2016 NFL playoff picture and scenarios, Week 17: Steelers look to oust Jets while Colts cling to slim hopes
The Steelers and Colts can still climb into the postseason field, but Indianapolis needs a miracle.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to the playoffs. Ben Roethelisberger and Co. handed the Browns a 28-12 loss, but Pittsburgh’s postseason ticket was punched in Buffalo, where the Bills ended the Jets’ playoff hopes with a 22-17 win.
Elsewhere during the 1:00 p.m. ET games, the Patriots lost to the Dolphins, which gives the Broncos the chance to clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win later on Sunday afternoon. The Houston Texans wrapped up the AFC South title and the fourth seed in the playoffs during the early games too.
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The Indianapolis Colts aren't yet eliminated, but need a tremendous amount of help to sneak in ahead of the Houston Texans. The Colts would need to beat the Tennessee Titans on Sunday with Josh Freeman leading the way at quarterback, hope the Texans lose to the Jaguars and have seven other games go exactly as planned to win the tiebreakers over Houston.
Step one for the Colts was the Denver Broncos beating the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football in Week 16, but Indianapolis still needs all of the following results to also go their way:
The odds of everything going exactly right for the Colts are tremendously slim.
Pittsburgh’s chances of sneaking in are much more simple. After beating the Cleveland Browns earlier in the year, 30-9, the Steelers just need to deal the Browns another loss on Sunday and hope the Buffalo Bills can play spoiler by beating the New York Jets.
The Jets are hot with five consecutive wins, but lost to the Rex Ryan-led Bills in Week 10 and have to travel to Buffalo to even the series to guarantee their place as a wild card team.
Other than the Colts and the Steelers trying to boot the Texans and Jets, the other 10 playoff berths are already clinched, although shuffling can still happen in Week 17. Neither the Denver Broncos nor the Green Bay Packers have locked down division titles and will try to play their way into postseason home games.
All the Broncos have to do is beat the San Diego Chargers at home to earn a first-round bye, but the big divisional showdown of the year is during Sunday Night Football when the Packers and Minnesota Vikings duel for the NFC North title.
If the Vikings win, they will host the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Wild Card round, but if the Packers win it could be the Seahawks traveling to Lambeau Field or an immediate rematch with the Vikings.
With two weeks left to play, these are the current favorites to win the Super Bowl, according to Football Outsiders:
| No. | Team | Super Bowl win |
| 1 | Arizona Cardinals | 20.9 percent |
| 2 | Carolina Panthers | 18.1 percent |
| 3 | New England Patriots | 15.9 percent |
| 4 | Denver Broncos | 11.7 percent |
| 5 | Seattle Seahawks | 10.9 percent |
Here are the current standings entering Sunday:
AFC
1. (z) New England Patriots (12-3)
2. (x) Denver Broncos (11-4)
3. (y) Cincinnati Bengals (11-4)
4. Houston Texans (8-7)
5. (x) Kansas City Chiefs (10-5)
6. New York Jets (10-5)
In The Hunt
Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)
Indianapolis Colts (7-8)
NFC
1. (z) Carolina Panthers (14-1)
2. (z) Arizona Cardinals (13-2)
3. (x) Green Bay Packers (10-5)
4. (y) Washington (8-7)
5. (x) Seattle Seahawks (10-5)
6. (x) Minnesota Vikings (10-5)
(z) - First-round bye
(y) - Division winner
(x) - Playoff berth
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