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NFL Playoff Picture Week 16: Reviewing Latest Bracket Scenarios for AFC, NFC
- Updated: December 23, 2016
Week 16 got underway on Thursday night with the Philadelphia Eagles beating the New York Giants. The Eagles’ 24-19 victory allows the Dallas Cowboys to breathe easier because it means Dallas has the NFC East title and the conference’s No. 1 seed locked going into the weekend.
The Cowboys weren’t the only team facing a good amount of pressure heading into this week. There are a lot of playoff spots still at stake, and they’re going to be claimed over the next two weeks. Some of them can be won or lost in Week 16 alone.
We’re going to examine the playoff picture and take a look at some of the possible playoff scenarios that could come to light as the next two weeks unfold.
Week 16 Playoff Picture
If the Playoffs Started Now
If the season ended now, the New England Patriots and Cowboys would own the No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences. The Seattle Seahawks and Oakland Raiders would also own first-round playoff byes.
In the AFC, the Pittsburgh Steelers would host the Miami Dolphins, while the Houston Texans would host the Kansas City Chiefs. In the NFC, the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions would host the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants, respectively.
Scenarios to Watch For
The Baltimore Ravens Win Out
The Steelers hold a one-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North. However, it’s more of a half-game lead because the Ravens have already beaten the Steelers once this season.
This means the Ravens will win the division if these two rivals finish with identical records.
For this to happen, the Ravens need to make up a game on the Steelers over the next two weeks. Their best chance will come in Week 16, of course, as the Steelers host Baltimore for the second game of their 2016 series.
If the Steelers win, then they’ll lock up the AFC North. If the Ravens win, however, they’ll need one of two things to happen. Baltimore will need to beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17 to move to 10-6, or it’ll need the Cleveland Browns to pull off a monumental upset over the Steelers at Heinz Field.
While the Steelers control the division, the Ravens control their own destiny. Win the …
