NFL playoff picture, scenarios: Lions can clinch; Dolphins sneak in

Tadd Haislop

NFL playoff picture, scenarios: Lions can clinch; Dolphins sneak in image

The NFL playoff picture has moved into Week 16, with less than two weeks to take its official form. As far as playoff scenarios go, Week 16 is not as confusing as Week 17 will be, but 13 teams went in with a chance to clinch something before the new year.

The Giants blew their opportunity to earn at least a wild card by losing in Philadelphia on Thursday night. That allowed the Cowboys to clinch the NFC East and top seed with home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. New York did, however, clinch a playoff berth when Tampa Bay lost.

The Dolphins, whose playoff hopes plunged when Ryan Tannehill got hurt, clinched a playoff berth with their win and the Broncos' loss. The Packers, who can win the NFC North with a win over the Lions in Week 17, also can get in as a wild card.

MORE: Full playoff picture | Week 16 picks

The Steelers, Chiefs, Texans and Falcons also have clinched playoff berths in Week 16.

Here are all the playoff scenarios for Week 16.

LIVE: Week 16 NFL scoreboard

AFC

CLINCHED:

New England — AFC East title and first-round bye

Pittsburgh — AFC North title

Houston — AFC South title

Oakland — playoff berth

Kansas City — playoff berth

Miami — playoff berth

What, how New England Patriots can clinch in Week 16

New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

— NE win + OAK loss or tie OR

— NE tie + OAK loss

UPDATE: Oakland's win means New England can't clinch home-field advantage in Week 16.

What, how Oakland Raiders can clinch in Week 16

Oakland clinches AFC West title and a first-round bye with:

— OAK win + KC loss or tie OR

— OAK tie + KC loss

Update: Kansas City's win means Oakland can't clinch AFC West in Week 16.

MORE: Raiders here to stay as contenders

What, how Pittsburgh Steelers can clinch in Week 16

Pittsburgh clinches AFC North title with:

— PIT win

UPDATE: Pittsburgh's win over Baltimore clinched the division.

MORE: Steelers most dangerous threat to Pats

What, how Kansas City Chiefs can clinch in Week 16

Kansas City clinches a playoff berth with:

— KC win or tie OR

— BAL loss or tie

UPDATE: Baltimore's loss means Kansas City is in the playoffs. The Chiefs beat the Broncos, too, anyway.

What, how Houston Texans can clinch in Week 16

Houston clinches AFC South title with:

— HOU win + TEN loss

UPDATE: The Texans won the AFC South with their win over the Bengals and the Titans' loss to the Jaguars.

IYER: The true cost of Osweiler whiff

What, how Miami Dolphins can clinch in Week 16

Miami clinches a playoff berth with:

— MIA win + DEN loss or tie OR

— MIA tie + BAL loss + DEN loss + HOU loss or tie OR

— MIA tie + BAL loss + DEN loss + TEN loss or tie

UPDATE: Miami clinched a playoff berth with its win coupled with Denver's loss.

MORE: Week 16 picks against the spread

NFC

CLINCHED:

Dallas — NFC East title, No. 1 seed

Falcons — NFC South title

Seattle — NFC West title

New York — playoff berth

MOCK DRAFT: Cowboys get greedy at RB

What, how Seattle Seahawks can clinch in Week 16​

Seattle clinches a first-round bye with:

— SEA win + DET loss + ATL loss or tie

UPDATE: Atlanta's win means Seattle can't clinch first-round bye in Week 16.

What, how New York Giants can clinch in Week 16

New York clinches a playoff berth with:

— DET loss or tie OR

— GB loss or tie OR

— TB loss or tie OR

UPDATE: Tampa Bay's loss means New York is in the playoffs.

— ATL loss

MORE: Giants most dangerous wild-card team?

What, how Detroit Lions can clinch in Week 16

Detroit clinches NFC North title with:

— DET win + GB loss or tie OR

— DET tie + GB loss

UPDATE: Green Bay's win means Lions can't clinch NFC North in Week 16.

Detroit clinches a playoff berth with:

— DET win + TB loss or tie OR

— DET tie + TB loss OR

— DET tie + TB tie + ATL win OR

— WAS loss or tie + TB loss + ATL win or tie

What, how Atlanta Falcons can clinch in Week 16

Atlanta clinches NFC South title with:

— ATL win + TB loss or tie OR

— ATL tie + TB loss

Atlanta clinches a playoff berth with:

— ATL win + ATL clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over DET OR

UPDATE: Oakland's win means Atlanta has the tiebreaker over Detroit. The Falcons are in the playoffs. They are also NFC South champions thanks to the Buccaneers' loss.

— ATL win or tie + GB loss or tie OR

— ATL win + DET loss or tie OR

— ATL tie + DET tie OR

— WAS loss or tie + GB loss OR

— WAS loss or tie + GB tie + DET loss

MORE: Why the Falcons are "that team"

What, how Green Bay Packers can clinch in Week 16

Green Bay clinches a playoff berth with:

— GB win + WAS loss or tie + TB loss + ATL win or tie + GB clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over TB

UPDATE: Washington's win means Green Bay can't clinch playoff berth in Week 16.

MORE: Aaron Rodgers for MVP?

What, how Tampa Bay Buccaneers can clinch in Week 16

Tampa Bay clinches a playoff berth with:

— TB win + GB loss + DET loss + WAS loss OR

— TB win + GB loss + DET loss + WAS tie + TB clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over DET

UPDATE: Green Bay and Washington wins mean Tampa Bay can't clinch playoff berth in Week 16. The Buccaneers' loss made it hard for them to clinch anything in Week 17.

Tadd Haislop

Tadd Haislop is the Associate NFL Editor at SportingNews.com.