Week 18 NFL Playoff-Clinching Scenarios

Heading into the final week of the regular season, here are the scenarios for teams who have not yet clinched a playoff berth: 

AFC

CLINCHED:

• Cincinnati Bengals – AFC North division title
• Kansas City Chiefs – AFC West division title
• Tennessee Titans – AFC South division title
• Buffalo Bills – playoff berth
• New England Patriots – playoff berth

BALTIMORE RAVENS (8-8) (vs. Pittsburgh (8-7-1), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Baltimore clinches playoff berth with:

1. BAL win + LAC loss + IND loss + MIA loss or tie

BUFFALO BILLS (10-6) (vs. New York Jets (4-12), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)

Buffalo clinches AFC East division title with:

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

CINCINNATI BENGALS (10-6) (at Cleveland (7-9), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, FOX)

Cincinnati clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and homefield advantage with:

1. CIN win + TEN loss + KC loss + NE loss or tie OR
2. CIN win + TEN loss + KC loss + BUF win

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-7) (at Jacksonville (2-14), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Indianapolis clinches playoff berth with:

1. IND win or tie OR
2. LAC loss + BAL-PIT tie OR
3. LAC loss + PIT loss + MIA win

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-5) (at Denver (7-9), Saturday, 4:30 PM ET, ESPN/ABC)

Kansas City clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and homefield advantage with:

1. KC win + TEN loss or tie OR
2. KC tie + TEN loss

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (9-7) (vs. Los Angeles Chargers (9-7), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)

Las Vegas clinches playoff berth with:

1. LV win OR
2. LV tie + IND loss OR
3. IND loss + PIT loss or tie

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (9-7) (at Las Vegas (9-7), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)

Los Angeles Rams clinch playoff berth with:

1. LAC win or tie

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (10-6) (at Miami (8-8), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)

New England clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and homefield advantage with:

1. NE win + BUF loss or tie + KC loss + TEN loss

New England clinches AFC East division title with:

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

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-7-1) (at Baltimore (8-8), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Pittsburgh clinches playoff berth with:

1. PIT win + IND loss + LV-LAC game does not end in a tie

TENNESSEE TITANS (11-5) (at Houston (4-12), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)

Tennessee clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and homefield advantage with:

1. TEN win OR
2. TEN tie + KC loss or tie OR
3. KC loss + CIN loss or tie + NE loss or tie OR
4. KC loss + CIN loss or tie + BUF win

NFC

CLINCHED:

• Green Bay Packers – NFC North division title, No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and homefield advantage
• Dallas Cowboys – NFC East division title
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers – NFC South division title
• Arizona Cardinals – playoff berth
• Los Angeles Rams – playoff berth
• Philadelphia Eagles – playoff berth

ARIZONA CARDINALS (11-5) (vs. Seattle (6-10), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

Arizona clinches NFC West division title with:

1. ARI win + LAR loss

LOS ANGELES RAMS (12-4) (vs. San Francisco (9-7), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

Los Angeles Rams clinch NFC West division title with:

1. LAR win or tie OR
2. ARI loss or tie

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (8-8) (at Atlanta (7-9), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

New Orleans clinches playoff berth with:

1. NO win + SF loss

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (9-7) (at Los Angeles Rams (12-4), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

San Francisco clinches playoff berth with:

1. SF win or tie OR
2. NO loss or tie