Clinch & Elimination Watch

What the games of week 16 can settle, club by club, with the season as it stood after week 15.

Can clinch or be eliminated this week (6)

New England Patriots11–3Can clinch: Playoff berthCan be eliminated: No. 1 seed
Playoff berth
Clinched with
1)NE win/tie, or
2)HOU loss/tie, or
3)IND loss/tie
No result this week ends it.
AFC East title
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
No. 1 seed
No result this week clinches it.
Eliminated with
1)NE loss + DEN win
Buffalo Bills10–4Can clinch: Playoff berthCan be eliminated: No. 1 seed
Playoff berth
Clinched with
1)BUF win + HOU loss/tie, or
2)BUF win + IND loss/tie, or
3)BUF tie + HOU loss, or
4)BUF tie + IND loss
No result this week ends it.
AFC East title
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
No. 1 seed
No result this week clinches it.
Eliminated with
1)BUF loss/tie + DEN win, or
2)BUF loss + DEN tie, or
3)BUF loss + LAC win
Los Angeles Chargers10–4Can clinch: Playoff berthCan be eliminated: AFC West title, No. 1 seed
Playoff berth
Clinched with
1)LAC win + HOU loss/tie, or
2)LAC win + IND loss/tie, or
3)LAC tie + IND loss, or
4)LAC tie + HOU loss + IND tie
No result this week ends it.
AFC West title
No result this week clinches it.
Eliminated with
1)LAC loss/tie + DEN win, or
2)LAC loss + DEN tie
No. 1 seed
No result this week clinches it.
Eliminated with
1)LAC loss/tie + DEN win, or
2)LAC loss + DEN tie
Jacksonville Jaguars10–4Can clinch: Playoff berthCan be eliminated: No. 1 seed
Playoff berth
Clinched with
1)JAX win + HOU loss/tie, or
2)JAX win + IND loss/tie, or
3)JAX tie + IND loss, or
4)JAX tie + HOU loss + IND tie
No result this week ends it.
AFC South title
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
No. 1 seed
No result this week clinches it.
Eliminated with
1)JAX loss
Green Bay Packers9–4–1Can clinch: Playoff berthCan be eliminated: No. 1 seed
Playoff berth
Clinched with
1)GB win + DET loss/tie, or
2)GB tie + DET loss
No result this week ends it.
NFC North title
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
No. 1 seed
No result this week clinches it.
Eliminated with
1)GB tie + PHI loss/tie + SEA win + SF win, or
2)GB loss
Philadelphia Eagles9–5Can clinch: Playoff berth, NFC East titleCan be eliminated: No. 1 seed
Playoff berth
Clinched with
1)PHI win, or
2)PHI tie + DAL tie, or
3)DAL loss
No result this week ends it.
NFC East title
Clinched with
1)PHI win, or
2)PHI tie + DAL tie, or
3)DAL loss
No result this week ends it.
No. 1 seed
No result this week clinches it.
Eliminated with
1)PHI tie + CHI win, or
2)PHI tie + SEA win/loss, or
3)PHI tie + SF win/tie, or
4)PHI loss, or
5)CHI win + SEA win + SF win

Can clinch this week (4)

Denver Broncos12–2Can clinch: AFC West title, No. 1 seed
Playoff berth
Clinched.
AFC West title
Clinched with
1)DEN win + LAC loss/tie, or
2)DEN tie + LAC loss
No result this week ends it.
No. 1 seed
Clinched with
1)DEN win + BUF loss/tie + LAC loss/tie + NE loss
No result this week ends it.
Seattle Seahawks11–3Can clinch: Playoff berth
Playoff berth
Clinched with
1)SEA win/tie, or
2)DET loss/tie
No result this week ends it.
NFC West title
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
No. 1 seed
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
San Francisco 49ers10–4Can clinch: Playoff berth
Playoff berth
Clinched with
1)SF win, or
2)SF tie + DET tie, or
3)DET loss
No result this week ends it.
NFC West title
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
No. 1 seed
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
Chicago Bears10–4Can clinch: Playoff berth
Playoff berth
Clinched with
1)CHI win + DET loss/tie, or
2)CHI tie + DET loss
No result this week ends it.
NFC North title
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
No. 1 seed
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.

Can be eliminated this week (4)

Houston Texans9–5Can be eliminated: No. 1 seed
Playoff berth
No result worked out so far clinches it; some ways are still being worked out.
No result this week ends it.
AFC South title
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
No. 1 seed
No result this week clinches it.
Eliminated with
1)HOU loss/tie, or
2)DEN win/tie
Indianapolis Colts8–6Can be eliminated: AFC South title
Playoff berth
No result this week clinches it.
No result worked out so far ends it; some ways are still being worked out.
AFC South title
No result this week clinches it.
Eliminated with
1)IND loss/tie + JAX win, or
2)IND loss + JAX tie
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.
Detroit Lions8–6Can be eliminated: Playoff berth, NFC North title
Playoff berth
No result this week clinches it.
Eliminated with
1)DET loss + CHI tie
NFC North title
No result this week clinches it.
Eliminated with
1)DET tie + CHI win/loss, or
2)DET loss
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.
Dallas Cowboys6–7–1Can be eliminated: Playoff berth, NFC East title
Playoff berth
No scenarios found yet; still searching.
Eliminated with
1)DAL tie + PHI tie, or
2)DAL loss, or
3)PHI win
NFC East title
No result this week clinches it.
Eliminated with
1)DAL tie + PHI tie, or
2)DAL loss, or
3)PHI win
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.

Nothing to clinch or lose this week (3)

Los Angeles Rams11–3
Playoff berth
Clinched.
NFC West title
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
No. 1 seed
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
Pittsburgh Steelers8–6
Playoff berth
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
AFC North title
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.
Baltimore Ravens7–7
Playoff berth
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
AFC North title
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.

Not worked out yet (2)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers7–7
Playoff berth
No scenarios found yet; still searching.
No result this week ends it.
NFC South title
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.
Carolina Panthers7–7
Playoff berth
No scenarios found yet; still searching.
No result this week ends it.
NFC South title
No result this week clinches it.
No result this week ends it.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.

Settled (13)

Kansas City Chiefs6–8
Playoff berth
Eliminated.
AFC West title
Eliminated.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.
Miami Dolphins6–8
Playoff berth
Eliminated.
AFC East title
Eliminated.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.
Minnesota Vikings6–8
Playoff berth
Eliminated.
NFC North title
Eliminated.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.
Atlanta Falcons5–9
Playoff berth
Eliminated.
NFC South title
Eliminated.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.
Cincinnati Bengals4–10
Playoff berth
Eliminated.
AFC North title
Eliminated.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.
Washington Commanders4–10
Playoff berth
Eliminated.
NFC East title
Eliminated.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.
New Orleans Saints4–10
Playoff berth
Eliminated.
NFC South title
Eliminated.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.
Cleveland Browns3–11
Playoff berth
Eliminated.
AFC North title
Eliminated.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.
Arizona Cardinals3–11
Playoff berth
Eliminated.
NFC West title
Eliminated.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.
New York Jets3–11
Playoff berth
Eliminated.
AFC East title
Eliminated.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.
New York Giants2–12
Playoff berth
Eliminated.
NFC East title
Eliminated.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.
Las Vegas Raiders2–12
Playoff berth
Eliminated.
AFC West title
Eliminated.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.
Tennessee Titans2–12
Playoff berth
Eliminated.
AFC South title
Eliminated.
No. 1 seed
Eliminated.