NFL Playoff Scenarios Entering Week 17

By Josh Hill | Dec 21, 2014

Jan 5, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; General view of the NFL Wild Card logo on the field before a game between the Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals during the AFC Wild Card playoff game at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

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Dec 21, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Atlanta Falcons defensive end Osi Umenyiora (50) celebrates following a interception by cornerback Robert McClain (not pictured) during the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Falcons won 30-14. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

The Atlanta Falcons are not a good football team, but they’re still in the playoff hunt anyways which is pretty agonizing to teams like the 49ers and Eagles who have winning records but are out of the chase.

It’s not a foregone conclusion that the Falcons will win the NFC South, but that’s the only way they can make it into the playoffs. Week 17 is now a de facto playoff game for the Falcons, who are reportedly going fire their head coach no matter what happens. That’s really bad motivation for a team, but the Falcons are still alive anyways.

Falcon win

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