NFL Playoffs: Five Teams Can Clinch Playoff Berths in Week 13
By Josh Hill
With only five more weeks left to play in the 2012 NFL season, including this week’s action, five teams from both the AFC and NFC can punch their playoff ticket on Sunday and very few need help to do so. Four teams from the AFC can clinch berths or win their divisions this week with four of those five looking at a chance to lock up their division. Only the Atlanta Falcons of the NFC can punch their ticket but as they’ve already played they’ll need some help.
NFC
Let’s get this out of the way right now as only one team can either clinch a playoff berth or straight up win the NFC South with some help from the Buccaneers and Seahawks on Sunday.
Atlanta Falcons:
Falcons clinch NFC South title with:
- Buccaneers LOSS or TIE (Bucs at Broncos — 4:05pm on FOX)
Falcons clinch NFC playoff berth with:
- Seahawks LOSS or TIE (Seahawks vs. Bears — 1pm on FOX)
AFC
The AFC is where most of the clinching and champagne popping will potentially be done this week. Four teams can get into the playoffs this week with three facing division clinches opportunities. Of the five teams, ironically only the Houston Texans, the conference’s best team at the moment record-wise, can’t win their division but they can clinch a berth.
Houston Texans:
Texans clinch AFC playoff berth with:
- WIN -OR-
- Dolphins LOSS/TIE + Steelers LOSS/TIE -OR- (Dolphins vs. Patriots — 1pm on CBS/Steelers vs. Ravens — 4:25pm on CBS)
- Dolphins LOSS/TIE + Bengals LOSS/TIE – OR- (Bengals at Chargers — 4:25pm on CBS)
- Steelers LOSS + Bengals LOSS
Baltimore Ravens:
Ravens win AFC North title with:
- WIN + Bengals LOSS
Ravens clinch AFC Playoff Berth with:
- WIN -OR-
- TIE + Bengals LOSS + Dolphins LOSS/TIE
New England Patriots:
Patriots win AFC East title with:
- WIN
Denver Broncos:
Broncos win AFC West title with:
- WIN -OR-
- TIE + Chargers LOSS/TIE -OR-
- Chargers LOSS