NFL Playoff Standings 2016: Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos In Strong Positions

NFL playoff standings have the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos in good position. The 2016 NFL playoff standings could shift in a favorable direction for the Steelers and Broncos in the final two weeks, but losses could also put the team out of the postseason. The big games in the Week 16 NFL schedule aren’t just in the AFC, though, as the Washington Redskins have a chance to clinch a playoff spot by winning on Saturday, December 26.

The Philadelphia Eagles host the Washington Redskins in what could be a game that decides the NFC East. The Redskins (7-7) can clinch a division title and the No. 4 seed in the NFC Playoffs with a victory. Meanwhile, the Eagles (6-8) can prolong the race by pulling out a victory at home. The latest ESPN matchup predictor also has the Eagles with a 64.5 percent chance at winning this game.

The rest of the NFC spots in the 2016 NFL playoff standings are just about set. Though the seeding could shift a bit, it appears that the other five teams are just about set in stone. The only team on the outside that has a chance to crash the party are the Atlanta Falcons (7-7). If the Falcons can win two games and have the Minnesota Vikings lose two games, the Falcons could take over the second NFC wild card. To do that, the Falcons have to beat the Carolina Panthers in Week 16 and the New Orleans Saints in Week 17. The Vikings also have to lose to the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers.

The current outlook for the NFC has the Carolina Panthers (14-0) as the No. 1 seed and the Arizona Cardinals (12-2) as the No. 2 seed. The Panthers clinch that top seed with either one victory or one Cardinals loss over the final two weeks. The Green Bay Packers (10-4) hold the No. 3 seed, followed by the Washington Redskins (7-7) as the No. 4 seed. The two NFC wild card teams are the Seattle Seahawks (9-5) and Minnesota Vikings (9-5). One win by Seattle coupled with one loss by Minnesota clinches the top NFC wild card for the Seahawks.

The 2016 NFL playoff standings for the AFC are a bit more complex. The New England Patriots (12-2) hold the No. 1 seed, followed by the Cincinnati Bengals (11-3) in the No. 2 spot. The Denver Broncos (10-4) are then No. 3 and the Houston Texans (7-7) are at No. 4. The Kansas City Chiefs (9-5) are the first AFC wild card team and the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-5) are the second wild card team. Currently, the New York Jets (9-5) are on the outside with a chance to move up with a win and a loss by one of the other top wild card teams.

The Broncos can clinch the AFC West with a win and a loss by the Chiefs, but the Broncos could also fall out of first place with two losses and two Chiefs victories. The Bengals can also clinch the AFC North with a win or a Steelers loss, but could lose the division with two losses and two wins by the Steelers. Both the Broncos and Bengals are struggling with backup quarterbacks, putting added pressure on the teams to close out the divisions in Week 16 games.

The New England Patriots clinch the top seed with a victory and the Houston Texans clinch the AFC South with a win. One scenario that could conclude the AFC wild card race is if Pittsburgh wins, Kansas City wins, and the New York Jets lose. In that scenario, the Jets are eliminated from possibly making the postseason. What Jets fans need to happen is for one or both of the teams ahead of them in the race to lose this week.

Six teams have clinched playoff spots heading into Week 16, with several teams expected to join the New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, and Seattle Seahawks on that list. A possibly exciting scenario in the 2016 NFL playoff standings is if the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants win in Week 16. That would leave three teams tied at 7-8 for first place in the NFC East as the final week of the regular season approaches.

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