ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --The Broncos can clinch a postseason bid -- or even a fifth consecutive AFC West crown -- on Sunday. But they can't do it on their own.
DENVER BRONCOS
... can clinch the AFC West with:
1) DEN win AND KC loss or tie
OR
2) DEN tie AND KC loss
... can clinch a playoff spot with:
1) DEN win AND NYJ loss or tie
OR
2) DEN win AND PIT loss or tie
OR
3) DEN tie AND NYJ loss
OR
4) DEN tie AND PIT loss
Because the surging Chiefs can still potentially win a tiebreaker with the Broncos if both finish 11-5, the Broncos are unable to clinch the division Sunday -- unless the Chiefs lose to the Chargers in a game that should be finishing at about the time the Broncos and Raiders kick off.
If the Broncos defeat the Raiders on Sunday and the Chargers in Week 17, the Broncos will win the AFC West regardless of any other result. If the Broncos go 1-3 down the stretch and the Chiefs run the table, the Chiefs would win the division on the basis of a superior division record.
Beyond the division, if the Broncos go 3-1 down the stretch -- and one of those three wins is against Cincinnati on Monday Night Football -- then they would have a first-round bye, no matter what else happens. A 4-0 close to the regular season would give the Broncos the No. 1 seed, no questions asked.
League-wide, only the Cleveland Browns have been eliminated from playoff consideration, but teams could start falling by the wayside as soon as this week -- especially in the AFC, where the Chiefs and Jets, both 7-5, are heavy favorites in home games agains the 3-9 Chargers and Titans, respectively.
In the NFC, all of the teams in the East are bunched at 5-7 and 4-8, and no team in the conference is worse than 4-8. That could keep hopes alive a bit longer, even though Seattle, at 7-5, has a good chance to generate some distance from the rest of the pack with games against Baltimore, Cleveland and St. Louis the next three weeks; those foes are a combined 10-26.
Here's how the rest of the playoff scenarios for Week 14 beyond the Broncos break down:
AFC
**
CINCINNATI BENGALS**
... can clinch the AFC North with:
1) CIN win or tie
... can clinch a playoff spot with:
1) NYJ loss
OR
2) KC loss
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
... can clinch the AFC East with:
1) NE win AND NE clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over NYJ
OR
2) NE win AND NYJ loss or tie
OR
3) NE tie AND NYJ loss
OR
4) NE tie AND NYJ tie AND NE clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over NYJ
OR
5) NYJ loss AND NE clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over NYJ
(Note: The Patriots clinch at least a tie in strength-of-victory tiebreaker in scenarios 1, 4 and 5 if two of the following occur: BUF win, PIT win, MIA loss, CLE loss)
... can clinch a playoff spot with:
1) NE win
OR
2) PIT loss
OR
3) NYJ loss
OR
4) NE tie AND KC loss
OR
5) NE tie AND PIT tie
OR
6) NE tie AND NYJ tie
NFC
CAROLINA PANTHERS
... have clinched the NFC South ...
... can clinch a first-round bye with:
1) CAR win or tie
OR
2) MIN loss or tie AND GB loss or tie
**
ARIZONA CARDINALS**
... can clinch the NFC West with:
1) ARI win AND SEA loss or tie
OR
2) ARI tie AND SEA loss
... can clinch a playoff spot with:
1) ARI win or tie
OR
2) TB loss or tie AND ATL loss or tie
OR
3) TB loss or tie AND GB win or tie
PLAYOFF SEEDING HEADING INTO WEEK 14:
(Tiebreakers, if applicable, are in parentheses)
AFC
- Cincinnati, 10-2-0 (conference record over DEN and NE)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.521
- Denver, 10-2-0 (head-to-head over NE)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.521
- New England, 10-2-0
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.438
- Indianapolis, 6-6-0 (head-to-head over HOU)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.375
- Kansas City, 7-5-0 (conference record over NYJ and PIT)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.292
- N.Y. Jets, 7-5-0 (conference record over PIT)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.479
STILL IN THE HUNT:
- Pittsburgh, 7-5-0
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.542
- Buffalo, 6-6-0 (head-to-head over HOU)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.438
- Houston, 6-6-0
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.479
- Oakland, 5-7-0 (conference record over MIA)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.583
- Miami, 5-7-0
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.500
- Jacksonville, 4-8-0 (head-to-head over BAL)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.458
- Baltimore, 4-8-0
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.646
- San Diego, 3-9-0 (conference record over TEN)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.563
- Tennessee, 3-9-0
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.604
ELIMINATED:
- Cleveland, 2-10-0
NFC
- Carolina, 12-0-0
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.479
- Arizona, 10-2-0
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.583
- Green Bay, 8-4-0 (head-to-head over MIN)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.563
- Washington, 5-7-0 (head-to-head over NYG and PHI)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.417
- Minnesota, 8-4-0
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.583
- Seattle, 7-5-0
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.417
STILL IN THE HUNT:
- Tampa Bay, 6-6-0 (head-to-head over ATL)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.521
- Atlanta, 6-6-0
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.667
- Philadelphia, 5-7-0 (head-to-head over NYG)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.542
- N.Y. Giants, 5-7-0 (conference record over CHI)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.625
- Chicago, 5-7-0
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.479
- St. Louis, 4-8-0 (head-to-head over SF, then conference record over NO and DAL, then common opponents over DET)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.438
- Detroit, 4-8-0 (conference record over NO, SF and DAL)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.354
- New Orleans, 4-8-0 (conference record over SF and DAL)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.417
- San Francisco, 4-8-0 (strength of victory over DAL)
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.417
- Dallas, 4-8-0
Remaining opponent winning percentage:.542
