NFL Playoff Scenarios: Jets Need Plenty of Help

The New York Jets need plenty of help if they are going to reach the AFC playoffs for the third consecutive season. Saturday’s loss to the New York Giants has put Rex Ryan’s team in a win-and-hope situation.

The Jets must beat the resurgent Miami Dolphins (5-10) in Miami. The Dolphins, once 0-7, have gone 5-3 over their last eight games.

Then the Jets have to hope that the Cincinnati Bengals (9-6) lose to the Baltimore Ravens, that the 8-7 Tennessee Titans lose or tie and that either the Denver Broncos or Oakland Raiders lose on Sunday.

So, the loss to the Giants proved not only embarrassing to Ryan’s ego, but it seemingly devastated the Jets’ playoff hopes.

NY Jets clinch a wild card spot if:

1) NYJ win + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie + OAK loss or tie

2) NYJ win + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie + DEN loss or tie

NFL Playoff Scenarios: New York Jets Need Victory And Some Help

Sunday's 29-14 loss to the New York Giants made it a bit tougher for the New York Jets to make the AFC playoffs. However, there's still a good chance that Gang Green can sneak in, but they will need some help.

The only way the Jets can get into the playoff is if they defeat the Miami Dolphins in Week 17 and both the Cincinnati Bengals, who play the visiting Baltimore Ravens, and Oakland Raiders, who hosts the San Diego Chargers, each lose.

If the Jets win and the Bengals lose, but the Raiders win, Oakland will earn the No. 6 playoff spot because it owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over New York. If the Jets win and the Raiders lose, but Bengals win, Cincinnati is in the playoffs.

If all three teams lose next Sunday, then again Cincinnati earns the AFC's last playoff spot.

AFC Playoff Picture

Division Leaders
New England Patriots (12-3) Clinched Division
Baltimore Ravens (11-4) Clinched Playoff Berth
Houston Texans (10-5) Clinched Division
Tied: Denver Broncos (8-7) and Oakland Raiders (8-7)

Wild-Card
Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4) Cliched Playoff Berth
Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)

In The Hunt
New York Jets (8-7)
Tennessee Titans (8-7)

NFL Playoff Scenarios: New York Giants Are In With A Win Vs. Cowboys

Sunday's 29-14 victory over the New York Jets makes the NFC playoff scenario for the New York Giants very simple: beat the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17 and you're in. Lose and starting making tee times for Monday -- of course, those tee times probably would need to be made in a warmer climate.

As for the rest of the NFC, on Sunday the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles were all eliminated from playoff contention. The Detroit Lions clinched their first playoff berth since 1999 with a dominating 38-10 victory over the San Diego Chargers. Meanwhile, two teams hanging onto their playoff lives are: the Atlanta Falcons play Monday night against the New Orleans Saints, and the Chicago Bears, who play at the Green Bay Packers Sunday night.

Here's the latest look at the NFC Playoff Picture:

Division Leaders
Green Bay Packers (13-1) Clinched Division
New Orleans Saints (11-3) Clinched Playoff Berth
San Francisco 49ers (12-3) Clinched Division
Tied: Dallas Cowboys (8-7) and New York Giants (8-7)

Wild-Card
Detroit Lions (10-5) Clinched Playoff Berth
Atlanta Falcons (9-5)

In The Hunt
Chicago Bears (7-7)

NFL Playoff Scenarios, Week 16: A Look At The NFC

A look at the 2011 NFL Playoff Picture as we get set for Week 16, this from the NFC perspective. A New York Giants loss combined a Dallas Cowboys victory over the Philadelphia Eagles knocks the Giants out of the playoffs.

CLINCHED
Green Bay – NFC North and first-round bye
San Francisco – NFC West
New Orleans – playoff spot

Green Bay Packers
Green Bay clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
- GB win or tie OR
- SF loss or tie

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco clinches a first-round bye with:
- SF win + NO loss

New Orleans Saints
New Orleans clinches NFC South division with:
- NO win or tie

Dallas Cowboys
Dallas clinches NFC East division with:
- DAL win + NYG loss or tie OR
- DAL tie + NYG loss

Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta clinches a playoff spot with:
- ATL win or tie OR
- DAL loss or tie + CHI loss or tie + ARI loss or tie OR
- NYG loss or tie + CHI loss or tie + ARI loss or tie

Detroit Lions
Detroit clinches a playoff spot with:
- DET win or tie OR
- CHI loss or tie + ARI loss or tie + SEA loss or tie + DAL loss or tie OR
- CHI loss or tie + ARI loss or tie + SEA loss or tie + NYG loss or tie OR
- CHI loss or tie + ARI loss or tie + SEA loss or tie + ATL win or tie

NFL Playoff Scenarios, Week 16: A Look At The AFC

Here is a look at the NFL Playoff Scenarios in the AFC entering Week 16 of the 2011 season. This is purely a look at teams who can clinch, not a look at every possible combination of events.

CLINCHED
Houston - AFC South
New England - AFC East
Baltimore - playoff spot
Pittsburgh - playoff spot

New England Patriots
New England clinches a first-round bye with:
- NE win + HOU loss or tie OR
- NE win + PIT loss or tie + BAL loss or tie OR
- NE tie + HOU loss OR
- NE tie + PIT loss + BAL loss

New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
- NE win + HOU loss or tie + PIT loss or tie + BAL loss or tie

Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore clinches AFC North division with:
- BAL win + PIT loss

Baltimore clinches a first-round bye with:
- BAL win + PIT loss + HOU loss

Denver Broncos
Denver clinches AFC West division with:
- DEN win + OAK loss or tie OR
- DEN tie + OAK loss + SD loss or tie

Denver clinches a playoff spot with:
- DEN win + NYJ loss + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie

NFL Playoff Picture, Week 15: Jets Still Control Their Own Destiny

Sunday's 45-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, combined with the Cincinnati Bengals defeating the St. Louis Rams 20-13, puts the New York Jets in basically a must-win situation for the rest of the season.

The only way the Jets (8-6) can make the playoffs is to win out; or if a slip up occurs -- New York's remaining schedule features the New York Giants and at Miami Dolphins, respectively -- hope that the Bengals (8-6) don't win out. Cincinnati hosts Arizona and Baltimore in its final two games. The good news for Gang Green Nation is that they still control their own destiny, which is all you can ask for this late in the season.

AFC Playoff Picture

Division Leaders
New England Patriots (11-3) Clinched Division
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) Clinched Playoff Berth
Houston Texans (10-4) Clinched Division
Denver Broncos (8-6)

Wild-Card
Baltimore Ravens (10-4) Clinched Playoff Berth
New York Jets (8-6)

In The Hunt
Cincinnati Bengals (8-6)
Tennessee Titans (7-7)
Oakland Raiders (7-7)
San Diego Chargers (7-7)

NFL Playoff Picture, Week 15: Giants Must Win NFC East

Sunday’s 23-10 loss to the Washington Redskins, combined with Detroit’s 28-27 victory over the Oakland Raiders, leaves the New York Giants with only one path to the playoffs. The Giants must win the NFC East.

At 7-7, the Giants no longer have an opportunity to earn a wild-card berth. The Atlanta Falcons and the Lions are both 9-5 and even if they both lose their last two games and the Giants win their last two the Giants would fall short based on tie-breakers.

If the Giants lose to the New York Jets on Saturday and the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys defeat the Philadelphia Eagles the Giants would be eliminated from playoff contention.

If the Giants win both of their remaining games, defeating the Jets and then the Cowboys on the Jan. 1 the Giants would win the NFC East.

NFC Playoff Picture

Division Leaders
Green Bay Packers (13-1) Clinched Division
New Orleans Saints (11-3) Clinched Playoff Berth
San Francisco 49ers (10-3) Clinched Division
Dallas Cowboys (8-6)

Wild-Card
Atlanta Falcons (9-5)
Detroit LIons (9-5)

In The Hunt
Seattle Seahawks (7-7)
Chicago Bears 7-7)
New York Giants (7-7)
Arizona Cardinals (7-7)
Philadelphia Eagles (6-8)

NFL Playoff Picture: New York Giants Win Vs. Cowboys Has Big NFC East Implications

The New York Giants victory over. the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football gave New York a huge advantage in the race to the postseason in the NFC East. The win pulled the Giants even with the Cowboys at 7-6, but effectively gave New York a one-game cushion over Dallas because the G-Men now own the head-to-head tiebreaker with their division rival.

If the playoffs started next week, New York would be slotted into the fourth seed with a wild-card round game against the Falcons. The Gaints best bet for the postseason is to hold onto the NFC East lead as both the Falcons and Lions would currently hold a one-game advantage over New York in the wild card with three games left to play.

NFC Playoff Picture

Division Leaders
Green Bay Packers (13-0) ... clinched Division title
San Francisco 49ers (10-3) ... clinched Division title
New Orleans Saints (10-3)
New York Giants (7-6)

Wild-Card Teams
Atlanta Falcons (8-5)
Detroit Lions (8-5)

In The Hunt
Dallas Cowboys (7-6)
Chicago Bears (7-6)

For more on the Giants playoff picture, visit Big Blue View

NFL Playoff Picture, Week 14: Jets Earn Separation From Field

The NFL playoff picture became much clearer for the New York Jets on Sunday. Win out, and they're in. New York emerged from the wreckage with a win in Week 14, while a heap of teams competing for the AFC final wild card were not so lucky. New York would be in the playoffs if the season ended today.

The Jets (8-5) beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 37-10, to jump ahead of the Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders, who all lost and dropped to 7-6. With three games to play, and a one-game advantage, New York is in a favorable position.

New York's remaining schedule offers the Philadelphia Eagles, whose name has "disappointing" attached as a prefix at this point (as in, "the disappointing Eagles"), and finish up with the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins. But that season finale against Miami could be wild if it's a play-in game with the Dolphins only motivation being to mess up the season for their division rival.

If the Jets do stumble, the first tiebreaker is conference record. Here's how the Jets stack up right now against their competition (and each teams' chance to improve their record before season's end).

Jets (6-5) -- Jan. 1 at Miami
Tennessee (5-4) -- Sunday at Indy, Dec. 24 vs. Jacksonville, Jan. 1 at Houston
Cincinnati (6-5)  -- Jan. 1 vs. Baltimore
Oakland (5-5) -- Dec. 24 at Kansas City, Jan. 1 vs. San Diego

AFC Playoff Picture

Division Leaders
New England Patriots (10-3)
Houston Texans (10-3)
Baltimore Ravens (10-3)
Denver Broncos (8-5)

Wild-Card Teams
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3)
New York Jets (8-5)

In The Hunt
Tennessee Titans (7-6)
Cincinnati Bengals (7-6)
Oakland Raiders (7-6)

NFL Playoff Scenarios, Week 14: Giants, Jets Need To Win

The Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers have already clinched playoff berths. A handful of other teams can do this weekend, but the New York Giants and New York Jets are not among them.

Below are the Week 14 NFL playoff scenarios.

AFC

CLINCHED: None

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

New England clinches AFC East division with:

1) NE win + NYJ loss

HOUSTON TEXANS

Houston clinches AFC South division with:

1) HOU win + TEN loss

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Pittsburgh clinches a playoff spot with:

1) PIT win + CIN loss + NYJ loss + TEN loss OR

2) PIT win + CIN loss + NYJ loss + DEN loss + OAK loss OR

3) PIT win + CIN loss + TEN loss + DEN loss + OAK loss

NFC

CLINCHED: Green Bay – NFC North
San Francisco – NFC West

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Green Bay clinches a first-round bye with:

1) GB win OR

2) GB tie + NO loss or tie OR

3) NO loss

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

New Orleans clinches NFC South division with:

1) NO win + ATL loss

New Orleans clinches a playoff spot with:

1) NO win + DET loss OR

2) NO win + CHI loss

NFL Playoff Picture, Week 13: New York Jets Moving Up

The New York Jets dramatically improved their AFC playoff hopes on Sunday when they defeated the Washington Redskins, 34-19. The Jets (7-5) would still be outside the playoffs looking in if they began today, but record-wise they are tied with sixth-seeded Cincinnati, as well as with the Tennessee Titans and Oakland Raiders.

The Jets would lose a spot to the Bengals as things stand now, based on conference record. The Bengals are 6-4 in AFC games, while the Jets are just 5-5. 

The Jets have now won two straight games. Their remaining schedule includes a home game against the Kansas City Chiefs, a visit to the disappointing Philadelphia Eagles, a home game against the New York Giants on Christmas Eve and a season-ending meeting on the road against the Miami Dolphins.

AFC Playoff Picture

Division Leaders
New England Patriots (9-3)
Houston Texans (9-3)
Baltimore Ravens (9-3)
Denver Broncos (7-5)

Wild-Card Teams
Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3)
Cincinnati Bengals (7-5)

In The Hunt 
Tennessee Titans (7-5)
Oakland Raiders (7-5)
New York Jets (7-5)

NFL Playoff Picture, Week 13: New York Giants Still In The Hunt

With all of the NFC games for Week 13 in the books the 6-6 New York Giants remain outside the playoffs looking in after losing to the Green Bay Packers, 38-35, on Sunday. The Giants, though, are still very much in the mix for either the NFC East title or a wild-card berth.

The NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys (7-5) lost to the Arizona Cardinals in overtime Sunday, 19-13. That means the Giants are just one game behind Dallas. The Giants and Cowboys meet twice in the season's final four games, including Sunday night in Dallas.

The Giants also watched the three teams ahead of them in the wild-card chase -- the Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions -- all lose on Sunday. Thus, those three teams are just one game in front of the Giants. New York's wild-card problem is the conference record tie-breaker. The Giants are just 3-6 in conference, while all three of those teams are no worse than 5-5.

NFC Playoff Picture

Division Leaders
Green Bay Packers (12-0) ... clinched Division title
San Francisco 49ers (10-2) ... clinched Division title
New Orleans Saints (8-3)
Dallas Cowboys (7-5)

Wild-Card Teams
Chicago Bears (7-5)
Atlanta Falcons (7-5)

In The Hunt
Detroit Lions (7-5)
New York Giants (6-6)

NFL Playoff Scenarios, Week 13: Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers Can Clinch

While the 6-5 New York Giants and New York Jets each try to figure out ways to squeeze into the NFL Playoff Picture, two NFC teams can clinch playoff berths in Week 13 of the NFL season.

The scenarios for the 11-0 Green Bay Packers and 9-2 San Francisco 49ers to clinch playoff berths are below.

NFC

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Green Bay clinches NFC North division with:

1) GB win + DET loss or tie OR

2) GB tie + CHI loss or tie + DET loss OR

3) CHI loss + DET loss

Green Bay clinches a playoff spot with:

1) GB win OR

2) GB tie + CHI loss or tie OR

3) CHI loss OR

4) ATL loss OR

5) DET loss OR

6) NO loss + ATL tie

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

San Francisco clinches NFC West division with:

1) SF win or tie OR

2) SEA loss or tie + ARI loss or tie

NFL Playoff Picture, Week 12: For Giants, NFC East Title Looks Like Only Hope

After being humiliated by the New Orleans Saints Monday night by a 49-24 score it is hard to believe that the New York Giants could make the playoffs in the NFC. They can, at least mathematically.

The Giants best chance — maybe their only chance — is to wrest the NFC East title away from the Dallas Cowboys. The Giants (6-5) have two games remaining with the 7-4 Cowboys and have to win both to have any hope. The folks at Cool Standings give the Giants just a 15.3 percent chance of reaching the playoffs.

Theoretically, the Giants still in the wild-card race, but with Chicago, Atlanta and Detroit all at 7-4 it is hard to believe the Giants — with a brutal remaining schedule — will be able to secure one of those spots.

NFC Playoff Picture

Division Leaders
Green Bay Packers (11-0)
San Francisco 49ers (9-2)
New Orleans Saints (8-3)
Dallas Cowboys (7-4)

Wild-Card Leaders
Chicago Bears (7-4)
Atlanta Falcons (7-4)

In The Hunt
Detroit Lions (7-4)
New York Giants (6-5)

NFL Playoff Picture, Week 12: Giants Need Victory In Big Easy

Over and over, the New York Giants keep hearing about second-half collapses. That has happened to the Giants two years in a row, when they looked like a playoff team at the halfway point of the season only to fold at the end of the year and go home early.

The familiar script is playing out again as the Giants started 6-2, but have lost two straight fall to 6-4. They would be out of the playoffs if they began today. The Giants' season won't be over if they don't defeat the New Orleans Saints in their Monday Night Football encounter, but their playoff hopes will be on life support. Even with a victory tonight the Giants would not be a playoff lock -- they would simply position themselves where they would have a legitimate opportunity, especially since they play the Dallas Cowboys twice in the season's final four weeks.

NFC Playoff Picture

Division Leaders
Green Bay Packers (11-0)
San Francisco 49ers (9-2)
New Orleans Saints (7-3)
Dallas Cowboys (7-4)

Wild-Card Leaders
Chicago Bears (7-4)
Atlanta Falcons (7-4)

In The Hunt
Detroit Lions (7-4)
New York Giants (6-4)

NFL Playoff Picture, Week 12: Jets Stay In The Hunt

NFL Playoff Scenarios, Week 12: Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers Can Clinch

Believe it or not, we have reached the part of the NFL season where teams can begin clinching playoff berths. While the New York Giants and New York Jets struggle for their playoff lives in Week 12, the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers can be the first two teams to clinch spots in the 2012 NFC playoffs. No AFC teams are yet in a position to clinch.

The scenarios, courtesy of the NFL PR Dept., are below. Jets and Giants fans can only be envious at this point.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Green Bay clinches a playoff spot with:

1) GB win + DAL loss or tie + ATL loss OR

2) GB win + DAL loss or tie + NO loss OR

3) GB win + ATL loss + NYG loss or tie

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers

San Francisco clinches NFC West division with:

1) SF win + SEA loss or tie OR

2) SF tie + SEA loss

NFL Playoff Picture: Giants, Jets On The Outside Looking In

The NFL Playoff Picture as we approach Thanksgiving.