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NFL Playoff Picture, Clinching Scenarios & Tiebreakers

BOSTON (CBS) - With the holiday season in full swing and the NFL postseason drawing near, it really is the most wonderful time of the year.

Week 16 concluded Monday night when the Denver Broncos lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, clinching the top seed in the AFC for the New England Patriots.

Things could get really crazy in Week 17 too. Some division winners have already been crowned, but the playoff seedings are nowhere near set in stone.

Here's a glance at the current standings and clinching scenarios for each team...

AFC Playoff Picture

Patriots Beat Colts
L to R: Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski, RB Jonas Gray, QB Tom Brady and DE/LB Rob Ninkovich. (Getty Images)

1. New England Patriots (12-3) [*]

2. Denver Broncos (11-4) [y]

- Clinches first round bye with win or tie OR Cincinnati loss OR Cincinnati tie + Indianapolis win

3. Cincinnati Bengals (10-4-1) [x]

- Clinches No. 3 seed and AFC North with Week 17 win or tie at Pittsburgh

- Clinches first round bye and No. 2 seed with win + Denver loss or tie at Oakland

4. Indianapolis Colts (10-5) [y]

- Will play Bengals-Steelers loser in the first round of the playoffs

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5) [x]

- Clinches AFC North with Week 17 win vs. Cincinnati

6. San Diego Chargers (9-6)

- Clinches playoff spot with Week 17 win at Kansas City

In The Hunt

7. Baltimore (9-6)

- Clinches playoff spot with Week 17 win vs. Cleveland + San Diego loss

8. Houston (8-7)

- Clinches playoff spot with Week 17 win vs. Jacksonville + San Diego loss + Baltimore loss

9. Kansas City (8-7)

- Clinches playoff spot with Week 17 win vs. San Diego + Baltimore loss + Houston loss or tie

[*] Clinched Homefield Advantage in Playoffs
[y] Clinched Division Title
[z] Clinched First-Round Bye
[x] Clinched Playoff Berth

AFC Tiebreakers

- San Diego is ahead of Baltimore based on head to head (1-0).

- Houston is ahead of Kansas City based on conference record (Texans' 7-4 to the Chiefs' 6-5).

Eliminated

10. Miami (8-7)

11. Buffalo (8-7)

12. Cleveland (7-8)

13. New York Jets (3-12)

14. Jacksonville (3-12)

15. Oakland (3-12)

16. Tennessee (2-13)

NFC Playoff Picture

Seattle Seahawks
(Credit, Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

1. Seattle Seahawks (11-4) [x]

- Clinches NFC West with Week 17 win vs. St. Louis OR Arizona loss at San Francisco

2. Detroit Lions (11-4) [x]

- Clinches NFC North with Week 17 win at Green Bay or tie at Green Bay

3. Dallas Cowboys (11-4) [x]

- Clinches first round bye with tie + Seattle loss + Arizona loss, OR tie + Arizona loss or tie + Seattle tie + Detroit/Green Bay does not tie

- Clinches first round bye with Week 17 win at Washington + Seattle loss or tie + Arizona loss or tie, OR Dallas win + Detroit/Green Bay tie

4. Carolina Panthers (6-8-1)

- Clinches NFC South with Week 17 win or tie at Atlanta

5. Green Bay Packers (11-4) [x]

- Clinches NFC North with Week 17 win vs. Detroit

6. Arizona Cardinals (11-4) [x]

- Clinches NFC West with Week 17 win at San Francisco + Seattle loss against St. Louis

In The Hunt

9. Atlanta (6-9)

- Clinches NFC South with Week 17 win vs. Carolina

[*] Clinched Homefield Advantage in Playoffs
[y] Clinched Division Title
[z] Clinched First-Round Bye
[x] Clinched Playoff Berth

NFC Tiebreakers

- Detroit is ahead of Green Bay in the NFC North based on head to head (1-0).

- Seattle is ahead of Arizona in the NFC West based on head to head (2-0).

- Seattle and Detroit are ahead of Dallas based on conference record (Seahawks' 9-2 and Lions' 9-2 to the Cowboys' 7-4).

- Seattle is ahead of Detroit based on common games record (5-0 to the Lions' 2-2).

- Detroit is ahead of Dallas based on conference record (9-2 to the Cowboys' 7-4).

- Green Bay is ahead of Arizona based on common games record (2-2 to the Cardinals' 2-3).

- Atlanta is ahead of New Orleans in the NFC South based on head to head (2-0).

Eliminated

7. Philadelphia (9-6)

8. San Francisco (7-8)

10. New Orleans (6-9)

11. Minnesota (6-9)

12. New York Giants (6-9)

13. St. Louis (6-9)

14. Chicago (5-10)

15. Washington (4-11)

16. Tampa Bay (2-13)

Follow @JoeNFL for the latest updates on playoff scenarios!

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