Cardinals-Seahawks among games with playoff berths on the line
Dec 26, 2017, 2:43 PM
Seattle Seahawks' Michael Wilhoite (57), K.J. Wright (50) and Bobby Wagner (54) celebrate a pass by Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott intercepted by Wright in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
For the Arizona Cardinals, the 2017 finale marks a chance to play spoiler.
There’s a whole lot to be spoiled for their Week 17 opponent, the Seattle Seahawks. The Cardinals’ NFC West rivals sit second in the division behind the Los Angeles Rams, and coming off a 21-12 win over the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle needs a victory to keep its playoff hopes alive.
The rest of Seattle’s odds will be up to the Atlanta Falcons, who face the Carolina Panthers in the same 2:25 p.m. time slot as the Cardinals and Seahawks.
Seattle clinches a playoff berth with a win over Arizona and an Atlanta loss or tie. A loss by the Falcons and a Cardinals-Seahawks tie would also reserve a postseason spot for Seattle.
Atlanta has the tiebreaker over Seattle because of a head-to-head victory in November.
Here’s a look at the other NFL games with playoff implications on the line:
NFC
CLINCHED: Philadelphia – NFC East and first-round bye, Minnesota – NFC North, Los Angeles Rams – NFC West, New Orleans – playoff berth, Carolina – playoff berth
PHILADELPHIA (12-2) (vs. Oakland (6-8), tonight; vs. Dallas (8-7), Sunday)
IF PHILADELPHIA WINS VS. OAKLAND MONDAY:
Clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs
IF PHILADELPHIA LOSES VS. OAKLAND MONDAY:
Clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
— Win, or
— Minnesota loss, or
— Tie and Minnesota tie
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (12-3) (vs. Chicago (5-10), Sunday)
IF PHILADELPHIA WINS VS. OAKLAND MONDAY:
Clinches first-round bye with:
— Win or tie, or
— Carolina loss or tie, or
— New Orleans win
IF PHILADELPHIA LOSES VS. OAKLAND MONDAY:
Clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
— Win and Philadelphia loss or tie, or
— Tie and Philadelphia loss
Clinches first-round bye with:
— Win or tie, or
— Carolina loss or tie, or
— New Orleans win
NEW ORLEANS (11-4) (at Tampa Bay (4-11), Sunday)
Clinches NFC South with:
— Win, or
— Carolina loss, or
— Tie and Carolina tie
CAROLINA (11-4) (at Atlanta (9-6), Sunday)
Clinches NFC South with:
— Win and New Orleans loss or tie, or
— Tie and New Orleans loss
Clinches first-round bye with:
— Win and New Orleans loss or tie and Minnesota loss and L.A. Rams loss or tie
ATLANTA (9-6) (vs. Carolina (11-4), Sunday)
Clinches playoff berth with:
— Win, or
— Seattle loss, or
— Tie and Seattle tie
AFC
CLINCHED: New England – AFC East and first-round bye, Pittsburgh – AFC North, Jacksonville – AFC South, Kansas City – AFC West
NEW ENGLAND (12-3) (vs. N.Y. Jets (5-10), Sunday)
IF PITTSBURGH WINS AT HOUSTON MONDAY:
Clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
— Win, or
— Pittsburgh loss, or
— Tie and Pittsburgh tie
IF PITTSBURGH LOSES AT HOUSTON MONDAY:
Clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs
PITTSBURGH (11-3) (at Houston (4-10), MONDAY; vs. Cleveland (0-15), Sunday)
IF PITTSBURGH WINS AT HOUSTON MONDAY:
— Clinches first-round bye
Clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
— Win and New England loss or tie, or
— Tie and New England loss
IF PITTSBURGH LOSES AT HOUSTON MONDAY
Clinches first-round bye with:
— Win or tie, or
— Jacksonville loss or tie
JACKSONVILLE (10-5) (at Tennessee (8-7), Sunday)
IF PITTSBURGH LOSES AT HOUSTON MONDAY:
Clinches first-round bye with:
— Win and Pittsburgh loss
BALTIMORE (9-6) (vs. Cincinnati (6-9), Sunday)
Clinches playoff berth with:
— Win or tie, or
— Buffalo loss or tie, or
— Tennessee loss or tie
TENNESSEE (8-7) (vs. Jacksonville (10-5), Sunday)
Clinches playoff berth with:
— Win, or
— Tie and Buffalo loss or tie and L.A. Chargers loss or tie, or
— Buffalo loss and L.A. Chargers loss
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (8-7) (vs. Oakland (6-8), Sunday)
Clinches playoff berth with:
— Win and Tennessee loss or tie and Buffalo loss or tie, or
— Win and Tennessee loss or tie and Baltimore win or tie, or
— Tie and Tennessee loss and Buffalo loss or tie
BUFFALO (8-7) (at Miami (6-9), Sunday)
Clinches playoff berth with:
— Win and Baltimore loss, or
— Win and L.A. Chargers loss or tie and Tennessee loss or tie, or
— Tie and L.A. Chargers loss and Tennessee loss
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
