Sports

Falcons' official playoff scenario for Week 16

Falcons head coach Dan Quinn can only watch from the sidelines as the Vikings run out the clock for a 14-9 victory over the Falcons in a NFL football game on Sunday, December 3, 2017, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com
Falcons head coach Dan Quinn can only watch from the sidelines as the Vikings run out the clock for a 14-9 victory over the Falcons in a NFL football game on Sunday, December 3, 2017, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com
Dec 19, 2017

Here's the Falcons official playoff scenario for Week 16 of the NFL season, released by the league.

ATLANTA FALCONS (9-5) (at New Orleans (10-4), Sunday)

Atlanta clinches a playoff berth with:

1)  ATL win  OR

2)  ATL tie + DAL-SEA tie + DET loss or tie

Here are the scenarios for the rest of the NFC:

NFC

CLINCHED: Philadelphia – NFC East division title and first-round bye

Minnesota – NFC North division title

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (12-2) (vs. Oakland (6-8), Monday night)

Philadelphia clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:

1) PHI win  OR

2) MIN loss  OR

3) PHI tie + MIN tie

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (11-3) (at Green Bay (7-7), Saturday night)

Minnesota clinches a first-round bye with:

1)  MIN win + CAR loss or tie  OR

2)  MIN tie + CAR loss + NO loss or tie + LAR loss or tie

LOS ANGELES RAMS (10-4) (at Tennessee (8-6), Sunday)

Los Angeles Rams clinch NFC West division title with:

1) LAR win or tie  OR

2) SEA loss or tie

Los Angeles Rams clinch a playoff berth with:

1)  DET loss or tie + CAR loss + ATL loss

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (10-4) (vs. Atlanta (9-5), Sunday)

New Orleans clinches NFC South division title with:

1)  NO win + CAR loss

New Orleans clinches a playoff berth with:

1)  NO win or tie  OR

2)  DAL-SEA tie

CAROLINA PANTHERS (10-4) (vs. Tampa Bay (4-10), Sunday)

Carolina clinches a playoff berth with:

1)  CAR win or tie  OR

2)  DAL-SEA tie

About the Author

Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.

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