PFT: Falcons clinch NFC's top playoff seed

Reuters

With 32 more games in the regular season, the playoff picture is coming into focus ? but in some cases that focus is blurry enough that you need to squint.

So if you?re having trouble keeping all the scenarios straight, we?re here to help.

Below we list every team that?s still in playoff contention, where they stand in the playoff order, and how their paths to the playoffs look over the final two weeks of the season.

AFC

Already clinched playoff berths

1. Texans: Clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs if they win one more game.

2. Broncos: Clinch a first-round playoff bye if they win out.

3. Patriots: Clinch the No. 3 seed if they win out, need help to get a first-round playoff bye.

4. Ravens: Clinch the AFC North with one more win.

Control their own destiny

5. Colts: Clinch a wild card with one more win.

6. Bengals: Clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Steelers on Sunday.

7. Steelers: Clinch a playoff berth with two more wins.

Need a lot of help

8. Dolphins: Can reach the playoffs if they beat the Bills and Patriots, and the Steelers beat the Bengals but lose to the Browns, and the Bengals lose to the Ravens in addition to losing to the Steelers, and the Jets lose at least one more game.

NFC

Already clinched playoff berths

1. Falcons: Clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with one more win.

2. 49ers: Clinch a first-round playoff bye with two more wins.

3. Packers: Clinch the No. 3 seed if they win out, need help to get a first-round playoff bye.

Control their own destiny

4. Redskins: Clinch the NFC East if they win out.

5. Seahawks: Clinch a wild card if they win one more game.

6. Cowboys: Currently behind the Vikings in the NFC, but clinch the NFC East if they win out.

7. Giants: Currently behind the Vikings in the NFC, but clinch a playoff berth if they win out.

Need some help

8. Vikings: Would be a wild card if the playoffs started today, but even if they win out they need either the Giants to lose once or the Seahawks to lose twice in order to make the playoffs.

9. Bears: Can reach the playoffs by winning out and having both the Giants and Vikings lose once, or either the Giants or Vikings lose once plus the Seahawks losing twice, or a couple of more complex scenarios. Basically, the Bears lose most tiebreakers and therefore will likely need to finish 10-6 while the other NFC wild card hopefuls finish 9-7.

Need a lot of help

10. Rams: Technically still alive but would need to win both remaining games while the Vikings, Bears and Giants all lose out, plus either the Redskins or Cowboys lose in Week 16 and then the team that loses in Week 16 wins the Week 17 Cowboys-Redskins game.

And there you have it. A Rams-Dolphins Super Bowl is still possible.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/22/falcons-spank-the-lions-clinch-home-field-advantage/related/

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