NFL playoff scenarios: Very little set in stone heading into Week 17

Two playoff bids remain unclaimed heading into Week 17 of the NFL season: one spot each for an AFC wild-card team and the NFC South champion. Very little is

Two playoff bids remain unclaimed heading into Week 17 of the NFL season: one spot each for an AFC wild-card team and the NFC South champion. 

Very little is set in stone beyond that, though, other than the Patriots having the AFC No. 1 seed wrapped and the Colts being locked into hosting a wild-card round game as the No. 3 or No. 4 seed.

Week 17 NFL Picks: Prepare for a whirlwind final day of regular season

Here are all the playoff scenarios still on the table for the NFL's final Sunday of 2014:

NFC

Seattle Seahawks (11-4)

Clinch the NFC West:

• Win
• Arizona loss
• Tie plus Arizona loss or tie

Clinch a first-round bye:

• Win
• Tie plus ARI loss or tie and either a DAL loss or GB-DET tie

Clinch home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs:

• Win plus a win by either Green Bay or Detroit
• Win plus Dallas loss or tie
• Tie plus ARI loss or tie, DAL loss and a DET-GB tie

Detroit Lions (11-4)

Clinch the NFC North:

• Win or tie

Clinch a first-round bye:

• Win
• Tie plus DAL loss or tie, or losses by SEA and ARI

Clinch home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs:

• Win plus Seattle loss or tie and Arizona loss or tie
• Tie plus losses by SEA and ARI plus a DAL loss or tie

Dallas Cowboys (11-4)

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​Clinch a first-round bye:

• Win plus Seattle loss or tie and Arizona loss or tie
• Win plus DET-GB tie
• Tie plus losses by Seattle and Arizona
• Tie plus SEA tie, ARI loss or tie and a DET or GB win

Clinch home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs:

• Win plus ARI loss or tie and DET-GB tie

Carolina Panthers (6-8-1)

Clinch the NFC South:

• Win or tie

Green Bay Packers (11-4)

Clinch the NFC North:

• Win

Clinch a first-round bye:

• Win

Clinch home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs:

• Win plus Seattle loss or tie

Arizona Cardinals (11-4)

Clinch the NFC West:

• Win plus a Seattle loss or tie
• Tie plus a Seattle loss

Clinch a first-round bye:

• Win plus Seattle loss or tie
• Tie plus Seattle loss and Dallas loss or tie
• Tie plus SEA loss and DET-GB tie

Clinch home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs:

• Win plus Seattle loss or tie and Green Bay loss or tie
• Tie plus a SEA loss, DAL loss or tie and DET-GB tie

Atlanta Falcons (6-9)

Clinch the NFC South:

• Win

AFC

Denver Broncos (11-4)

Clinch a first-round bye:

• Win or tie
• Cincinnati loss
• Cincinnati tie plus Colts win

Cincinnati Bengals (10-4-1)

Clinch the AFC North:

• Win or tie

Clinch a first-round bye:

• Win plus Denver loss or tie
• Tie plus Denver loss and Colts loss or tie

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)

Clinch the AFC North:

• Win

San Diego Chargers (9-6)

Clinch wild-card berth

• Win
• Tie plus Baltimore loss or tie

Baltimore Ravens (9-6)

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Clinch wild-card berth

• Win plus San Diego loss or tie
• Tie plus San Diego loss

Houston Texans (9-6)

Clinch wild-card berth

• Win plus losses by San Diego and Baltimore

Kansas City Chiefs (9-6)

Clinch wild-card berth

• Win plus Baltimore loss and Houston loss or tie