In the spirit of Thanksgiving week, here are the paths each team can follow to fulfill their hopes of making the playoffs. And to make this especially sunny for each team, each scenario linked will contain the highest seed possible for the team in question, while also inflicting maximum misery upon each team’s division rivals.
- Bills: #1 seed by winning a 3-way tie at 9-7 via strength of victory, rest of AFC East misses playoffs
- Dolphins: #1 seed, rest of AFC East misses playoffs, rest of AFC 9-7 or worse
- Patriots: #1 seed, rest of AFC East 5-11 or worse, rest of AFC 9-7 or worse
- Jets: #1 seed by winning a 3-way tie at 9-7 via strength of victory, rest of AFC East misses playoffs
- Ravens: #1 seed, rest of AFC North with a losing record, rest of AFC 9-7 or worse
- Bengals: #1 seed, rest of AFC North with a losing record, rest of AFC 9-7 or worse
- Browns: #1 seed at 9-6-1, rest of AFC North misses playoffs
- Steelers: #1 seed, rest of AFC North with a losing record, rest of AFC 9-7 or worse
- Texans: #1 seed, rest of AFC South at 6-10, rest of AFC 9-7 or worse
- Colts: #1 seed, rest of AFC South with a losing record, rest of AFC 9-7 or worse
- Jaguars: #1 seed at 9-7 by winning a 3-way tie via strength of victory, rest of AFC South with a losing record
- Titans: #1 seed, rest of AFC South with a losing record, rest of AFC 9-7 or worse
- Broncos: #1 seed, rest of AFC West misses playoffs, rest of AFC 9-7 or worse
- Chiefs: #1 seed at 14-2, rest of AFC West has losing records, rest of AFC 9-7 or worse except for the Steelers
- Chargers: #1 seed, rest of AFC West misses playoffs, rest of AFC 9-7 or worse
- Raiders: #5 seed at 8-8, Broncos and Chargers miss playoffs
- Cowboys: #1 seed, rest of NFC East with a losing record
- Giants: #3 seed at 9-7, rest of NFC East with a losing record
- Eagles: #1 seed, rest of NFC East with a losing record
- Redskins: #1 seed, rest of NFC East at 5-11
- Bears: #1 seed, rest of NFC North at 6-10 or 6-9-1
- Lions: #1 seed, rest of NFC North misses playoffs
- Packers: #1 seed, rest of NFC North misses playoffs
- Vikings: #1 seed, rest of NFC North with a losing record
- Falcons: #1 seed, rest of NFC South misses playoffs
- Panthers: #1 seed, rest of NFC South misses playoffs
- Saints: #1 seed at 15-1, rest of NFC South 6-10 or worse
- Bucs: #2 seed at 9-7, rest of NFC South misses playoffs
- Cardinals: #5 seed at 8-8, Rams as #4 seed, Seahawks and 49ers at 5-11
- Rams: #1 seed at 15-1, rest of NFC West 6-10 or worse, rest of NFC 9-7 or worse
- 49ers: #5 seed at 8-8, Rams as #4 seed, Seahawks and Cardinals 5-11 or worse
- Seahawks: #1 seed, rest of NFC West misses playoffs