FLOWERY BRANCH – Here's a look at the league-wide playoff scenarios.
For the Falcons it’s simple. Win or go home. A win clinches the NFC South title and the number four seed.
NFC
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
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