NFL Playoff Picture Headed Into Week 16

The NFL playoff picture is wide open headed into week 16. Only three teams clinched their divisions in the AFC during Week 15 with New England winning the East, Indianapolis winning the South and Denver winning the West. The AFC North is still wide open with Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Baltimore fighting for their division. That gives us a total of four teams qualified for the playoffs through 15 weeks (NE, IND, DEN, ARI). The NFC South is ugly but it's pretty obvious the Saints are the best bet to clinch their division and secure a home game, more on that later. When setting you lineups for week 16 pay attention to who has something on the line this week, it could make or break your fantasy championship. See complete NFL Standings here.

Here's the AFC playoff picture for Week 16:

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

1. New England can clinch home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs with:
   1) NE win + DEN loss
2. New England can clinch a first-round bye with:
   1) NE win
   2) NE tie + IND loss or tie
   3) IND loss + CIN loss or tie + PIT loss or tie + BAL loss or tie

DENVER BRONCOS

1. Denver can clinch a first-round bye with:
   1) DEN win
   2) DEN tie + IND loss or tie

CINCINNATI BENGALS

1. Cincinnati can clinch the AFC North division title with:
   1) CIN win + PIT loss + BAL loss or tie
2. Cincinnati can clinch a playoff spot with:
   1) CIN win
   2) CIN tie + BAL loss
   3) CIN tie + KC loss or tie + SD loss or tie
   4) KC loss + SD loss + BUF loss or tie

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

1. Pittsburgh can clinch a playoff spot with:
   1) PIT win

BALTIMORE RAVENS

1. Baltimore can clinch a playoff spot with:
   1) BAL win + PIT loss + CIN loss
   2) BAL win + KC loss or tie + SD loss or tie
   3) BAL tie + KC loss + SD loss + BUF loss or tie

Here's the NFC playoff scenarios for Week 16:

ARIZONA CARDINALS

1. Arizona can clinch the division and home field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
   1) ARI win  (I'm really pulling for them as I know my Saints can beat them)

DETROIT LIONS

1. Detroit can clinch the NFC North with:
   1) DET win + GB loss
2. Detroit can clinch a first-round bye with:
   1) DET win + GB loss + DAL loss
3. Detroit can clinch a spot with: (most probable)
   1) DET win
   2) DET tie + PHI loss or tie
   3) PHI loss

DALLAS COWBOYS

1. Dallas can clinch the NFC East division with: (Murray's finger won't be an issue)
   1) DAL win + PHI loss or tie
   2) DAL tie + PHI loss
2. Dallas can clinch a playoff berth with:
   1) DAL win + GB loss or tie + DET loss or tie as long as both don't tie

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

1. Seattle can clinch a playoff spot with: (a lot going on here)
   1) SEA win + PHI loss or tie
   2) SEA win + DET loss or tie
   3) SEA win + GB loss or tie
   4) SEA tie + PHI loss
   5) SEA tie + DET loss + GB loss
   6) PHI loss + DAL win or tie

GREEN BAY PACKERS

1. Green Bay can clinch a playoff spot with:
   1) GB win + PHI loss or tie
   2) GB win + DAL win or tie
   3) GB tie + PHI loss
   4) GB tie + PHI tie + DAL win or tie
   5) PHI loss + DAL win or tie

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

1. New Orleans can clinch the NFC South division title with: (hard to believe)
   1) NO win + CAR loss