NFL playoff picture: Eagles No. 2 seed scenarios; two more divisions clinched

The Eagles are one of just three teams in the NFL to clinch their division, but still enter Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills with something to play for.

Unfortunately, it won’t be the No. 1 seed. The Birds’ were mathematically eliminated from ending the season in the NFC’s top playoff spot by the San Francisco 49ers’ win last week against the Indianapolis Colts.

The Birds enter Week 17 as the NFC’s No. 3 seed, where they’re likely to end up once the season ends. But the Eagles could still move up to the No. 2 seed or drop to the No. 4 seed, depending on what happens Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Colts were officially eliminated from the playoffs due to their loss to the Houston Texans Saturday night. Thanks to the win, the Texans clinched a playoff spot and the Denver Broncos clinched the AFC West.

The Baltimore Ravens also remained alive in the playoff hunt after defeating the Green Bay Packers 41-24 Saturday night. But the big winner was the Chicago Bears, who officially clinched the NFC North thanks to the Packers’ loss.

Here are all the NFL playoff scenarios and potential clinches in Week 17:

The Eagles entered the playoffs as the No. 2 seed last season, and ended up winning the Super Bowl. Which is why the Eagles are expected to play all their starters Sunday against the Bills.

The Birds have two different paths to the No. 2 seed, but they are increasingly unlikely (one involves a tie), with the New York Times pegging the Eagles’ chances at 12%

Here are the two remaining scenarios where the Eagles would end the season as the No. 2 seed, according to Wharton professor Deniz Selman:

So for Week 17 rooting interests, the Birds should be pulling for:

It’s incredibly unlikely, but it remains possible for the Eagles to drop down to the No. 4 seed.

For that to happen, the Birds would have to lose their final two games (against the Bills and Washington Commanders), while the Carolina Panthers would need to win their final two games (against the Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers).

In that scenario, both the Eagles and Panthers would end the season with a 10-7 record, with Carolina winning the tiebreaker with a better record against common opponents.

Thankfully, just one Birds win (or one Panthers loss) nixes that scenario and locks the Eagles into the No. 3 seed or better.

While the Birds still have a path to the No. 2 seed, it’s far more likely they’ll end the season as the No. 3 seed.

In that case, the Eagles would host a wild card game against the No. 6 seed at the Linc, currently against the Los Angeles Rams.

But the Eagles could also face the 49ers or Seahawks, depending how the NFC West shakes out. The Packers are now locked into the No. 7 seed because of their loss to the Ravens Saturday night, so it’s unlikely they’d face the Birds in the wild card.

The NFC playoff picture is pretty much set, with just two divisions and one postseason spot still up for grabs.

Here’s what’s at stake heading into Sunday’s games:

The Seahawks can clinch the NFC West Sunday with a win or tie against the Panthers, plus losses by the Rams or 49ers.

It’s unlikely, but Seattle could also clinch the NFC’s No. 1 seed with a win, a Rams loss, and a tie between the 49ers and Bears.

Thanks to the Packers’ loss to the Ravens Saturday night, the Bears officially clinched their first NFC north title since 2018.

Chicago could still end up as the No. 1 seed if their win their final two games and the Seahawks lose one of their final two games. The last time the Bears finished the season as the NFC’s top seed was 2006, when they advanced all the way to Super Bowl XLI (but lost to Peyton Manning and the Colts).

Despite starting the season 1-3, the Panthers can clinch the NFC South with a win Sunday against the Seahawks and a loss by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who would also be eliminated from the playoffs.

If Tampa Bay wins, the NFC South (and the NFC’s final playoff spot) will be decided by Panthers vs. Buccaneers in Week 18, which would almost certainly be scheduled on NBC Sunday night as the final game of the regular season.

Just like the NFC, just one playoff spot remains up for grabs in the AFC heading into Sunday’s games.

Thanks to the Chargers’ loss Saturday night, the Broncos clinched the AFC West for the first time since 2015.

As for the No. 1 seed, the Broncos need losses by the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, and Jacksonville Jaguars to lock down home-field advantage throughout the playoffs

The Patriots will clinch the AFC East with a win against the New York Jets paired with an Eagles win against the Bills.

To finish the season as the No. 1 seed, the Patriots need to win their final two games and have the Broncos lose to the Chargers in Week 18.

Because of the Texans’ win Saturday night, the Jaguars missed out on a chance to clinch the AFC South in Week 17.

Now to claim the division crown, the Jaguars will either need to win their remaining two games or get a Texans’ loss in Week 18

The Bills have already clinched a playoff spot, but could remain alive in the hunt for a sixth-straight AFC East title with a win against the Eagles.

If the Bills win their final two games and the Patriots lose one, Buffalo would win the AFC East and host a wild card game at snowy Highmark Stadium. It would be a fitting end in the final season of the Bills home since 1973, when it was known as Rich Stadium.

Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers will clinch the AFC North with a win against the Cleveland Browns Sunday.

A Steelers’ loss would set up a showdown against the Ravens for the AFC North in Week 18, with the winner advancing to the playoffs and ending the loser’s season.

Not only did the Texans clinch a playoff spot with their win against the Chargers Saturday night, Houston remains alive in the hunt for an AFC South title.

The Texans will need to beat the Colts in Week 18 and have the Jaguars lose one of their final two games (against the Colts and Tennessee Titans) to claim the division title.

The Ravens remain alive in the playoff hunt thanks to their win Saturday night against the Packers. But they’ll be officially eliminated if the Steelers win Sunday. If not, the two teams would face off for the division title in Week 18.

The first playoff game will take place on wild-card weekend, beginning Jan. 10.

Six games will take place in the first round of the playoffs, airing across Fox, CBS, NBC, and ESPN/ABC. Amazon will also exclusively stream a wild-card game on Prime Video for the second straight season.

Super Bowl LX (or 60, for those who don’t like Roman numerals) is being held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., home of the San Francisco 49ers. NBC will broadcast this year’s Super Bowl, with Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth on the call.

Here are the sites announced for future Super Bowls: