NFL Playoff Standings 2016: Denver Broncos Clinch Playoff Spot, Pittsburgh Steelers In Trouble [Breaking News]

NFL playoff standings for 2016 have the Denver Broncos clinching a spot in the postseason. The 2016 NFL playoff standings also look even worse for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as the team is one win by the New York Jets from getting eliminated. The Denver Broncos beat the Cincinnati Bengals in overtime to improve to 11-4 on the season. At the same time, the Bengals fell to 11-4, creating a tie for the No. 2 seed in the AFC Playoffs.

With this victory, the Broncos remain one game ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs (10-5) in the AFC West. The Broncos beat the New England Patriots in Week 12, giving the team a head-to-head advantage over both top AFC teams. It means if the Broncos can beat the San Diego Chargers in Week 17, the team clinches at least the No. 2 seed. If the Patriots lose to the Miami Dolphins and the Broncos win in Week 17, then the Broncos become the No. 1 seed and gain home field advantage throughout the postseason.

The 2016 NFL playoff standings already have the Cincinnati Bengals as the AFC North champions. The team will play the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17, with a chance to still regain the No. 2 seed in the AFC. The Bengals need to win and also have the Broncos lose, though, after what took place on Monday, December 28. A loss also keeps the Bengals as the No. 3 seed, which would mean a first-round playoff game against the No. 6 seed.

Regarding the other AFC teams at the top of the NFL playoff standings, the Houston Texans (8-7) have now won the AFC South. The Texans will be the No. 4 seeded team in the postseason and will have a first-round playoff game against the No. 5 seed. The Kansas City Chiefs (10-5) are the first wild card team in the AFC, followed by the New York Jets (10-5) as the No. 6 seed and the second wild card team.

If the Chiefs beat the Oakland Raiders on January 3, they are the No. 5 seed in the AFC. If the Chiefs lose to the Raiders and the Jets beat the Buffalo Bills, the Jets become the No. 5 seed and the Chiefs drop to No. 6. For the Pittsburgh Steelers to sneak into that No. 6 seed, the Steelers have to beat the Cleveland Browns and have the Jets lose to the Bills. There is a lot riding on the Week 17 games, with the Patriots simply needing to win to clinch the No. 1 overall seed.

The 2016 NFL playoff standings in the NFC aren’t quite settled either. The Carolina Panthers (14-1) are the current No. 1 seed, followed by the Arizona Cardinals (13-2) at No. 2, the Green Bay Packers (10-5) at No. 3, and the Washington Redskins (8-7) at No. 4. The Minnesota Vikings (10-5) are the first wild card team and the Seattle Seahawks (9-6) are the second wild card team. The Packers and Vikings play in Week 17 to decide which team wins the NFC North and which team will become the wild card.

If the Carolina Panthers win in Week 17, the team becomes the No. 1 seed in the NFC. A loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would allow the Cardinals to overtake them at the top. The winner of the Packers vs. Vikings will be the No. 3 seed, with the Packers falling to No. 5 with a loss and the Vikings possibly falling to No. 6 with a loss. A tie-breaker between the Seahawks and Vikings would fall in favor of the Seahawks, but the team would lose a tie-breaker to the Packers. What this look at the 2016 NFL playoff standings reveals is that nearly every playoff team still has something to play for in Week 17.

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