NFL Week 18 playoff scenarios: A record 20 teams still in contention

The Cowboys already have clinched a playoff berth. They will clinch the NFC East title with a win over the Washington Commanders, or with an Eagles loss to the New York Giants, or with ties in both games. Dallas also will clinch the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs with a win, or with losses by both the Eagles and Detroit Lions, or with a tie, an Eagles loss/tie and a Lions loss/tie.

Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)

The Eagles already have clinched a playoff berth. They will clinch the NFC East title and the No. 2 seed with a win over the Giants plus a Cowboys loss/tie, or with a tie plus a Cowboys loss. Philadelphia also will be the No. 2 seed with a win, a Cowboys loss and a Detroit Lions loss/tie against the Minnesota Vikings.

The Packers will clinch a playoff berth most easily with a win over the Chicago Bears. There are a number of other scenarios involving a Green Bay tie. The Packers also will clinch a playoff berth with losses by both the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks plus a loss by either the Buccaneers or Saints. Green Bay will clinch the No. 6 seed with a win plus a Los Angeles Rams loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

The Vikings will clinch a playoff berth and the No. 7 seed with a win over the Chicago Bears plus losses by both the Packers and Seahawks plus a loss by either the Bucs or Saints.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8)

The Buccaneers will clinch the NFC South title and the No. 4 seed with a win over the Carolina Panthers, or with a tie plus a New Orleans Saints loss or tie against the Atlanta Falcons. Tampa Bay will clinch a playoff berth and the No. 7 seed with a tie, a Seattle Seahawks loss to the Arizona Cardinals and a Packers loss/tie.

The Saints will clinch the NFC South title and the No. 4 seed with a win over the Falcons plus a Bucs loss/tie, or with a tie plus a Bucs loss. New Orleans will clinch a playoff berth and the No. 7 seed with a win plus losses or ties by both the Packers and Seahawks, or with a tie plus losses by both the Packers and Seahawks.

The Falcons will clinch the NFC South title and the No. 4 seed with a win over the Saints plus a Buccaneers loss to the Panthers.

The Rams already have clinched a playoff berth. They will be the No. 6 seed with a win or tie against the 49ers, or with a Packers loss or tie. Los Angeles will be the No. 7 seed with a loss plus a Packers win.

The Seahawks will clinch a playoff berth and the No. 7 seed with a win over the Arizona Cardinals plus a Packers loss/tie, or with a tie plus losses by both the Packers and Bucs, or with a tie plus a Packers loss and a Saints loss/tie.

The Dolphins have clinched a playoff berth. They will clinch the AFC East title and No. 2 seed with a win or tie against the Buffalo Bills. Otherwise, Miami will be the No. 6 seed.

The Bills will clinch the AFC East title and No. 2 seed with a win over the Dolphins. They will clinch a playoff berth with a tie, or with a Pittsburgh Steelers loss or tie against the Baltimore Ravens, or with a Jacksonville Jaguars loss or tie against the Tennessee Titans, or with a Houston Texans-Indianapolis Colts tie. The Bills will be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss plus wins by the Texans, Jaguars and Steelers, or with a loss plus wins by the Colts, Jaguars and Steelers.

Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)

The Steelers will clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Ravens plus a Bills loss to the Dolphins, or with a win plus a Jaguars loss or tie against the Titans, or with a win plus a Texans-Colts tie, or with a tie plus a Jaguars loss plus a non-tie result in Texans-Colts, or with a Jaguars loss, Broncos win and a non-tie result in Texans-Colts. Pittsburgh can only be the No. 6 or No. 7 seed in the playoffs.

Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7)

The Jaguars will clinch the AFC South title and the No. 4 seed with a win over the Titans, or with a tie plus a Texans-Colts tie. The Jaguars will clinch a playoff berth and the No. 7 seed with a tie plus a Steelers loss/tie, or with a Steelers loss, Denver Broncos loss to the Las Vegas Raiders and a non-tie result in the Texans-Colts game.

The Colts will clinch the AFC South title and the No. 4 seed with a win over the Texans plus a Jaguars loss or tie against the Titans, or with a tie plus a Jaguars loss. Indianapolis will clinch a playoff berth with a win, or with a tie plus a Steelers loss/tie.

The Texans will clinch the AFC South title and the No. 4 seed with a win over the Colts plus a Jaguars loss or tie against the Titans. The Texans will clinch a playoff berth with a win, or with a tie plus a Jaguars loss plus a Steelers loss/tie.

x-Clinched playoff berth; y-Clinched division title; z-Clinched first-round bye and home-field advantage

xyz-1. San Francisco 49ers (12-4, locked into No. 1 seed)

x-2. Dallas Cowboys (11-5, own NFC East tiebreaker over Eagles because of conference record and NFC tiebreaker over Lions because of head-to-head victory)

xy-3. Detroit Lions (11-5)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8)

x-5. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)

x-6. Los Angeles Rams (9-7)

7. Green Bay Packers (8-8, own tiebreaker over Seahawks because of strength-of-victory record and over Saints because of conference record)

Still in contention: Seattle Seahawks (8-8), New Orleans Saints (8-8), Minnesota Vikings (7-9), Atlanta Falcons (7-9).

Eliminated: Chicago Bears (7-9), New York Giants (5-11), Washington Commanders (4-12), Arizona Cardinals (4-12), Carolina Panthers (2-14).

x-Clinched playoff berth; y-Clinched division title; z-Clinched first-round bye and home-field advantage

xyz-1. Baltimore Ravens (13-3, locked into No. 1 seed)

x-2. Miami Dolphins (11-5)

xy-3. Kansas City Chiefs (10-6, locked into No. 3 seed)

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7, own AFC South tiebreaker over Colts and Texans because of head-to-head record)

x-5. Cleveland Browns (11-5, locked into No. 5 seed)

7. Indianapolis Colts (9-7, own tiebreaker over Texans and Steelers because of head-to-head victories)

Still in contention: Houston Texans (9-7), Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7).

Eliminated: Denver Broncos (8-8), Cincinnati Bengals (8-8), Las Vegas Raiders (7-9), New York Jets (6-10), Tennessee Titans (5-11), Los Angeles Chargers (5-11), New England Patriots (4-12).