland Browns Playoff Clinching Scenarios

The Browns have already clinched a playoff spot with their Thursday Night Football victory over the New York Jets. The Browns entered the week with five potential scenarios for clinching a playoff spot but did not need to rely on anyone else after their victory.

1. Cleveland win or tie OR
2. Pittsburgh loss or tie OR
3. Buffalo loss OR
4. Jacksonville loss or tie OR
5. Houston loss or tie + Indianapolis loss or tie

Jacksonville Jaguars Playoff Clinching Scenarios

The Jaguars have just one path to clinching a playoff spot this week, as they could lock up the AFC South if the following three results go in their favor.

1. Jacksonville win + Indianapolis loss + Houston loss

Kansas City Chiefs Playoff Clinching Scenarios

The Kansas City Chiefs missed the opportunity to lock up the AFC West last week. However, that opportunity remains in Week 17 and one of the two scenarios is entirely in their own control. Can the Chiefs defeat the Bengals and shut out the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders?

1. Kansas City win or tie OR
2. Las Vegas loss or tie + Denver loss or tie

Miami Dolphins Playoff Clinching Scenarios

The Miami Dolphins locked up a postseason berth last week, but this week is about the division and keeping themselves in the race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. A win this week would put the division under lock and key and give Miami a chance to lock up the No. 1 seed next week. Here are the ways the Dolphins could win the AFC East in Week 17:

1. Miami win or tie OR
2. Buffalo loss or tie

Los Angeles Rams Playoff Clinching Scenarios

For a while, it did not look like the Los Angeles Rams would have a shot at the postseason this year. However, strong results in recent weeks have put the Rams in a position to potentially clinch a playoff spot with a week to spare.

MORE: PFN’s Week 17 NFL Power Rankings

Below are the scenarios for Los Angeles to clinch an NFC Wild Card spot:

1. Los Angeles Rams win + Seattle Seahawks loss OR
2. Los Angeles Rams win + Green Bay Packers-Minnesota Vikings tie

Philadelphia Eagles Playoff Clinching Scenarios

Editor’s Note: Because of the Cowboys’ win over the Lions, the Eagles can’t clinch the NFC East in Week 17.

It has been a rough month for the Philadelphia Eagles, but they prevailed in a tenser-than-it-needed-to-be matchup with the New York Giants on Christmas Day. That, in combination with the Dallas Cowboys loss last week, has left the Eagles with two scenarios for clinching the NFC East in Week 17

1. Philadelphia win + Dallas loss or tie OR
2. Philadelphia tie + Dallas loss

San Francisco 49ers Playoff Clinching Scenarios

The San Francisco 49ers were left shell-shocked after their loss to the Ravens on Christmas Day, but they have had no time to wallow. The 49ers cannot afford another slip in the race for the NFC No. 1 seed. They will be hoping it can be wrapped up this week, but they need the following scenario to play out in Week 17 for that to be the case.

1. San Francisco win + Detroit loss + Philadelphia loss

Seattle Seahawks Playoff Clinching Scenarios

The Seahawks have not reeled off two victories after bouncing back from four consecutive losses that left their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. The good news is that Seattle could clinch a playoff spot this week, but for it to happen, the Seahawks would need the first tie of the 2023 NFL season to take place.

1. Seattle win + Green Bay-Minnesota tie

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Playoff Clinching Scenarios

When Tom Brady officially retired, and Baker Mayfield became the Tampa Bay Buccaneers starter, not many in the NFL would have predicted them to win the NFC South this year. However, the Buccaneers have taken advantage of a middling division to have a chance to clinch the division in the following two scenarios.

1. Tampa Bay win OR
2. Tampa Bay tie + Atlanta Falcons loss

Want to predict the rest of the 2023 season with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? Looking for the most up-to-date NFL standings? What about a breakdown of team depth charts or the NFL schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with that and more!