The AFC playoffs standings heading out of Week 16 has the Denver Broncos in the postseason after clinching a spot with a win against the Bengals on Monday night.
The team now is in position to get a first round bye and the AFC West division title next week, while the Bengals remain alive for a first round bye, but they need some help. The Broncos clinched a playoff spot with the overtime win over the Bengals and next week the team can win the AFC West title with a win or a loss by Kansas City.
The Broncos are also in position to get a first round bye with a win or a Kansas City + Bengals loss next week. The Broncos also can get the number one seed if the team wins and the Patriots lose in Week 17. The Bengals still have a chance to get a first round bye next week with a win and a Denver loss or a Kansas City win and a Denver loss.
The division standings are set in the AFC East and AFC North, but the AFC South and AFC West both are still up for grabs. The Patriots clinched the AFC East division title over the Jets, Bills and Dolphins earlier in the season, while the Bengals clinched the AFC North with the Steelers losing on Sunday. The AFC South division is still open between the Texans and the Colts, while the Broncos and Chiefs are battling for the west.
The NFC standings for the playoffs are basically set, but there could be some shuffling at the bottom over the final week of the season. The Carolina Panthers are the number one seed right now after losing to the Atlanta Falcons to end their unbeaten streak, but the Arizona Cardinals are right behind. The Panthers are 14-1 and the Cardinals are 13-2 and both teams have clinched their divisions and a first round bye.
The Green Bay Packers have clinched a playoff spot and remain in the third spot in the NFC, but the NFC North title has not been decided yet. The Minnesota Vikings won on Sunday night and those two teams will play for the division next week in the final game of the NFL regular season. The Vikings won over the Giants on Sunday night to improve to 10-5 and they now are in the fifth spot as the first wild card after the Seahawks lost to the Rams.
The Washington Redskins clinched the NFC East with a win over the Eagles on Saturday and they are locked in as the fourth seed in the conference. The playoff matchups in the NFC will be set after the NFC North division title is decided, leaving the Seahawks and Redskins to wait and see who their opponents will be in the wild card round.
