Week 15 NFL Playoff Picture: Clinching Scenarios for Eagles, Cowboys, More

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By Robert Read

The NFL’s playoff picture is beginning to take shape.

Four teams—the Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles—can clinch a postseason berth in

Week 15. The San Francisco 49ers became the first, and so far only, team to secure a trip to the playoffs last weekend. And only the

Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots have been mathematically eliminated from Lombardi Trophy contention.

So 29 teams are still at large, with varying degrees of playoff hopes, entering NFL action on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Some clarity on which teams will actually get in could be on the way this weekend.

The league released playoff-clinching scenarios earlier this week. Here’s what needs to happen for the Ravens, Cowboys, Lions and Eagles to earn a spot

Dak Prescott, #4 of the Dallas Cowboys, poises to fire the football in an NFL game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on Sunday in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys can clinch a playoff spot this weekend.

The Ravens (10-3) currently sit atop the AFC. The other division leaders, seeds Nos. 2-4 in the standings—are the Miami Dolphins (9-4), Kansas City Chiefs (8-5) and Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5).

The Cleveland Browns (8-5), Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) and Indianapolis Colts (7-6) currently occupy the conference’s three Wild Card spots.

Four other teams in the AFC also boast 7-6 records. The Las Vegas Raiders are 6-8 after a

Thursday Night Football win over the Chargers (5-9), while the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans are 5-8.

Jacksonville hosts Baltimore in Week 15’s Sunday Night Football matchup. John Harbaugh’s Ravens can clinch a playoff berth in the following scenarios, per the NFL:

Ravens win + Broncos loss or tie + Bills loss or tie OR

Ravens win + Broncos loss or tie + Browns loss or tie OR

Ravens win + Broncos loss or tie + Steelers loss or tie OR

Ravens win + Broncos loss or tie + Texans loss or tie OR

Ravens win + Bills loss or tie + Browns loss or tie OR

Ravens win + Bill loss or tie + Steelers loss or tie OR

Ravens win + Bills loss or tie + Texans loss or tie OR

Ravens win + Browns loss or tie + Steelers-Colts tie OR

Ravens win + Texans loss or tie + Steelers-Colts tie

The NFL also noted that several additional scenarios involving a Ravens tie and combination of other teams losing or tying would also clinch Baltimore a playoff spot.

NFC Playoff Picture, Clinching Scenarios

The 49ers (10-3) clinched a spot in the playoffs by beating the Seattle Seahawks last week and hold the

No. 1 spot in the NFC as Week 15 action unfolds. And the Cowboys (10-3) overtook the NFC East and shot up to the

No. 2 seed in the conference after a 20-point win over the Eagles in Week 14.

San Francisco holds head-to-head tiebreaking wins over both Philly and Dallas.

Detroit (9-4) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) lead their respective divisions and are currently the Nos. 3-4 seeds in the conference.

The Eagles (10-3), Minnesota Vikings (7-6) and Green Bay Packers (6-7) are in Wild Card positions.

Four other teams in the conference stand at 6-7, while two more are just a game behind at 5-8.

San Francisco can make its postseason life easier by clinching the NFC West with either a win or tie against the Arizona Cardinals (3-10) on Sunday.

The 49ers would also lock up the division with a Los Angeles Rams (6-7) loss or tie.

For the three other NFC teams with clinching scenarios this weekend—though theirs are just to get into the playoffs, not to lock up a division—things get a little tricker.

Dallas plays the Bills on Sunday. And “America’s Team” will claim an NFC playoff spot if any of the following happens, per the N

FL.

NFL.

Cowboys win or tie OR

Rams loss or tie + Seahawks loss or tie OR

Packers loss + Rams loss or tie + Falcons loss or tie OR

Packers loss + Falcons loss or tie + Seahawks loss or tie OR

Packers loss + Falcons loss or tie + Lions win or tie OR

Bucs loss + Vikings loss or tie + Rams loss or tie OR

Bucs loss + Vikings loss or tie + Seahawks loss or tie OR

Bucs loss + Vikings loss or tie + Lions win or tie OR

Bucs loss + 49ers win or tie + Lions win or tie OR

Bucs loss + Lions win or tie + Rams loss or tie OR

Bucs-Packers tie + Rams loss or tie OR

Bucs-Packers tie + Seahawks loss or tie OR

Bucs-Packers tie + Lions win or tie OR

Seahawks loss or tie + Vikings loss + Cowboys clinch strength-of-victory tiebreaker over the Falcons.

The Lions are seeking their first trip to the playoffs since

the 2016 season. There are 16 scenarios in Week 15 that could lock up a spot for Detroit, which faces the Broncos on Saturday night.

Lions win + Seahawks loss or tie + Packers loss or tie OR

Lions win + Seahawks loss or tie + Vikings loss or tie OR

Lions win + Seahawks loss or tie + Rams loss or tie OR

Lions win + Rams loss or tie + Vikings loss or tie + Bucs loss OR

Lions win + Rams loss or tie + Falcons loss or tie + Packers loss OR

Lions win + Rams loss or tie + Vikings loss or tie + Falcons loss or tie OR

Lions win + Packers-Bucs tie + Rams loss or tie OR

Lions tie + Bucs loss + Seahawks loss + Rams loss OR

Lions tie + Packers loss + Seahawks loss + Rams loss OR

Lions tie + Rams loss + Seahawks loss + Falcons loss OR

Lions tie + Packers loss + Seahawks loss + Falcons loss or tie OR

Lions tie + Vikings loss + Seahawks loss + Rams loss OR

Lions tie + Packers loss + Rams loss + Falcons loss or tie + Saints loss or tie OR

Lions tie + Packers-Bucs tie + Vikings loss + Seahawks loss + Rams tie OR

Lions tie + Packers-Bucs tie + Vikings loss + Seahawks loss + Falcons loss or tie OR

Lions tie + Packers-Bucs tie + Vikings loss + Rams loss + Falcons loss or tie

Finally, the Eagles can clinch a trip to the playoffs with a win or a tie against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football.

The full list of possibilities that would see Philadelphia earn an NFC spot are, according to the NFL, as follows.

Eagles win or tie OR

Packers loss + Falcons loss or tie + Rams loss or tie OR

Packers loss + Falcons loss or tie + 49ers win or tie + Lions win OR

Bucs loss + Vikings loss or tie + Rams loss or tie OR

Bucs loss + Vikings loss or tie + 49ers win or tie + Lions win OR

Vikings loss or tie + Falcons loss or tie + Rams loss or tie OR

Vikings loss or tie + Falcons loss or tie + 49ers win or tie + Lions win OR

Bucs-Packers tie + Rams loss or tie OR

Bu

cs-Packers tie + 49ers win or tie + Lions win

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