The playoff clinching scenarios heading into Week 15

The NFL is set to kick off Week 15 this Thursday with the Las Vegas Raiders hosting the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football. It’s a must-win game for the Raiders, as they have dropped a full game back of the final wild card spot and also have the Ravens sitting a game up on them in between. A loss to the Chargers all but ends their chances of earning a playoff berth.

The NFL released clinching scenarios for Week 15 and we have a host of new possibilities this weekend. The Titans, Rams, Seahawks, and Buccaneers are all new additions with a chance to clinch a playoff berth for the first time in 2020. The Bills, Steelers, and Saints can all clinch their respective division title. Finally, the Chiefs can clinch a first round bye if a few things go right for them.

Clinched division title: Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers
Clinched wild card berth: New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers
Eliminated from playoff contention: New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Division title

1. BUF win, OR
2. MIA loss, OR
3. BUF tie + MIA tie

Playoff berth

1. BUF tie + BAL loss or tie, OR
2. BAL loss

Kansas City Chiefs

First round bye

1. KC win + PIT loss + BUF loss or tie

Pittsburgh Steelers

Division title

1. PIT win, OR
2. CLE loss, OR
3. PIT tie + CLE tie

Tennessee Titans

Playoff berth

1. TEN win + BAL loss OR
2. TEN win + LV loss or tie + MIA loss + CLE win or tie OR
3. TEN win + LV loss or tie + MIA loss + TEN or CLE clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over MIA (SoV details)

Los Angeles Rams

Playoff berth

1. LAR win or tie, OR
2. MIN-CHI tie

New Orleans Saints

Division title

1. NO win OR
2. TB loss OR
3. NO tie + TB tie

Seattle Seahawks

Playoff berth

1. SEA win or tie, OR
2. MIN-CHI tie

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Playoff berth

1. TB win + MIN-CHI tie