Only one week remains in the 2021 NFL regular season, but plenty remains unsettled when it comes to the playoff picture. A number of teams are still battling for a spot in the postseason while others are hoping for a better seed headed into the Week 18 slate.
Here’s a look at the playoff clinching scenarios that the NFL released for Week 18 of the 2021 season:
AFC
CLINCHED (5 of 7):
Cincinnati Bengals – AFC North division title
Kansas City Chiefs – AFC West division title
Tennessee Titans – AFC South division title
Buffalo Bills – playoff berth
New England Patriots – playoff berth
BALTIMORE RAVENS (8-8) (vs. Pittsburgh (8-7-1), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)
Baltimore clinches playoff berth with:
BAL win + LAC loss + IND loss + MIA loss or tie
BUFFALO BILLS (10-6) (vs. New York Jets (4-12), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)
Buffalo clinches AFC East division title with:
BUF win OR
NE loss OR
BUF tie + NE tie
CINCINNATI BENGALS (10-6) (at Cleveland (7-9), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, FOX)
Cincinnati clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage with:
CIN win + TEN loss + KC loss + NE loss or tie OR
CIN win + TEN loss + KC loss + BUF win
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-7) (at Jacksonville (2-14), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)
Indianapolis clinches playoff berth with:
IND win or tie OR
LAC loss + BAL-PIT tie OR
LAC loss + PIT loss + MIA win
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-5) (at Denver (7-9), Saturday, 4:30 PM ET, ESPN/ABC)
Kansas City clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage with:
KC win + TEN loss or tie OR
KC tie + TEN loss
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (9-7) (vs. Los Angeles Chargers (9-7), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)
Las Vegas clinches playoff berth with:
LV win OR
LV tie + IND loss OR
IND loss + PIT loss or tie
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (9-7) (at Las Vegas (9-7), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)
Los Angeles Chargers clinch playoff berth with:
LAC win or tie
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (10-6) (at Miami (8-8), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, CBS)
New England clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage with:
NE win + BUF loss or tie + KC loss + TEN loss
New England clinches AFC East division title with:
NE win + BUF loss or tie OR
NE tie + BUF loss
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-7-1) (at Baltimore (8-8), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)
Pittsburgh clinches playoff berth with:
PIT win + IND loss + LV-LAC game does not end in a tie
TENNESSEE TITANS (11-5) (at Houston (4-12), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)
Tennessee clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage with:
TEN win OR
TEN tie + KC loss or tie OR
KC loss + CIN loss or tie + NE loss or tie OR
KC loss + CIN loss or tie + BUF win
NFC
CLINCHED (6 of 7):
Green Bay Packers – NFC North division title, No. 1 seed, only first-round bye and home-field advantage
Dallas Cowboys – NFC East division title
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – NFC South division title
Arizona Cardinals – playoff berth
Los Angeles Rams – playoff berth
Philadelphia Eagles – playoff berth
ARIZONA CARDINALS (11-5) (vs. Seattle (6-10), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)
Arizona clinches NFC West division title with:
ARI win + LAR loss
LOS ANGELES RAMS (12-4) (vs. San Francisco (9-7), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)
Los Angeles Rams clinch NFC West division title with:
LAR win or tie OR
ARI loss or tie
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (8-8) (at Atlanta (7-9), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)
New Orleans clinches playoff berth with:
NO win + SF loss
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (9-7) (at Los Angeles Rams (12-4), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)
San Francisco clinches playoff berth with:
SF win or tie OR
NO loss or tie
Check back in with The Spun for more NFL playoff coverage later this week.
The post Here Are The NFL’s Playoff Clinching Scenarios For Week 18 appeared first on The Spun.