While the NFC playoff picture is not so clear-cut, five of the six AFC playoff spots have been clinched in the NFL this week. But even with most of the AFC playoff picture determined, there are a few AFC playoff scenarios that need to be decided in week 17.

Before we look at those playoff scenarios, let’s recap the AFC action in week 16. The Patriots walloped the Bills 34-3, clinching home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Steelers clinched a playoff spot on Thursday with a 27-3 win over the Panthers. The Ravens beat the Browns 20-10, also clinching a playoff spot. The Steelers and Ravens are both fighting for the same playoff scenario – the AFC North championship and a first-round bye in the playoffs. If both remain tied next week, Pittsburgh wins with the tiebreaker. The Jets lost to the Bears 38-34 but clinched an AFC wildcard spot with a Jaguar loss.  The Chiefs clinched the AFC West with a 34-14 win over Broncos.

Going into this week, the Colts and Jaguars were both in the AFC playoff picture, tied for the AFC South division lead. But a Colts win and Jaguars loss gives the Colts the playoff edge. The Colts beat the Raiders 31-26, eliminating  them the AFC playoff picture while the Jaguars lost to the Redskins in OT 20-17.  A Colts win or Jaguars loss next week gives the Colts the AFC South championship. The Chargers 34-20 loss to the Bengals eliminates them from playoff contention.

Here is what the NFL playoff picture looks like in the AFC going into the last week of the NFL regular season:

• New England Patriots (13-2) have clinched the AFC East and home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.
• Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4) have clinched a playoff spot and can clinch the AFC North championship and a first-round bye with a win against the Browns next week in Cleveland.
• Kansas City Chiefs (10-5) have clinched the AFC West.
• Indianapolis Colts (9-6) holds the edge for grabbing the last AFC playoff spot. A Colts win or Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7) loss next week gets them in the playoffs as the AFC South champions.
• Baltimore Ravens (11-4) have clinched a playoff spot and, at best, could end up with a first-round bye and the AFC North championship with a win and Steelers loss next week.
• New York Jets (10-5) have clinched an AFC wildcard spot.

So, who plays who in the first week of the AFC playoffs?
Well, assuming the Steelers beat the Browns next week and win the AFC North championship, the AFC playoff scenario would look like this…

• New England Patriots (AFC Playoff Seed 1) and Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC Playoff Seed 2) earn byes.
• New York Jets (AFC Playoff Seed 6) would play at Kansas City Chiefs (AFC Playoff Seed 3).
• Baltimore Ravens (AFC Playoff Seed 5) would play at Indianapolis Colts (AFC Playoff Seed 4).

What happens if the Steelers lose and the Jets and Ravens win next week?
In this AFC playoff scenario, the Steelers get a wildcard berth and get the 6th seed. The Jets, who hold the tiebreaker against the Steelers, would move up to the 5th seed. The Ravens would get the 2nd seed as the AFC North champion and receive a first round bye.

What is the playoff scenario if the Colts lose and the Jaguars win?
The Jaguars get the 4th seed and the Colts are eliminated.

The NFL playoff picture will be realized next week and all but one AFC playoff scenario will remain.

Sources: nfl.com, cbs.com, espn,com

There are two things we can be assured of: it’s the beginning of a new decade and the final week of the NFL regular season.

What we can’ be assured of is what teams will make the AFC playoffs; and the AFC playoff scenarios have seemingly endless possibilities.

What we do know is that four teams have clinched an AFC playoff spot: the Colts, Patriots, Bengals and Chargers. Six other teams are vying for the final two AFC playoff spots: the Jets, Ravens, Steelers, Texans, Jaguars and Dolphins.

Here are the AFC playoff scenarios for week 16 of the NFL football season:

Indianapolis Colts (14-0)
Clinched the AFC South and homefield advantage throughout the AFC playoffs

San Diego Chargers
Clinched the AFC South and first round bye

Cincinnati Bengals (10-5)
Clinched the AFC North

New England Patriots (10-5)
Clinched the AFC East

New York Jets (8-7)
Clinch a playoff spot with a win

Baltimore Ravens (8-7)
Clinch a playoff spot with a win

Denver Broncos (8-7)
Clinch a playoff spot with:
win and New York loss or tie and Baltimore loss or tie OR
win and New York loss or tie and Pittsburgh loss or tie OR
win and New York loss or tie and Houston win OR
win and Baltimore loss or tie and Pittsburgh loss or tie OR
win and Baltimore loss or tie and Houston win OR
Pittsburgh loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss and Jacksonville loss OR
Pittsburgh loss and Baltimore loss and Jacksonville loss and New York loss OR
Pittsburgh loss and Houston loss and Jacksonville loss and New York loss OR
New York loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss and Jacksonville loss or tie

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7)
Clinch a playoff spot with:
win and Houston loss or tie and New York loss or tie Or
win and Houston lossor tie and Baltimore loss or tie OR
win and New York loss or tie and Baltimore loss or tie and Denver loss or tie

Houston Texans (8-7)
Clinch a playoff spot with:
win and New York loss or tie and Baltimore loss or tie OR
win and New York loss or tie and Denver loss or tie OR
win and Baltimore loss or tie and Denver loss or tie

Jacksonville Jaguars (7-8)
Clinch a playoff spot with:
win and Pittsburgh loss and Baltimore loss and Denver loss and Houston loss OR
win and Pittsburgh loss and Baltimore loss and Denver loss and New York loss OR
win and Pittsburgh loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss and New York loss OR
win and Pittsburgh loss and Denver loss and Houston loss and New York loss OR
win and New York loss and Denver loss and Houston loss and Baltimore loss

Miami Dolphins
Clinch a playoff spot with:
win and New York loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss and Jacskonville loss or tie

Additional Note: To make things even more complicated: New York, Baltimore,Denver, Pittsburgh and Houston can also make the playoffs if they tie in combination with various other results. But Jacksonville and Miami cannot make the playoff with a tie.

It will be interesting watching the NFL analysts go through these scenarios over and over as the day goes bye. But one thing we can be assured of, the AFC playoff scenarios will be cast in stone by 9:00 pm ET tomorrow night.

sources: nfl.com, espn.com foxsports, New York Daily News

Here is a quick glance at the NFL Playoff picture as of Sunday 12/21 after the 1:00 pm EST games have been played:

AFC
1  Tennessee  South 13-2-0
2  Pittsburgh (yz) North 11-4-0
3  Miami East 10-5-0
4  Denver West 8-6-0
5  Indianapolis (x) South 11-4-0
6  Baltimore North 10-5-0

Still alive
7  New England East 10-5-0
8  N.Y. Jets East 9-5-0
11  San Diego West 7-8-0

Eliminated
9  Houston South 7-7-0
10  Buffalo East 6-8-0
12  Jacksonville South 5-10-0
13  Cleveland North 4-11-0
14  Cincinnati North 3-11-1
15  Oakland West 3-11-0
16  Kansas City West 2-13-0

NFC
Seed Team Division Record
1  N.Y. Giants (y) East 11-3-0
2  Carolina (x) South 11-3-0
3  Minnesota North 9-5-0
4  Arizona (y) West 8-7-0
5  Atlanta South 9-5-0
6  Philadelphia East 8-5-1

Still alive
7  Dallas East 9-6-0
8  Tampa Bay South 9-6-0
9  Chicago North 8-6-0
11  Washington East 7-7-0

Eliminated
10  New Orleans South 8-7-0
12  San Francisco West 6-9-0
13  Green Bay North 5-9-0
14  Seattle West 3-11-0
15  St. Louis West 2-13-0
16  Detroit North 0-15-0

legend
x-clinched playoff berth
y-denotes division winner
z-denotes first-round bye
*-clinched home-field advantage

More on the playoff possibilities …

AFC EAST
Miami sits on top and the Patriots and Jets are alive for the Wildcard

AFC SOUTH
Tennessee clinched the division and a first-round bye. It can clinch home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs with a win.

Indianapolis clinched a playoff spot with its win over Jacksonville on Thursday.

AFC NORTH DIVISION
Even with a loss today against Tennessee, the Pittsburgh Steelers have clinched the division and a first-round bye. Baltimore is alive for a wild-card spot.

AFC WEST DIVISION
Denver can clinch the division with 1) a win or tie; 2) a San Diego loss or tie.
NFC EAST DIVISION
The New York Giants clinched the division. They can clinch a first-round bye with: 1) a win or tie; 2) a Minnesota loss or tie. They can clinch home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs with: 1) a win vs. Carolina.

Dallas can clinch a playoff spot next week with: 1) a win or tie against Philadelphia and an Atlanta loss; 2) a win and a loss or tie by Chicago and a Tampa Bay loss; 3) a win and an Atlanta loss, a Chicago loss or tie and a Tampa Bay loss.

NFC SOUTH DIVISION
Carolina has clinched a playoff spot after Dallas’ loss Saturday to Baltimore. It can clinch the division with: 1) a win or tie; 2) losses or ties by both Tampa Bay and Atlanta. It can clinch a first-round bye with: 1) a win or tie; 2) a Tampa Bay loss or tie and an Atlanta- Minnesota tie. It can clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with: 1) a win against the N.Y. Giants.

Tampa Bay can clinch a playoff spot with: 1) a win, an Atlanta loss and a Philadelphia loss or tie; 2) a win, an Atlanta loss and a Dallas loss or tie.

Atlanta can clinch a playoff spot with: 1) a win and losses by Tampa Bay and Philadelphia; 2) a win and losses by Tampa Bay and Dallas.

NFC NORTH DIVISION
Minnesota can clinch the division with: 1) a win; 2) a tie and a Chicago tie; 3) a Chicago loss.

NFC WEST DIVISION
Arizona has clinched the division.

source: ESPN, FOX, nfl.com, cbssports.com