NFL Scoreboard - Week 16

NFL Scoreboard - Week 16

The six playoff teams have already been determined in the NFC. The Panthers and Cardinals have locked up the first-round byes. The only matter still undetermined is between the Packers and Vikings. One will be the division champion and the #3 seed. The other will be one of the wild card teams. As fortune would have it, they play each other next week.

Much in the AFC will essentially be determined by the final week. Three teams have already qualified for the playoffs: the Pats have won their division; the Bengals have won their division; and the Chiefs can do no worse than a wild card. The other contenders are elbowing for position. If the season were already over, the Steelers and Colts would be watching the playoffs on TV with the rest of us. But they still have chances with the right combination of circumstances. The team with the most to gain, as well as the most to lose, is the Denver Broncos. Monday night's game between the Broncos and the Bengals is an important one. If the Broncos win, they will be in the playoffs, and would have head-to-head wins over both New England and Cincinnati, so if all three teams eventually finish 12-4, the Broncos would actually get the #1 seed and the permanent home field advantage. On the other hand, if the Broncos lose the next two, certain scenarios could cause them to miss the playoffs completely. Crazy!