Week 16 of the 2023 NFL season is underway.
And it began with a essential sport for playoff implications.
The Los Angeles Rams hosted the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night time Soccer, in a matchup of 7-7 groups. The sport had vital playoff implications for each groups, in addition to for some groups who have been watching the sport together with the remainder of us. With the Rams profitable that sport, a number of groups noticed their fortunes change in a single day.
As for the way that sport impacts the playoff chase, in addition to the opposite playoff and elimination eventualities within the weekend forward, let’s dive in.
As a result of there’s a lot to get to.
NFC
Playoff-clinching eventualities
Three groups — the San Francisco 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Philadelphia Eagles — have clinched already. One staff can be a part of them this weekend.
The Detroit Lions are the one staff that may clinch a playoff spot this week within the NFC. There are a number of alternative ways they’ll clinch a spot. With a win over the Minnesota Vikings, Detroit clinches the division, and thus a playoff spot.
Nonetheless, they’ll nonetheless clinch a spot — simply not the division — no matter how they fare towards Minnesota. With a Seattle Seahawks loss or tie to the Tennessee Titans, the Lions are in. They may even have gotten in if the Rams misplaced or tied with the Saints on Thursday evening, however the Rams’ win eradicated that pathway.
First-round bye situation
San Francisco 49ers
It’s value mentioning that the San Francisco 49ers can clinch home-field benefit all through the playoffs this weekend. If the 49ers beat the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas evening, they’ve an opportunity. However they would wish: The Philadelphia Eagles to lose to the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys to lose to the Miami Dolphins, AND the Detroit Lions to lose to the Minnesota Vikings.
If all 4 outcomes go their approach, they’ll have the highest spot clinched.
Elimination eventualities
Two groups are going through playoff elimination this week within the NFC. As well as, the Vikings are knocked out of title competition within the North with a loss or a tie towards the Detroit Lions. As for the groups purely going through elimination, listed below are the 2.
The Bears might be eradicated from the playoffs this week by way of a number of completely different pathways. The primary six begin with a Chicago loss to Arizona. Ought to the Bears lose, they’d be eradicated with:
- A Seahawks win or tie towards the Titans and a Vikings win or tie towards the Lions, OR
- A Seahawks win or tie and a Packers win or tie towards the Panthers, OR
- A Seahawks win or tie and a Buccaneers win or tie towards the Jaguars, OR
- A Buccaneers win or tie and a Vikings win or tie, OR
- A Buccaneers win or tie and a Packers win or tie, OR
- A Buccaneers win or tie and a Giants win towards the Eagles
There are additionally 15 completely different mixtures — all starting with the Bears ending tied with Arizona — the place Chicago could possibly be eradicated. If that sport ends in a tie, the Bears can be out with:
- A Vikings win and a Rams win (which occurred Thursday evening), OR
- A Vikings win, a Buccaneers win, and a Falcons win, OR
- A Vikings win and a Seahawks win, OR
- A Vikings tie, a Packers tie, and a Rams win, OR
- A Vikings tie, a Packers tie, a Buccaneers win, and a Falcons win, OR
- A Vikings tie, a Packers tie, and a Seahawks win, OR
- A Packers win and a Rams win, OR
- A Packers win, a Buccaneers win, and a Falcons win, OR
- A Packers win and a Seahawks win, OR
- A Seahawks win and a Rams win, OR
- A Seahawks win, a Buccaneers win, and a Falcons win
New York Giants
There are, in line with NFL Playoff Situations, 43 alternative ways the Giants might be eradicated. For ease of reference, we are going to define the only paths to elimination for Large Blue. You possibly can see all 43 methods right here.
All of those eventualities start with a Giants loss to the Eagles on Christmas Day. Then the Giants can be eradicated with:
- A Seahawks win or tie and a Vikings win or tie, OR
- A Seahawks win or tie and a Packers win or tie, OR
- A Seahawks win or tie and a Buccaneers win or tie, OR
- A Seahawks win or tie, a Falcons win, and a Bears win or tie, OR
- A Buccaneers win or tie and a Vikings win or tie, OR
- A Buccaneers win or tie and a Packers win or tie, OR
- A Buccaneers win or tie, a Falcons win, and a Bears win or tie, OR
- A Buccaneers win or tie, a Falcons tie, and a Bears win, OR
- A Vikings win or tie, a Packers win, a Falcons win, and a Bears tie, OR
- A Packers win or tie, a Bears win, and a Falcons win
There are additionally pathways involving energy of schedule calculations, in addition to pathways that start with a Giants tie. Once more, you’ll be able to test these out at NFL Playoff Situations.
Eradicated groups
The Washington Commanders, the Carolina Panthers, and the Arizona Cardinals have already been eradicated.
AFC
Playoff-clinching eventualities
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens grew to become the primary AFC staff to clinch a playoff spot final weekend. They’ll clinch the division with a win towards the San Francisco 49ers, coupled with a Cleveland Browns loss or tie to the Houston Texans. Baltimore may clinch the division with a tie towards San Francisco, however provided that the Browns lose to the Texans.
A couple of groups can be a part of them this weekend.
The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs can lockup the AFC West — and thus a playoff spot — relying on a number of issues this weekend. A win towards the Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas Day would clinch the division for them, and put the Chiefs within the playoffs. Nonetheless, they’ll get in with only a tie towards the Raiders, supplied the Denver Broncos lose to the New England Patriots on Christmas Eve.
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins may lockup a playoff spot this weekend. Their best path is a win on Sunday towards the Dallas Cowboys, and they’re within the playoffs. There are additionally 5 alternative ways the Dolphins can clinch a playoff spot with a tie towards Dallas. Ought to that sport finish in a tie, then they’d be in if:
Miami may clinch the AFC East this week with a win and a Buffalo Payments loss or tie towards the Los Angeles Chargers. They’ll additionally clinch the division with a tie towards Dallas, however provided that the Payments then lose to the Chargers.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns have quite a few methods to clinch a playoff spot this weekend, all of which start with a win towards the Texans. Listed below are the chances, beginning with a Browns win plus:
- A Broncos loss or tie, a Colts loss or tie, a Payments loss, and a Dolphins loss or tie, OR
- A Steelers loss or tie, a Broncos loss or tie, a Colts win, and a Jaguars loss, OR
- A Steelers loss or tie, a Broncos loss or tie, a Dolphins win or tie, and a Payments loss, OR
- A Steelers loss or tie, a Broncos loss or tie, a Dolphins win or tie, and a Colts loss, OR
- A Steelers loss or tie, a Broncos loss or tie, a Dolphins win or tie, and a Jaguars loss, OR
- A Steelers loss, a Payments loss, a Dolphins win or tie, a Colts win, and a Jaguars win, OR
- A Steelers loss, a Payments loss, a Chiefs win, a Colts win, and a Jaguars loss, OR
- A Steelers tie, a Payments loss, a Colts win, and a Jaguars loss
Simple sufficient.
Elimination eventualities
As famous above, we’re specializing in straight playoff elimination, and never on seeding. Once more, if you wish to dive into extra eventualities we extremely advocate NFL Playoff Situations. There you’ll be able to find out how the Broncos, Payments, and Browns might be eradicated of their respective divisions, in addition to how quite a few groups might be eradicated from the top-overall seed.
Las Vegas Raiders
On the outset, the Raiders are eradicated from the playoffs with a loss to the Chiefs on Christmas Day. Nonetheless, they can be eradicated in the event that they tie the Chiefs, within the following eventualities:
- A Bengals win and a Payments win, OR
- A Bengals win, a Jaguars win, and a Colts win or tie, OR
- A Bengals win, a Jaguars win, and a Texans win or tie, OR
- A Bengals win, a Colts win, and a Texans win, OR
- A Bengals win, a Jaguars win, and a Colts win or tie, OR
- A Payments win, a Jaguars win, and a Texans win or tie, OR
- A Payments win, a Colts win, and a Texans win, OR
- A Jaguars win, a Colts win, and a Texans win
Los Angeles Chargers
Sure, the Chargers are nonetheless technically alive. Nonetheless, a loss to the Payments ends their season. As well as, a Jaguars win ends their season, regardless of how the Chargers fare on Saturday.
Past that, there are virtually 60 completely different eventualities the place the Chargers might be eradicated, whatever the outcome of their sport towards the Payments. If you wish to see all 59 alternative ways the Chargers might be eradicated, NFL Playoff Image has you lined, Mr. Staley.
Eradicated groups
The New England Patriots, the New York Jets, and the Tennessee Titans have all been eradicated.
