These 7 NFL teams needed things to go just right to get into the playoffs

With two weeks left to play, five teams have officially clinched a spot in the NFL postseason. That field can expand this weekend with the Chiefs, Rams, Saints, Panthers, and Falcons all able to lock up playoff berths just by winning.

For most of the teams on the outside looking in, there’s no more margin for error, and the season will have to end just right for them to climb into the picture.

Here’s how things look currently and how each team still alive can secure a spot in the postseason:

**clinched division
*clinched playoff spot

Only three teams in the AFC really look like contenders. That has left the door open for any team hovering around .500 to have a chance. Even two teams at 6-8 still have a small hope at a playoff spot, although it’s likely the two wild card spots will come down to the Titans, Bills, and Ravens.

The Ravens aren’t just alive: They actually control their own destiny. Win against the Bengals, and Baltimore almost definitely takes over the No. 5 seed so long as the Titans don’t topple the Jaguars in the AFC South. Baltimore got things headed in the right direction Saturday with a 23-16 win over the Colts that pushed the team right to the edge of clinching.

Even if the Ravens lose, they can get in if:

Or

Of course, the Ravens can make things easier by just beating the Bengals.

The Bills entered the weekend in a Wild Card spot, but are on the outside for now after the Ravens beat the Colts, 23-16, on Saturday.

Getting back into that spot will be tough though, with a Week 16 loss to the Patriots in New England. The loss means they’ll need a win over the Dolphins in Week 17 and a little help, including:

Or

With a Chiefs win on Sunday in Week 16, the AFC West title is out of reach, so the Chargers need a wild card to get into the post season.

They beat the Jets this week, so the wild card scenario for the Chargers looks like this:

The Raiders’ realistic chances at the playoffs ended when Derek Carr fumbled through the end zone against the Cowboys.

Those hopes were officially extinguished on Sunday.

A 29-13 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday eliminated the Dolphins.

This is what their playoff scenario would have needed if they won instead:

It’s a Hail Mary, but none of the results are that farfetched.

**clinched division

Unlike the AFC, every team .500 or worse is already done for the year. That’s mostly thanks to the incredibly tough NFC South that has the Saints and Panthers tied at 10-4 and the Falcons just behind at 9-5.

Had Atlanta lost to the Buccaneers on Monday, the chances for the Lions, Seahawks and Cowboys wouldn’t be that far-fetched. Instead, they’ll each need a perfect storm to get in:

A Week 3 loss to the Falcons looms large, so the Lions will need to either top Atlanta’s record or hope for a multi-team tie for a spot.

The easiest scenario was:

But the Lions lost to the Bengals on Sunday, 17-26, which eliminated them from playoff contention.

The Seahawks don’t look like a good football team right now. To get into the postseason, Seattle would need to win out. That doesn’t look likely after a 42-7 loss to the Rams, and even if they do, the Seahawks’ Week 11 loss to the Falcons makes things complicated:

The NFC West title is still an option if the Rams lose out, but that looks unlikely. The Seahawks’ wild card scenarios aren’t much better:

Or

Neither is too difficult, but winning two more games looks like it will be tough for the hobbled Seahawks.

The Cowboys needed to beat the Seahawks to keep hopes alive, but they failed to do that. Their playoff aspirations are done.

The season is over for the Cowboys, Lions, Dolphins, Raiders and Chargers. The Seahawks finished Sunday with hope alive.