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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFL Playoff Scenarios

Dec 19, 1999 at 02:02 PM

The following are the official playoff scenarios in each conference and division as determined by the NFL.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

AFC EAST

Indianapolis Colts — Have clinched AFC East Division title and first-round playoff bye. Can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with either a win and either a Jacksonville loss or tie or with Indianapolis beating Jacksonville in best net points in conference games (currently Indianapolis 67 to Jacksonville 81) or a Jacksonville loss and Tennessee loss or tie.

Buffalo Bills — Have clinched AFC playoff berth.

Miami Dolphins — Can clinch AFC playoff berth with a Kansas City loss or a Seattle loss.

AFC Central

Jacksonville Jaguars — Have clinched AFC playoff berth. Can clinch AFC Central Division title and a first-round playoff bye with either a win or tie or a Tennessee loss or tie. Can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win and either an Indianapolis loss or tie or with Jacksonville beating Indianapolis in best net points in conference games (currently Jacksonville 81 to Indianapolis 67).

Tennessee Titans — Have clinched AFC playoff berth. Can clinch AFC Central Division title and a first-round playoff bye with a win and a Jacksonville loss. Can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win and a Jacksonville loss and an Indianapolis loss. Note: Eventual AFC Central champion has clinched a first-round playoff bye.

AFC West

Seattle Seahawks — Can clinch AFC West Division title with either a win or a Kansas City loss or a tie and a Kansas City tie. Can clinch AFC playoff berth with a tie and a Miami loss.

Kansas City Chiefs — Can clinch AFC West Division title with a win and a Seattle loss or tie. Can clinch AFC playoff berth with either a win and either a Buffalo loss or a tie or a Miami loss.

NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

NFC East

Washington Redskins — Have clinched NFC East title. Can clinch first-round playoff bye with win and a Tampa Bay loss and a Minnesota loss or tie.

Dallas Cowboys — Can clinch NFC playoff berth with a win.

New York Giants — Can clinch NFC playoff berth with either a win and either a Green Bay loss or tie or with New York beating Green Bay and Carolina in best net points in conference games (currently New York -56, Green Bay 0 and Carolina -18) or a tie and a Green Bay loss and a Carolina loss.

NFC Central

Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Have clinched NFC playoff berth. Can clinch NFC Central Division title with either a win or tie or a Minnesota loss or tie. Can clinch a first-round playoff bye with either a win or tie or a Minnesota loss or tie and one Washington loss or tie.

Minnesota Vikings — Have clinched NFC playoff berth. Can clinch NFC Central Division title and a first-round playoff bye with a win and a Tampa Bay loss.

Detroit Lions — Have clinched NFC playoff berth. Green Bay Packers — Can clinch NFC playoff berth with either a win and either a New York win and with Green Bay beating New York and Carolina in best net points in conference games (currently Green Bay 0, New York -56 and Carolina -18) or the New York-Dallas game ends in a tie and a Carolina loss or tie or a tie and the New York-Dallas game ends in a tie and a Carolina loss or tie.

NFC West

St. Louis Rams — Have clinched NFC West title, a first-round playoff bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Carolina Panthers — Can clinch NFC playoff berth with a win and either a New York Giants win and a Green Bay win and with Carolina beating New York and Green Bay in best net points in conference games (currently Carolina -18, New York -56 and Green Bay 0) or the New York-Dallas game ends in a tie.

Note: Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, New England, New Orleans, NY Jets, Oakland, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego and San Francisco are eliminated from playoff contention.

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