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Rams near NFC West title, Bengals alive
Each week in the course of the 2024 NFL common season, USA TODAY Sports activities will present well timed updates to the league’s ever-evolving playoff image − sometimes beginning after Sunday afternoon’s late video games after which transferring ahead for the rest of the week (by means of Monday’s and Thursday’s video games or Saturday’s, if relevant.)
What simply occurred? What does it imply? What are the pertinent components (and, maybe, tiebreakers) prominently in play as every convention’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will probably be defined and analyzed as much as the purpose when the postseason subject is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 5.
Here is the place issues stand with Week 17 of the 2024 season underway:
NFC playoff image
x – 1. Detroit Lions (13-2), NFC North leaders: Final week, they have been in a three-way tie atop the convention and deadlocked for the division lead with Minnesota. However Philadelphia’s Week 16 defeat makes it more and more probably the Lions and Vikings will probably be enjoying for all of the necessary regular-season marbles in Week 18. Successful out offers the Lions every thing they need, together with home-field benefit. So would a win at San Francisco on Monday evening mixed with a Minnesota loss to Inexperienced Bay. Remaining schedule: at 49ers, vs. Vikings
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x – 2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3), NFC East leaders: In Week 16, they misplaced their 10-game successful streak, a possibility to wrap up the division and fell a sport behind Detroit and Minnesota within the race for home-field benefit. Additionally, concussed QB Jalen Hurts will not play this Sunday. However the Eagles are nonetheless only one win or Commanders loss from locking up the division and no less than the No. 2 seed. Remaining schedule: vs. Cowboys, vs. Giants
3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6), NFC West leaders: Saturday evening’s escape from Arizona might imply a division title if the strength-of-victory tiebreaker unfolds LA’s method Sunday. “Actually, I don’t know,” WR Puka Nacua stated of the clinching situation when requested on NFL Community after the triumph. “They stated we had a sport at SoFi Stadium Saturday evening, so that is what I confirmed up for.” Barring that, there is a Week 18 assembly in opposition to Seattle that would nonetheless resolve issues. Neither the Rams nor Seahawks have a pathway to a wild-card berth. Remaining schedule: vs. Seahawks
4. Atlanta Falcons (8-7), NFC South leaders: Rookie QB Michael Penix Jr. received his beginning debut in opposition to the lowly Giants. However the true payoff got here when the Bucs – they have been swept earlier within the season by Atlanta – misplaced at Dallas in Week 16. The Falcons can win the division this Sunday with one other victory and one other Tampa Bay loss. Remaining schedule: at Commanders, vs. Panthers
x – 5. Minnesota Vikings (13-2), wild card No. 1: Like Detroit, they management their very own probably high-yield destiny – win out, and the NFC North and No. 1 seed are Minnesota’s. Remaining schedule: vs. Packers, at Lions
x – 6. Inexperienced Bay Packers (11-4), wild card No. 2: Getting swept by Detroit and shedding as soon as already to Minnesota relegated the Pack to wild-card standing … although Monday’s whitewash of the Saints was the most recent reminder that this may really be the final NFC North workforce you need to see in January. However given Packers are assured to open the playoffs on the street, it will likely be attention-grabbing to see how a lot they play their key starters over the following two weeks given the restricted upside to doing so. Remaining schedule: at Vikings, vs. Bears
7. Washington Commanders (10-5), wild card No. 3: Regardless of beating the Eagles, they did not fairly clinch a postseason berth in Week 16 – however did stay alive within the NFC East. A win in Week 17 places Washington into the dance. A loss might be extremely problematic within the tiebreaker house as it will open an alternate avenue for the Bucs, who beat Washington in Week 1. Remaining schedule: vs. Falcons, at Cowboys
8. Seattle Seahawks (9-7), within the hunt: In the event that they and the Rams wind up 10-7, which might require a Seahawks win at LA in Week 18, the undetermined strength-of-victory tiebreaker will show pivotal, probably in LA’s favor. However that assumes the Seahawks usually are not eradicated Sunday first after the Rams prevailed over the Cardinals. Remaining schedule: at Rams
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7), within the hunt: The Bucs might see their aspirations to maintain the NFC South throne die this weekend. Nevertheless, if Atlanta beats Washington, then Tampa Bay has a extra favorable shot on the NFC’s closing wild-card slot. Remaining schedule: vs. Panthers, vs. Saints
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AFC playoff image
yz – 1. Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (15-1), AFC West champions: By crushing Pittsburgh on Christmas, they secured home-field benefit and a first-round bye – and actually two-plus weeks off actually relying on whom they need to play in what’s now a meaningless Week 18 contest for the champs. Remaining schedule: at Broncos, BYE
y – 2. Buffalo Payments (12-3), AFC East champions: Now out of the operating for the No. 1 seed, ending second within the convention ought to nonetheless have which means given the street to Tremendous Bowl 59 might undergo Western New York if the Chiefs lose their playoff opener. A win would additionally guarantee Buffalo would not need to go on the street for a playoff sport until the AFC championship is staged in Kansas Metropolis. Remaining schedule: vs. Jets, at Patriots
x – 3. Baltimore Ravens (11-5), AFC North leaders: Catching fireplace? Most likely an understatement. The Steelers’ loss earlier than Baltimore’s Christmas kickoff vaulted the Ravens atop the division, and their dominant win over Houston retains them there. A win or tie in Week 18 clinches it. Remaining schedule: vs. Browns
y – 4. Houston Texans (9-7), AFC South champions: They rule a weak division for the second straight 12 months, nonetheless Wednesday’s loss locked them into the fourth seed … which can probably imply a tricky wild-card matchup, albeit in Houston, in opposition to an AFC North workforce. Remaining schedule: at Titans
x – 5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6), wild card No. 1: That is three losses in a row, Wednesday’s flat efficiency in opposition to Ok.C. costing them first place within the AFC North. Nevertheless they’ll seize the divisional title by successful in Week 18 if Baltimore additionally loses to Cleveland. Remaining schedule: vs. Bengals
x – 6. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6), wild card No. 2: Saturday’s rout of the Patriots locked Bolts into the sector and ensures Jim Harbaugh has been a playoff participant in 4 of his 5 NFL seasons as a head coach. But, having misplaced to the Ravens and Steelers earlier this season, the Chargers will most certainly be the sixth seed – and possibly head to Baltimore or Pittsburgh for a rematch. Remaining schedule: at Raiders
7. Denver Broncos (9-7), wild card No. 3: They’ve had win-and-in situations of their previous two video games and misplaced each instances. Nonetheless, another victory – or tie – will advance Denver to the playoffs for the primary time since they received Tremendous Bowl 50 with Peyton Manning and Von Miller practically 9 years in the past. The Broncos’ Week 18 sport in opposition to Kansas Metropolis means principally nothing to the Chiefs – which might be an actual benefit for Denver, which may do no higher than the seventh seed. Remaining schedule: vs. Chiefs
8. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8), within the hunt: Nonetheless alive because of a four-game successful streak, together with Saturday’s additional time thriller in opposition to Denver. Although they seem like the very best workforce exterior the postseason subject, the Bengals nonetheless want probably the most assist to get in, together with no less than one loss by each the Colts and Dolphins. Cincinnati should additionally beat Pittsburgh in Week 18 and hope Denver loses once more. Although the Bengals jumped Indy and Miami on Saturday, each maintain tiebreakers that may transfer them previous Cincinnati in the event that they proceed successful. Remaining schedule: at Steelers
9. Indianapolis Colts (7-8), within the hunt: Technically alive after successful in Week 16 and with a smooth schedule on the best way out. Their document in AFC video games (6-5) is healthier than Miami’s (5-5) and Cincinnati’s (5-6). Indianapolis clinches if it winds up in a three- or four-way tie with groups all possessing 9-8 data. A two-way tie with Denver would imply the Broncos advance as a consequence of their Week 15 win over the Colts. Remaining schedule: at Giants, vs. Jaguars
10. Miami Dolphins (7-8), within the hunt: Technically alive after successful in Week 16 and with a smooth schedule on the best way out. They advance if tied with any mixture of 9-8 groups that does not embrace the Colts. Remaining schedule: at Browns, at Jets
NFL playoff-clinching situations for Week 17
Detroit clinches NFC North and NFC’s No. 1 seed (first-round bye and home-field benefit) with:
▶ Win + Minnesota loss
Atlanta clinches NFC South with:
▶ Win + Tampa Bay loss
Philadelphia clinches NFC East with:
- Win or tie
- Washington loss or tie
Los Angeles Rams clinch NFC West with:
▶ Should clinch strength-of-victory tiebreaker over Seattle on Sunday
(Notice: Rams safe strength-of-victory tiebreaker with 2½ or extra wins from the next groups: Buffalo, Cleveland, Minnesota, San Francisco and Washington. A tie equates to a half-win on this formulation.)
Washington clinches playoff berth with:
- Win or tie
- Tampa Bay loss or tie
NFL playoff-clinching situations for Week 18 (incomplete)
Baltimore clinches AFC North with:
▶ Win or tie
Pittsburgh clinches AFC North with:
▶ Win + Baltimore loss
Denver clinches playoff berth with:
▶ Win or tie
NFL groups eradicated from playoff rivalry in 2024
▶ New York Giants
▶ Las Vegas Raiders
▶ New England Patriots
▶ Jacksonville Jaguars
▶ Tennessee Titans
▶ Cleveland Browns
▶ New York Jets
▶ Chicago Bears
▶ Carolina Panthers
▶ New Orleans Saints
▶ Dallas Cowboys
▶ San Francisco 49ers
▶ Arizona Cardinals
x – clinched playoff berth
y – clinched division
z – clinched home-field benefit, first-round bye
***
Observe USA TODAY Sports activities’ Nate Davis on X, previously Twitter, @ByNateDavis
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