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The NFC wild-card matchups:
1. Packers (Bye)
2. Buccaneers vs. 7. Eagles
3. Cowboys vs. 6. 49ers
4. Rams vs. 5. Cardinals
First team out: New Orleans (9-9)
NFL Week 18 scores, live updates: Jaguars shock Colts, 49ers upset Rams, Steelers nearing playoff berth
The 2021 playoff bracket is almost set
You wanted an extra week of NFL regular-season play, and you got it. You wanted it to be filled with drama that directly impacts the NFL playoffs -- set to kick off with Super Wild Card Weekend next week -- and you got it, in spades. This weekend concludes the first-ever 17-game regular season in league history, and the cup runneth over with storylines as both the NFC and AFC deal with logjams that involve not only playoff seeding for those who have clinched a playoff berth and/or division title -- e.g., the Kansas City Chiefs, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, etc. -- but several teams who must win or start working on their offseason plans.
The Titans fought off the scrappy Houston Texans at the wire to secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC, forcing the playoffs through Nissan Stadium in Nashville and dashing the hopes of the Kansas City Chiefs in the process. The Indianapolis Colts, however, could not escape the Jacksonville Jaguars with a win, instead being humiliated by Trevor Lawrence and Co. as Carson Wentz collapsed in a win-and-get-in game.
That didn't immediately eliminate them from playoff contention, though, thanks to a scenario that would've seen a possible tie between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens kick open the door for them to back their way in -- along with the Las Vegas Raiders -- but the Colts would still need the Raiders to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers for it to happen. But with one successful overtime kick by the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger's swan song is likely extended to Super Wild Card Weekend and Wentz and the Colts (and Ravens) are eliminated, with many questions to come this offseason.
As long as the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers don't each take a knee for four quarters to guarantee a tie, something head coach Brandon Staley promised would not happen, a loss by one or the other gets the Steelers into the postseason.
By virtue of their 27-10 win over the Jets, the Bills clinched the AFC East division title for a second straight season. Buffalo will host a wild card game as the No. 3 seed, while the AFC North champion Bengals will also host an undetermined opponent.
In the NFC, the Cowboys blew their chance at fighting for the No. 1 seed with a loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17, allowing the Green Bay Packers to clinch the top spot. The 49ers came from 17 points down to defeat the Rams in overtime on Sunday, giving San Francisco the No. 6 seed in the playoffs. The loss dropped the Rams to the No. 4 seed while moving the Cowboys into the No. 3 seed. Tampa Bay moved up to the No. 2 seed after dismantling the Panthers in its regular-season finale. The Cardinals' 38-30 loss to the Seahawks moved them to the No. 5 seed.
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers will enjoy a bye week, while the Buccaneers' title defense will begin with a home playoff game against Jalen Hurts and the Eagles. The 49ers and Cowboys will rekindle their playoff history with a wild card showdown in Dallas. San Francisco and Dallas met in the NFC Championship Game three straight years from 1992-94, with the winner of that game winning the Super Bowl each year. The Rams and Cardinals will face off in the wild card round in a matchup between division rivals. The two teams split their two games during the regular season.
The NFL's Super Wild Card Weekend will begin with two games next Saturday, three on Sunday and the first-ever "Monday Night Football" playoff game.
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Cardinals just made it an 8-point game with 1:13 left.
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49ers take the lead on a FG, but Rams will have a chance to either tie or win. A tie would give them a division title.
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Jennings catches a short pass and runs all the way down inside the Rams' 30-yard-line.
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Damien Harris TD makes it a 3-point game with 2 minutes left.
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Dolphins holding onto a 10-point lead over NE. The Bills are ahead 20-10, so if both scores hold the Patriots will start the playoffs on the road.
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We're headed to OT in Los Angeles.
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The Saints are wrapping up their win, so the 49ers have to win this to make the playoffs.
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49ers respond to tie the game. They used Deebo as a decoy and Garoppolo hits Jennings, who was wide open for the score.
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Crazy finish in Los Angeles. A big completion to Samuel has put the 49ers in position to try to tie the game in regulation.
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Cooper Kupp just made an unreal TD catch over 2 49ers defenders as the Rams re-gain the lead. It's 24-17 with 2:39 left. 49ers need a TD to keep his season alive.
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Buffalo holding on to a 13-7 lead nearing the end of the third quarter. If they win, they're the No. 3 seed and will avoid starting the playoffs on the road.
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49ers just got another pick off of Matthew Stafford, so SF in position to take the lead.
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49ers just tied the score against the Rams. LA is trying to hand onto the No. 2 seed. The Saints have a 24-6 lead over the Falcons, so the 49ers need to win to make the playoffs.
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As mentioned, the Steelers can't have the Raiders and Chargers tie. The Steelers lost to both teams during the regular season, hence why they'd lose those tiebreakers.
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Dolphins take a 17-7 halftime lead over the Patriots but had a 14-0 lead earlier in the half. The Bills have a 10-7 second quarter lead over the Jets. If both teams win, the Bills will win the division title and the Patriots will likely head to Cincinnati in the wild-card round.
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After a wild start to the final NFL regular season Sunday by the AFC, it's time for the NFC clinch scenarios:
Cardinals clinch NFC West if: ARI win + LAR loss
Rams clinch NFC West if: LAR win or tie OR ARI loss or tie
Saints clinch playoff berth if: NO win + SF loss
49ers clinch playoff berth if: SF win or tie OR NO loss or tie
Cowboys move from No. 4 seed to No. 2 seed if: CAR win + SF win + SEA win
Cowboys move from No. 4 seed to No. 3 seed if: [only] SF win + SEA win
BUCKLE UP NFC FANS!!!
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The Ravens, by virtue of their overtime loss to the Steelers, are also eliminated.
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The Colts are now eliminated after being humiliated by the Jaguars. (a tie in PIT-BAL or IND-JAX would've kept them alive)
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KICKERS MATTER.
Steelers get the dub in OT against the Ravens to avoid the loss (elimination) or tie (elimination).
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WHAT A BLESSED (and I do mean blessed) THROW BY BY BIG BEN
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A Steelers-Ravens tie would eliminate both from the playoffs and help the Colts delete their W18 humiliation by the Jaguars. Colts would also need Chargers to lose, in this tie scenario. Indy would fall backwards into the postseason -- bailed out by the AFC North.
A tie would also usher the Raiders into the playoffs before they kick off against the Chargers.
Remember, Colts get in if: IND win or tie OR LAC loss + BAL-PIT tie OR LAC loss + PIT loss + MIA win
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If the Steelers vs. Ravens ends in a tie, both teams are eliminated from the playoffs.
LET'S WATCH.
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Overtime: Steelers vs. Ravens. For all the marbles ahead of the postseason.
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The Titans have now CLINCHED the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Chiefs fans see their hopes of a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs dashed.
The AFC playoffs go through Music City. And unreal feat for Mike Vrabel after losing the league's best RB in Derrick Henry back on Halloween. He has to be a leading candidate for NFL COTY.
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And with that fourth-down conversion by Trevor Lawrence, the Colts are on the way to a loss in Week 18.
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Steelers vs. Ravens once again threatening overtime in 2021. If you recall, the Ravens could've sent the first matchup of the season to OT but Harbaugh elected to go for two and didn't succeed.
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The Colts have been flat-out humiliated by a lowly Jaguars team that had nothing more to play for than what little bit of pride they have left this season. They don't have to win this game to get in, but a reminder of what they'll now need to happen:
LAC loss + BAL-PIT tie OR LAC loss + PIT loss + MIA win
In other words, lots of help. (and Steelers are winning at the two-minute warning)
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AMENDOLA IS DOING WORK.
Latest grab makes it a three-point game once again against the Titans.
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Roethlisberger to Claypool for the TD and the Ravens are now behind for the first time the Steelers led 3-0 in the first quarter.
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