For the first time in the 2023 NFL season, there are playoff completion scenarios on the table for some teams.
Nothing has been locked into the NFL playoff picture thus far, but that could change quickly in Week 14. The Buccaneers, Cardinals and Packers are all poised to potentially seal their postseason tickets, if things go well for them. . Almost every team will need a win (or a draw) to ensure they can play past Week 18, but the Cardinals have some tricky scenarios where they can advance to the postseason while losing.
The Cardinals have a lot at stake as they play the Rams, but whatever happens, they won’t be able to clinch a division title. They would take a three-game lead and own the tiebreaker over the Rams with four games to play, but they would still have to wait until Week 15 to officially shut down the NFC West. And if they lose, it will still be wide open.
IYER: Are we heading to a Patriots-Bucs Super Bowl?
While they are lower in the rankings than the Cardinals entering Week 14, both the Packers and Buccaneers have scenarios to win divisional titles on the table in Week 14. If they can get one of those scenarios, they range from fairly simple to extremely complex. – To develop, the Packers and Bucs will be locked in the top four spots and will only fight for the No. 1 seed and a first-round goodbye for the remainder of the NFL season.
On the AFC side, there are no closing scenarios yet, and it may take a while to sort out the remnants on that side of the support. There are still 12 teams with records of .500 or better in the AFC heading into Week 14, so until someone breaks away from the back, the closing scenarios will be few and far between.
Here are all of the NFL playoff completion scenarios for teams that can be guaranteed a postseason spot in Week 14. And also, a comprehensive look at the NFL playoff picture.
MORE: Explaining the NFL Expanded Playoffs
NFL playoff closing scenarios for week 14
Arizona Cardinals (10-2)
Remaining games: Against Rams, Against Lions, Against Colts, Against Cowboys, Against Seahawks
Arizona Rivets playoff spot with:
- Cardinals win or draw OR
- Loss or draw of Vikings AND loss of 49ers OR
- Vikings lost or tied AND Saints lost or tied AND Panthers lost or tied OR
- 49ers loss AND Saints loss or tie AND Falcons / Panthers tie
Green Bay Packers (9-3)
Remaining games: against Bears, against Ravens, against Browns, against Vikings, against Lions
Green Bay Rivets NFC North Division Title with:
- Packers win AND Vikings lose or draw OR
- Packers tie AND defeat Vikings
Green Bay Rivets playoff spot with:
- Packers win AND Saints lose or tie AND 49ers lose OR
- Packers win AND Saints lose or tie AND Rams lose AND 49ers tie
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3)
Remaining games: against Bills, against Saints, against Panthers, against Jets, against Panthers
Tampa Bay Rivets NFC Southern Division Title with:
- Buccaneers win AND Saints lose or tie AND Panthers lose or tie
Tampa Bay Rivets playoff spot with:
- Buccaneers draw AND Panthers defeat AND Saints defeat AND Vikings defeat AND 49ers defeat or draw AND Washington defeat or draw
NFL WEEK 14 OPTIONS: Against the Spread | Straight up
Image of the 2023 NFL playoffs
-
AFC
Seed | Team | Record | Riveted |
1. | New England Patriots | 9-4 | N / A |
2. | Tennessee Titans | 8-4 | N / A |
3. | Baltimore Ravens | 8-4 | N / A |
Four. | Kansas City Chiefs | 8-4 | N / A |
5. | Los Angeles Chargers | 7-5 | N / A |
6. | Cincinnati Bengals | 7-5 | N / A |
7. | Buffalo bills | 7-5 | N / A |
On the hunt: Steelers (6-5-1), Colts (7-6), Raiders (6-6), Browns (6-6), Broncos (6-6), Dolphins (6-7)
-
NFC
Seed | Team | Record | Riveted |
1. | Arizona Cardinals | 10-2 | N / A |
2. | Green Bay Packers | 9-3 | N / A |
3. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 9-3 | N / A |
Four. | Dallas Cowboys | 8-4 | N / A |
5. | Los Angeles Rams | 8-4 | N / A |
6. | Washington football team | 6-6 | N / A |
7. | San Francisco 49ers | 6-6 | N / A |
On the hunt: Eagles (6-7), Vikings (5-7), Panthers (5-7), Falcons (5-7), Saints (5-7), Giants (4-8), Bears (4-8), Seahawks (4-8)