- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Kingery makes MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
NFL Standings 2016-17: Week 16 Records, Playoff Scenarios, Wild-Card Review
- Updated: December 20, 2016
It may seem like the more things change the more they stay the same for dominant teams such as the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, but the 2016 NFL standings are a testament to the parity in the league.
With Week 16 in the books, the Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers all have realistic playoff hopes after missing out a season ago.
What’s more, the defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos are in a tenuous position at best, while last season’s NFC Championship Game participants (Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals) are no longer seriously part of the race.
With that in mind, here is a look at the current playoff picture, as well as predictions and a breakdown for the wild-card races heading into the final two weeks of the season.
The records and standings are courtesy of NFL.com’s playoff standings, while the tiebreakers are courtesy of CBS Sports. The team-by-team playoff scenarios are per Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News unless otherwise mentioned.
League Playoff Standings and Records
Playoff Scenarios
AFC
New England Patriots (12-2): The Patriots haven’t quite clinched the No. 1 seed yet over the Raiders, but they control their own destiny with two weeks remaining.
Oakland Raiders (11-3): The Raiders control their destiny in the AFC West, and they would get the No. 1 seed if they finish 2-0 and New England slips.
Pittsburgh Steelers (9-5): The Steelers clinch the AFC North if they beat the Ravens in Week 16. However, a loss means the head-to-head defeat against the Dolphins would become a factor in the wild-card race.
Houston Texans (8-6): It’s likely division or bust for the Texans, making the Week 17 clash against Tennessee all the more important.
Kansas City Chiefs (10-4): The Chiefs are playing catchup in the AFC West but are one win away from officially clinching a wild-card spot.
Miami Dolphins (9-5): The Dolphins control their own wild-card destiny but would lose a tiebreaker with the Ravens if they slip.
Baltimore Ravens (8-6): The Ravens control their own AFC North destiny with a remaining head-to-head game against a Steelers team they already beat once. Baltimore’s head-to-head win over the Dolphins could come into play in a wild-card race.
Tennessee Titans (8-6): It’s likely division or bust for the Titans, so all eyes will be on the Week 17 showdown against Houston.
Denver Broncos (8-6): Denver is eliminated in the AFC West race and will need to make up ground on the Dolphins and pass up a Titans team it lost to in the wild-card race. The Broncos will be cheering for those two teams to lose but probably need to win out to have any realistic chance.
Buffalo Bills (7-7): According to Thad Brown of WROC-TV in Rochester, New York, the Bills need to win out and hope for two Dolphins losses, two Ravens losses, one Colts loss, a Broncos loss to the Raiders and two losses from either the Texans or Titans. So, the Bills are realistically eliminated, even if there is still a mathematical chance.
Indianapolis Colts (7-7): Iyer provided the full breakdown for the Colts’ slim chances: “For Indianapolis to still win the South after the win at Minnesota, it somehow needs to finish a full game ahead of the Houston and be even with Tennessee.”
Cincinnati Bengals …
