Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Packer Plus
Playoff picture: Packers clinch a spot in NFC
Here’s how the NFL playoff picture looks with Week 15’s games complete:
NFC
x-1. Seattle Seahawks (11-3): NFC West leader. Victory over the Panthers combined with Rams’ loss means ‘Hawks will play in January. San Francisco’s stumble means Seahawks are also again in position to host at least one playoff game ... after a week off. Seattle currently has inside edge for home-field advantage due to common games tiebreaker with Packers, whose losses to Eagles and 49ers now especially hurt.
x-2. Green Bay Packers (11-3): NFC North leader. Win over Bears in teams’ 200th meeting wasn’t necessarily pretty but, coupled with subsequent loss by Rams, guarantees playoff return for Pack. Big Week 16 trip to Minnesota.
y-3. New Orleans Saints (11-3): NFC South champions. They continue to nip at heels of bye front runners, but losing three games to conference foes could wind up cramping style in tie-breaker department.
4. Dallas Cowboys (7-7): NFC East leader. Snapped three-game losing streak in fine fashion by crushing Rams, first team Dallas has beaten all season that currently sports winning record. Beat the Eagles (7-7) in Week 16, and Dallas finally wraps up the division.
x-5. San Francisco 49ers (11-3): Wild-card No. 1. They locked into postseason field by virtue of Rams’ loss but can’t feel good about it after heartbreaking defeat to also-ran Falcons knocked Niners out of first place in NFC West and position for a bye.
6. Minnesota Vikings (10-4): Wild-card No. 2. Enjoyable day for “Skol” fans as Vikes blasted Bolts while wild-card pursuers (Rams, Bears) both saw their own playoff hopes crushed in defeat.
AFC
y-1. Baltimore Ravens (12-2): AFC North champions. Beat Jets on Thursday to clinch division but didn’t get any more help Sunday in bid to secure firstround bye and home-field advantage.
x-2. New England Patriots (11-3): AFC East leader. They returned to win column and can officially make playoff plans for 11th consecutive season.
y-3. Kansas City Chiefs (10-4): AFC West champions. Remained on heels of Patriots in race for firstround bye, which would go to KC if those teams end up with same record.
4. Houston Texans (9-5): AFC South leader. Massive win in Nashville means that if they win one more game or if Titans lose once more, division crown will remain in Houston.
x-5. Buffalo Bills (10-4): Wild-card No. 1. Win Sunday night put them back in playoffs and sets up huge AFC East showdown at New England in Week
16.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6): Wild-card No. 2. Loss by Tennessee (8-6) ensures Steelers remain in projected field for time being. x — clinched berth y — clinched division z — clinched first-round bye zz — clinched home-field advantage
More: Specific playoff-seeding possibilities involving the Packers, Page 13.