Week 17 NFL Playoff Picture: 49ers Secure No. 1 Seed, Finalizes NFC Bracket
Abbie Parr/Getty Images. Pictured: Deebo Samuel, Emmanuel Sanders
- Looking for a complete breakdown of the 2019 NFL playoff picture and scenarios in Week 17? You've come to the right place.
- Below we're tracking how the AFC and NFC standings are shifting as games unfold, as well as remaining seeding scenarios.
Final NFL Playoff Picture
The 2019 NFL bracket is officially set!
With the San Francisco 49ers held off the Seattle Seahawks to win the NFC West title and secure the conference's 1-seed. The results of their Sunday Night Football showdown — which drops the Seahawks to the 5-seed — finalizes the rest of the conference's seeding and the overall playoff picture.
Official NFC Bracket
- No. 4 Eagles vs. No. 5 Seahawks
- No. 6 Vikings vs. No. 3 Saints
- Byes: No. 1 49ers; No. 2 Packers
Official AFC Bracket
- No. 3 Patriots vs. No. 6 Titans
- No. 4 Texans vs. No. 5 Bills
- Byes: No. 1 Ravens ; No. 2 Chiefs
NFC Seeding Scenarios: Sunday Night Football
The NFC's No. 1 seed and the NFC West title hinge on tonight's 49ers-Seahawks matchup.
Here's what the final bracket would look like if the 49ers win:
- No. 4 Eagles vs. No. 5 Seahawks
- No. 6 Vikings vs. No. 3 Saints
- Byes: No. 1 49ers; No. 2 Packers
Compared to if the Seahawks win:
- No. 4 Eagles vs. No. 5 49ers
- No. 6 Vikings vs. No. 3 Seahawks
- Byes: No. 1 Packers; No. 2 Saints
Updated NFL Playoff Picture: Sunday Evening
The following updates are based on results from the 4 p.m. ET window.
All the 2019 NFL playoff berths are officially clinched!
The Tennessee Titans locked-in the AFC's final wild card with their win over the Texans on Sunday. As the No. 6 seed, the Titans will face the 3-seeded New England Patriots in the opening round.
Official AFC Playoff Bracket
- No. 3 Patriots vs. No. 6 Titans
- No. 4 Texans vs. No. 5 Bills
- Byes: No. 1 Ravens and No. 2 Chiefs
Meanwhile, the NFC East belongs to the Philadelphia Eagles thanks to their win over the Giants, which means the Dallas Cowboys are officially eliminated.
Carson Wentz and Co. will be the NFC's 4-seed regardless of how tonight's 49ers-Seahawks matchup ends, however, that result will impact which team Philly faces in the Wild Card Round.
Current NFC Playoff Picture
- No. 4 Eagles* vs. No. 5 Seahawks
- No. 3 49ers vs. No. 6 Vikings*
- Byes: Packers and Saints
* = seed is clinched
Updated NFL Playoff Picture: Sunday Afternoon
The following updates are based on results from the 1 p.m. ET window.
The AFC's second first-round bye belongs to the Kansas City Chiefs.
With their 31-21 win over the Chargers coupled with the New England Patriots' 27-24 upset loss to the Dolphins, Patrick Mahomes and Co. secured the conference's No. 2 seed.
That means the Patriots head into the playoffs without a first-round bye for the first time since the 2009 season, when they lost to the Ravens in the Wild Card Round — the only time they haven't advanced past the opening weekend in the Tom Brady era.
Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers guaranteed one of the NFC's first-round byes with their narrow win over the Lions. The top seed would go to Green Bay if the Seahawks beat the 49ers tonight. But even in San Francisco wins, the Pack will be no worse than the 2-seed.
Current AFC Playoff Picture
- No. 3 Patriots* vs. No. 6 Titans
- No. 4 Texans* vs. No. 5 Bills*
- Byes: No. 1 Ravens* and No. 2 Chiefs*
Current NFC Playoff Picture
- No. 4 Eagles vs. No. 5 Seahawks
- No. 3 49ers vs. No. 6 Vikings*
- Byes: Packers and Saints
* = seed is clinched
NFL Playoff Scenarios Still In Play
We've outlined all the remaining scenarios by unlocked seeds, featuring teams that have a chance at finishing as each one and the results needed.
AFC’s No. 6 Seed
- Titans: Win vs. Texans
- Steelers: Win vs. Ravens, Titans loss
- Raiders: Win vs. Broncos, Titans loss, Steelers loss, Colts win
NFC’s No. 1 Seed
- 49ers: Win vs. Seahawks
- Packers: Win vs. Lions, Seahawks win
NFC’s No. 2 Seed
- 49ers: Tie vs. Seahawks
- Packers: Win vs. Lions, 49ers win
- Saints: Win vs. Panthers, 49ers loss
NFC’s No. 3 Seed
- 49ers: Tie vs. Seahawks, Saints win, Packers win
- Seahawks: Win vs. 49ers, Saints win, Packers win
- Saints: Win vs. Panthers, Packers win, 49ers win
NFC’s No. 4 Seed
- Eagles: Win vs. Giants
- Cowboys: Win vs. Redskins; Eagles loss
NFC’s No. 5 Seed
- 49ers: Loss vs. Seahawks
- Seahawks: Loss vs. 49ers
NFL Playoff Picture: Sunday Morning
Two division titles are still up for grabs. Three teams are fighting for the AFC's final wild card. And it's a four-team race for the NFC's No. 1 seed.
TL;DR, with only one-quarter of the NFL playoff picture set, there will be a lot of scenarios to track during Sunday's Week 17 marathon.
NFL Playoff Picture, Bracket & Scenarios
Let's take a look at the current standings and our projected final brackets for both conferences, then run through every seeding scenario.
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Current NFC Playoff Picture
- No. 4 Eagles vs. No. 5 Seahawks
- No. 3 Saints vs. No. 6 Vikings
- Byes: 49ers and Packers
Our Projected Final NFC Bracket
This is how our model — which simulated Sunday's games 10,000 times — projects the final bracket.
- No. 3 Saints vs. No. 6 Vikings
- No. 4 Eagles vs. No. 5 Seahawks
- Byes: 49ers and Packers
NFC Playoff Scenarios By Seed
We've outlined every playoff scenario by seed, featuring teams that have a chance at finishing as each one and the results needed.
No. 1 Seed
- 49ers: Win vs. Seahawks; OR tie vs. Seahawks, Saints loss, Packers loss
- Seahawks: Win vs. 49ers, Packers loss, Saints loss
- Packers: Win vs. Lions, Seahawks win; OR Saints loss, 49ers loss; OR tie vs. Lions, 49ers loss, Saints loss/tie
- Saints: Win vs. Panthers, Packers loss/tie, 49ers loss/tie; OR tie vs. Panthers, Packers loss, 49ers loss
No. 2 Seed
- 49ers: Tie vs. Seahawks; Saints or Packers loss
- Seahawks: Win vs. 49ers, Saints win, Packers loss
- Packers: Win vs. Lions, 49ers win; OR Saints loss, 49ers win; OR tie vs. Lions, 49ers loss; OR tie vs. Lions, Saints tie
- Saints: Win vs. Panthers, 49ers or Packers loss; OR 49ers loss, Packers win; OR tie vs. Panthers, Packers or 49ers loss
No. 3 Seed
- 49ers: Tie vs. Seahawks, Saints win, Packers win
- Seahawks: Win vs. 49ers, Saints win, Packers win; or win vs. 49ers, Packers win, Saints loss
- Packers: Loss vs. Lions, Saints win
- Saints: Win vs. Panthers, Packers win, 49ers win; OR loss vs. Panthers, Packers loss, Seahawks win
No. 4 Seed
- Eagles: Win vs. Giants
- Cowboys: Win vs. Redskins; Eagles loss
No. 5 Seed
- 49ers: Loss vs. Seahawks
- Seahawks: Loss vs. 49ers
No. 6 Seed
- Vikings: Locked into this spot
Current AFC Playoff Picture
- No. 3 Chiefs vs. No. 6 Titans
- No. 4 Texans vs. No. 5 Bills
- Byes: Ravens and Patriots
Our Projected Final AFC Bracket
This is how our model — which simulated Sunday's games 10,000 times — projects the final bracket.
- No. 3 Chiefs vs. No. 6 Titans
- No. 4 Texans vs. No. 5 Bills
- Byes: Ravens and Patriots
AFC Playoff Scenarios By Seed
We've outlined every playoff scenario by seed, featuring teams that have a chance at finishing as each one and the results needed.
No. 1 Seed
- Ravens: Locked into the top spot
No. 2 Seed
- Patriots: Win/tie vs. Dolphins; OR Chiefs loss/tie
- Chiefs: Win vs. Chargers, Patriots loss
No. 3 Seed
- Patriots: Loss vs. Dolphins
- Chiefs: Win vs. Chargers, Patriots win
- Texans: Win vs. Titans, Chiefs loss
No. 4 Seed
- Chiefs: Loss vs. Chargers, Texans win
- Texans: Chiefs win
No. 5 Seed
- Bills: Locked into this spot
No. 6 Seed
- Titans: Win vs. Texans
- Steelers: Win vs. Ravens, Titans loss
- Raiders: Win vs. Broncos, Titans loss, Steelers loss, Colts win
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