2024-25 NFL Playoff Picture: Bracket and Elimination Scenarios for Week 16 | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

NFC elimination scenarios

• Loss/draw against the Green Bay Packers
• or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win/draw against the Dallas Cowboys
• or Atlanta Falcons win against New York Giants

It’s easy to forget how optimistic the New Orleans Saints were after the first two games of the season, when they scored a total of 91 points, but injuries and regression hit hard after that.

The Saints have already turned the tide toward 2025 after firing head coach Dennis Allen on Nov. 4 following seven straight losses. They could officially be eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday, which would be the fourth straight year they have missed the postseason.

• Loss/draw against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• or Washington Commanders win/draw against Philadelphia Eagles

You could be forgiven for not knowing that the Dallas Cowboys weren’t already eliminated, given how much conversation during the regular season revolved around how disappointing this team was.

To their credit, the Cowboys have been playing better of late with three wins in their last four games than would easily have been possible, especially after Dak Prescott missed the season with a hamstring injury.

• Loss to the Carolina Panthers AND win to the Los Angeles Rams against the New York Jets
• or Lose against Carolina Panthers AND Los Angeles Rams Draw against New York Jets AND Seattle Seahawks Win/Draw against Minnesota Vikings
• or tie against Cardinals AND Los Angeles Rams win against New York Jets AND Seattle Seahawks win against Minnesota Vikings AND Washington Commanders win/tie against Philadelphia Eagles

It turns out that the cliff edge may only apply to the Arizona Cardinals and not the specific NFL team that Kliff Kingsbury works for. They finished their Week 11 bye in first place in the NFC West with a 6-4 record, but lost three straight before getting back on track with a 30-17 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday returned.

The Cardinals have one more winnable game against the Carolina Panthers in Week 16 to avoid elimination for at least another week, but their chances of making the playoffs are currently very high.

• Loss/draw against Miami Dolphins
• or Seattle Seahawks win against the Minnesota Vikings AND Los Angeles Rams win against the New York Jets
• or Seattle Seahawks win against Minnesota Vikings AND Los Angeles Rams draw against New York Jets AND Arizona Cardinals win against Carolina Panthers
• or Seattle Seahawks win/draw against Minnesota Vikings AND Washington Commanders win/draw against Philadelphia Eagles
• or Los Angeles Rams win/draw against the New York Jets AND Washington Commanders win/draw against the Philadelphia Eagles
• or Arizona Cardinals win against Carolina Panthers AND Washington Commanders win/draw against Philadelphia Eagles
• or Seattle Seahawks win/tie against Minnesota Vikings AND Atlanta Falcons win against New York Giants AND Tampa Bay Buccaneers win against Dallas Cowboys
• or Los Angeles Rams win/tie against the New York Jets AND Atlanta Falcons win against the New York Giants AND Tampa Bay Buccaneers win against the Dallas Cowboys
• or Arizona Cardinals win against Carolina Panthers AND Atlanta Falcons win against New York Giants AND Tampa Bay Buccaneers win against Dallas Cowboys

The reigning NFC champions could also avoid elimination for another week with a win over the Miami Dolphins and a little help, but Thursday’s 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams dashed any hopes of a late-season rebound to reach the playoffs.

An interesting note about the 49ers is that they have either advanced to the NFC Championship Game or missed the playoffs entirely in every season since 2003. It is far from certain that this season will fall into the latter category.

AFC elimination scenarios

• Loss against the San Francisco 49ers AND the Los Angeles Chargers’ win/draw against the Denver Broncos
• or draw against the San Francisco 49ers AND Los Angeles Chargers win against the Denver Broncos

After laying an egg with a 20-12 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday, the Miami Dolphins face an extreme climb to have any chance of making the playoffs for the third straight year.

The Dolphins’ path to avoiding elimination starts with a win over the struggling San Francisco 49ers, but they’ll likely need to win and get plenty of help along the way to have a chance of getting in the field.

• Lost to Cleveland Browns
• or draw vs. Cleveland Browns AND win Los Angeles Chargers/draw vs. Denver Broncos

Despite the best efforts of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson, the Cincinnati Bengals need an overhaul after this season. Most of the changes need to be made on defense, as Hendrickson has been their only good starter all season.

The Bengals are a team like the Dolphins that has the least chance of getting into the field by winning and getting a lot of help along the way. They have at least one winnable game against the Cleveland Browns in Week 16 to avoid official elimination for another week if they take care of business.

• Lost to Tennessee Titans AND Los Angeles Chargers Win/Draw vs. Denver Broncos
• Draw against the Tennessee Titans AND Los Angeles Chargers win against the Denver Broncos

A strange season for the Indianapolis Colts almost came to an end when Jonathan Taylor decided to give up the football before crossing the goal line in Sunday’s loss to the Denver Broncos.

Had Taylor crossed the goal line, the Colts would have taken a 20-7 lead in the third quarter. Instead, after that moment, they fell 24-0 in a 31-13 loss. With a win, they would have improved to 7-7 and entered the direct tiebreaker against the Broncos.

The Colts have a schedule designed to win with games against the Tennessee Titans, New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars, but they essentially need the Los Angeles Chargers to lose if they want to make the playoffs.