NFL playoff scenarios for Week 17

CLINCHED: Arizona Cardinals – playoff berth

Seattle Seahawks – playoff berth

Detroit Lions – playoff berth

Green Bay Packers – playoff berth

Dallas Cowboys – NFC East

DALLAS COWBOYS (at Washington)

Dallas clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:

1)    DAL win + ARI loss or tie + DET/GB tie OR

2)    DAL win + SEA win + DET/GB tie

Dallas clinches a first-round bye with:

1)    DAL win + SEA loss or tie + ARI loss or tie OR

2)    DAL win + DET/GB tie OR

3)    SEA loss + ARI loss OR

4)    DAL tie + SEA tie + ARI loss or tie + DET/GB does not end in a tie

DETROIT LIONS (at Green Bay)

Detroit clinches NFC North with:

1)    DET win or tie

Detroit clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:

1)    DET win + SEA loss or tie + ARI loss or tie OR

2)    DET tie + SEA loss + ARI loss + DAL loss or tie

Detroit clinches a first-round bye with:

1)    DET win OR

2)    DET tie + DAL loss or tie OR

3)    DET tie + SEA loss + ARI loss

GREEN BAY PACKERS (vs. Detroit)

Green Bay clinches NFC North and a first-round bye with:

1)    GB win

Green Bay clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:

1)    GB win + SEA loss or tie

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (vs. St. Louis)

Seattle clinches NFC West with:

1)    SEA win OR

2)    SEA tie + ARI loss or tie OR

3)    ARI loss

Seattle clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:

1)    SEA win + DET/GB game does not end in a tie OR

2)    SEA win + DAL loss or tie OR

3)    SEA tie + ARI loss or tie + DAL loss or tie + GB/DET tie

Seattle clinches a first-round bye with:

1)    SEA win OR

2)    SEA tie + ARI loss or tie + DAL loss OR

3)    SEA tie + ARI loss or tie + GB/DET tie

ARIZONA CARDINALS (at San Francisco)

Arizona clinches NFC West with:

1)    ARI win + SEA loss or tie OR

2)    ARI tie + SEA loss

Arizona clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:

1)    ARI win + SEA loss or tie + GB loss or tie OR

2)    ARI tie + SEA loss + DAL loss or tie + GB/DET tie

Arizona clinches a first-round bye with:

1)    ARI win + SEA loss or tie OR

2)    ARI tie + SEA loss + DAL loss or tie OR

3)    ARI tie + SEA loss + GB/DET tie

CAROLINA PANTHERS (at Atlanta)

Carolina clinches NFC South with:

1)    CAR win or tie

AFC

CLINCHED: New England – AFC East and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs

Denver – AFC West

Indianapolis – AFC South

Cincinnati – playoff berth

Pittsburgh – playoff berth

DENVER BRONCOS (vs. Oakland)

Denver clinches a first-round bye with:

1)    DEN win OR

2)    DEN tie + CIN loss or tie OR

3)    CIN loss OR

4)    CIN tie + IND win

CINCINNATI BENGALS (at Pittsburgh)

Cincinnati clinches AFC North with:

1)    CIN win or tie

Cincinnati clinches a first-round bye with:

1)    CIN win + DEN loss or tie OR

2)    CIN tie + DEN loss + IND loss or tie

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (vs. Cincinnati)

Pittsburgh clinches AFC North with:

1)    PIT win

 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (at Kansas City)

San Diego clinches a playoff spot with:

1)    SD win OR

2)    SD tie + BAL loss or tie

BALTIMORE RAVENS (vs. Cleveland)

Baltimore clinches a playoff spot with:

1)    BAL win + SD loss or tie OR

2)    BAL tie + SD loss

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (vs. San Diego)

Kansas City clinches a playoff spot with:

1)    KC win + BAL loss + HOU loss or tie

HOUSTON TEXANS (vs. Jacksonville)

Houston clinches a playoff spot with:

1)    HOU win + BAL loss + SD loss

FALCONS FAN MAILBAG: We take your questions from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday.

GAME STORY: Falcons prevail in NFC South showdown with Saints, 30-14

NOTEBOOK: Julio Jones returns to energize the offense

QUOTEBOARD: What the Falcons had to say after beating the Saints

VIDEO: Linebacker Paul Worrilow on the victory over the Saints

VIDEO: Falcons coach Mike Smith on the win over the Saints

VIDEO: Julio Jones on his play against the Saints