The Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers are done with playoff contention. Mike Singletary was axed after the Niners disappointing season finally breathed its last gasp in St. Louis; they're now two games out with one to play and have no chance to finish the season first in the horrid NFC West. Over in the AFC, the Raiders were eliminated after the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Tennessee Titans and took a two game lead with one to play over Oakland, thus ensuring there would be no division title for them. Oakland also has no shot at a wild-card berth; they're too far behind the Baltimore Ravens and the New York Jets.
But there is still some intrigue left in the Western divisions. Next week's matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams will determine the NFC West champion, and has been flexed into the Sunday night slot. The Raiders cannot play spoiler to Kansas City next week, as the Chiefs clinched the division when San Diego lost to Cincinnati, eliminating the Chargers from the playoff race. It'll be a meaningless affair there, as will San Francisco-Arizona.
Check out the current playoff picture after the jump, courtesy of an NFL press release.
2010 NFL PLAYOFF SCENARIOS FOR WEEK 17
AFC
CLINCHED: New England - AFC East and homefield advantage
Kansas City - AFC West
Baltimore - playoff spot
NY Jets - playoff spot
Pittsburgh - playoff spot
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Pittsburgh clinches AFC North and a first-round bye with:
1) PIT win OR
2) PIT tie + BAL loss or tie OR
3) BAL loss
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Baltimore clinches AFC North and a first-round bye with:
1) BAL win + PIT loss or tie OR
2) BAL tie + PIT loss
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Indianapolis clinches AFC South with:
1) IND win or tie OR
2) JAX loss or tie
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Jacksonville clinches AFC South with:
1) JAX win + IND loss
NFC
CLINCHED: Chicago – NFC North
Philadelphia - NFC East
Atlanta – playoff spot
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Philadelphia has clinched the NFC East and still has a chance to earn a first-round bye and homefield advantage next week as of today.
CHICAGO BEARS
Chicago has clinched the NFC North and still has a chance to earn a first-round bye and homefield advantage next week as of today.
ATLANTA FALCONS
Atlanta clinches the NFC South and homefield advantage with a win or tie against New Orleans tonight. If Atlanta loses tonight, it still has a chance to win the NFC South, a first-round bye and homefield advantage next week.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
New Orleans clinches a playoff spot with a win or tie against Atlanta tonight and still has a chance to win the NFC South, a first-round bye and homefield advantage next week.
If New Orleans loses tonight, it can still clinch a playoff spot next week with:
1) NO win or tie OR
2) NYG loss or tie + GB loss or tie
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Green Bay clinches a playoff spot with:
1) GB win OR
2) GB tie + NYG loss or tie + TB loss or tie OR
3) NYG loss + TB loss
NEW YORK GIANTS
New York Giants clinch a playoff spot with:
1) NYG win + GB loss or tie OR
2) NYG win + NO loses twice OR
3) NYG tie + GB loss + TB loss or tie
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Tampa Bay clinches a playoff spot with:
1) TB win + NO loss to ATL + NYG loss or tie OR
2) TB win + NO loss to ATL + GB loss or tie OR
3) TB win + NYG loss or tie + GB loss or tie OR
4) TB tie + NYG loss + GB loss
ST. LOUIS RAMS
St. Louis clinches NFC West with:
1) STL win or tie
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Seattle clinches NFC West with:
1) SEA win
Loading comments...