NFL Week 15 playoff clinching scenarios: Cowboys and Patriots among seven teams who can punch playoff ticket

Simply 4 weeks stay within the 2021 common season and no staff has but punched their ticket to the postseason. Which means we’re in for fairly the mad sprint to the end line as quite a lot of groups are nonetheless able to slotting themselves into one of many high seven seeds in each the AFC and the NFC. Nevertheless, Week 15 does promise to carry some extra readability to the playoff image as seven groups can clinch a spot.

Under, we’ll take a look at how the New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Inexperienced Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers can all be certain that they will be enjoying past Week 18. 

New England Patriots (9-4)

Clinches playoff berth with:

1. NE win + MIA loss or tie + CLE loss + BAL loss + CIN loss + KC loss OR
2. NE win + MIA loss or tie + CLE loss + BAL loss + DEN loss + LAC loss OR
3. NE win + MIA loss or tie + CLE loss + PIT loss or tie + DEN loss or tie + LAC loss OR
4. NE win + MIA loss or tie + CLE loss + BAL loss + PIT loss or tie + CIN loss OR
5. NE win + MIA loss or tie + CLE loss + BAL loss + CIN loss + LAC loss OR
6. NE win + MIA loss or tie + BAL loss + LAC loss + LV loss + CIN-DEN tie

Notice: There are different complicated situations for New England that contain a number of ties and strength-of-victory permutations.

Week 15 opponent: at Indianapolis Colts (Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET on NFL Community)

Tennessee Titans (9-4)

Clinches AFC South division title with:

1. TEN win + IND loss

Week 15 opponent: at Steelers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET on CBS — steam on Paramount+)

Arizona Cardinals (10-3) 

Clinches playoff berth with:

1. ARI win or tie OR
2. NO loss or tie + MIN loss or tie OR
3. NO loss or tie + PHI-WAS tie OR
4. NO loss or tie + PHI loss + ATL loss or tie + GB win or tie OR
5. NO loss or tie + SF tie + LAR loss OR
6. MIN loss or tie + PHI-WAS tie OR
7. MIN loss or tie + SF loss OR
8. SF loss + PHI-WAS tie OR
9. SF tie + LAR loss + PHI-WAS tie

Week 15 opponent: at Lions (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET on FOX)

Dallas Cowboys (9-4) 

Clinches NFC East division title with:

1. DAL win + WAS-PHI tie OR
2. DAL win + WAS loss + DAL clinches strength-of-victory tiebreaker over PHI

Clinches playoff berth with:

1. DAL win + NO loss or tie OR
2. DAL win + SF loss OR
3. DAL tie + MIN loss or tie + NO loss or tie + ATL loss or tie OR
4. MIN loss + ATL loss + NO loss + PHI-WAS tie OR
5. MIN loss + ATL loss + NO loss + DAL clinches strength-of-victory tiebreaker over PHI

Week 15 opponent: at Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET on FOX)

Inexperienced Bay Packers (10-3)

Clinches NFC North division title with:

1. GB win or tie OR
2. MIN loss or tie

Clinches playoff berth with:

1. NO loss or tie + SF loss OR
2. NO loss or tie + PHI-WAS tie OR
3. NO loss or tie + LAR loss + SF tie OR
4. SF loss + PHI-WAS tie OR
5. LAR loss + SF tie + PHI-WAS tie

Week 15 opponent: at Ravens (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX)

Los Angeles Rams (9-4) 

Clinch playoff berth with:

1. LAR win + NO loss or tie + MIN loss or tie OR
2. LAR win + NO loss or tie + PHI-WAS tie OR
3. LAR win + MIN loss or tie + PHI-WAS tie OR
4. LAR tie + MIN loss + NO loss + ATL loss or tie

Week 15 opponent: Seahawks (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-3)

Clinches NFC South division title with:

1. TB win or tie

Clinches playoff berth with:

1. MIN loss or tie + SF loss OR
2. MIN loss or tie + PHI-WAS tie OR
3. SF loss + PHI-WAS tie