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Week 17 NFL Playoff Scenarios: Steelers In Hunt For First-Round Bye

Here's a look at the NFL playoff picture as we head into the last week of the NFL regular season. To clinch a first-round bye, the Steelers basically need a win against the Browns, and they'll also have their eyes on the Ravens and Bengals. Via the NFL, here's what other AFC teams will need in Week 17 (leaving out some arcane stuff about ties, which happen so rarely in the NFL that there's really not much need to worry about them until they happen).

PATRIOTS clinch top AFC seed with a win or a loss by both the Ravens and Steelers.

RAVENS clinch the AFC North and a first-round bye with a win or a Steelers loss. They would get the top overall seed if they win and the Patriots lose.

STEELERS have clinched at least the No. 5 seed. They can win the AFC North and the No. 2 seed if they win and the Ravens lose. They can clinch the top seed if they win and both the Patriots and Ravens lose.

TEXANS have clinched the AFC South and the No. 3 seed.

BRONCOS clinch the AFC West and the No. 4 seed if they win or the Raiders lose.

RAIDERS clinch the AFC West and the No. 4 seed if they win and the Broncos lose. They could also win a Wild Card spot if they win and the Bengals and Titans both lose, or if they win, the Bengals lose and the Jets win.

BENGALS clinch the last Wild Card spot and the No. 6 seed with a win, or with losses by the Jets and Raiders, or with losses by the Jets and Broncos.

JETS clinch the last Wild Card spot and the No. 6 seed with either a win and losses by the Bengals, Titans and Raiders, or with a win and losses by the Bengals, Titans and Broncos.

TITANS clinch the last Wild Card spot and the No. 6 seed under one of three scenarios. First, the Titans and Jets win while the Bengals and Raiders lose. Second, the Titans and Jets win and the Bengals and Broncos lose. Third, the Titans and Raiders win and the Begnals and Jets lose.

We're not really an NFC site, but here's what the NFL sent out regarding the NFC.

CLINCHED:
Green Bay - NFC North and home-field advantage
San Francisco - NFC West
New Orleans - NFC South
Detroit - playoff spot
Atlanta - playoff spot

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS San Francisco clinches a first-round bye with: 1) SF win OR 2) SF tie + NO loss or tie OR 3) NO loss

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS New Orleans clinches a first-round bye with: 1) NO win + SF loss or tie OR 2) NO tie + SF loss

NEW YORK GIANTS New York clinches NFC East division with: 1) NYG win or tie

DALLAS COWBOYS Dallas clinches NFC East division with: 1) DAL win

SB Nation has a blog for every team.

Photographs by dizfunk used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.