| DIVISION LEADERS |
WILD CARD | NOTES |
| WEST 4  8-7 |
5 10-4 |
TEAMS AT 8-7 LISTED IN REVERSE ORDER OF LAST WEEK (WOULD BE BROKEN BY STRENGTH OF VICTORY) |
 8-7 |
||
| SOUTH 3  10-5 |
6 9-6 |
|
| CLINCHED | ||
| NORTH 2  11-4 |
8-7 |
|
| 11-4 |
 8-7 |
|
| EAST 1  12-3 |
 8-7 |
|
| CLINCHED |
AFC Playoff Picture| DIVISION LEADERS |
WILD CARD | NOTES |
| EAST 4  8-7 |
5 10-5 |
NFC EAST LOSER ELIMINATED; LAST NFC PLAYOFF SPOT TO BE DETERMINED |
 8-7 |
||
| SOUTH 3  12-3 |
6 9-6 |
|
| CLINCHED | ||
| WEST 2  12-3 |
8-7 |
|
| CLINCHED | ||
| NORTH 1  14-1 |
||
| CLINCHED |
NFC Playoff PictureThe NFL Schedule post is the first post of 2012, because it took so long for me to find out for sure what Compass was doing that I just gave up. With no SNF Flex Schedule Watch, the playoff picture moves back to the Schedule post; this is one point in favor of putting the playoff picture on this post full-time.
Week 17 never feels like a regular season week, especially with the double double-header, and the NFL has made it less so in recent years. On the other hand, there are a grand total of three games this weekend with no meaning whatsoever other than draft picks no one cares about because they aren’t the Luck pick, and I’ll show you what’s at stake in every one.
If all games go according to the point spread, your playoff teams are, according to ESPN’s Playoff Machine: AFC = byes: Patriots and Ravens; Titans @ Texans, Steelers @ Broncos; NFC = byes: Packers and Niners; Falcons @ Saints, Lions @ Giants.
What is the Median Expected Score?
| Away | MXS | Home | Time (ET) | TV | DTV | Announcers | SIRIUS | Notes | |
| Away | Home | ||||||||
#26 (5-10) |
18¾-26¾ | #T15 (7-8) |
Sun 1:00 PM |  |
711 | Ron Pitts, Charles Davis | 139 | 92 | Aaaaaaand the very first game is one of those meaningless ones as the former Dream Team looks to end on a high note. |
| #7(10-5) |
22¾-18¾ | #1(14-1) |
Sun 1:00 PM | |
712 | Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick, Laura Okmin | 85 | 104 | Well, the Lions have no chance to lock down the 5 against the Packers! …what’s that? They aren’t unbeaten and are resting everybody? Oh. |
| #14(8-7) |
18¼-21¼ | #23 (5-10) |
Sun 1:00 PM |  |
704 | Greg Gumbel, Dan Dierdorf | 86 | 136 | Jets are fighting for a playoff spot, but the Dolphins are more dangerous than they look. |
#22 (6-9) |
23¼-30¾ | #2(12-3) |
Sun 1:00 PM | |
707 | Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Pam Oliver | 138 | 125 | Yeah, the Saints are playing for a bye, but you know the Fox slate is lame when Buck and Co have the early spot on a doubleheader. |
| #4(12-3) |
23¼-12¼ | #32 (7-8) |
Sun 1:00 PM | |
709 | Chris Myers, Tim Ryan | 137 | 117 | The Rams should make it easy for the Niners to lock down a first-round bye. |
#21 (7-8) |
19½-21½ | #T28 (3-12) |
Sun 1:00 PM | |
708 | Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa | 135 | 94 | Another meaningless game as the Bears just try to finish at .500. |
| #17(8-7) |
20½-18½ | #9(10-5) |
Sun 1:00 PM | |
706 | Bill Macatee, Steve Tasker | 106 | 128 | The Texans have nothing to play for, but tell me the Titans won’t force a strength-of-victory tiebreaker for the last spot. |
#31 (2-13) |
16¾-20¼ | #27 (4-11) |
Sun 1:00 PM | |
710 | Spero Dedes, Steve Beuerlein | 113 | 112 | It’s the final resolution of the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes! |
#25 (6-9) |
19¾-30¼ | #3(12-3) |
Sun 1:00 PM | |
705 | Don Criqui, Randy Cross | 134 | 93 | The Patriots can lock down the AFC’s #1 seed; anyone want to tell them they don’t deserve it? |
| #6(11-4) |
20-13½ | #T28 (4-11) |
Sun 4:15 PM | |
716 | Kevin Harlan, Solomon Wilcots | 135 | 92 | The Steelers need a win if they want the division crown and a first-round bye. |
#24 (6-9) |
17-20 | #13(8-7) |
Sun 4:15 PM | |
717 | Jim Nantz, Phil Simms | 132 | 86 | For all Tebow’s magic, he needs it to last one more game to get into the playoffs at all. |
| #5(11-4) |
20½-18 | #10(9-6) |
Sun 4:15 PM | |
715 | Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts | 134 | 94 | The Ravens want to lock down the division, but Dalton and the Bengals can lock down a playoff spot. |
#19 (7-8) |
19-22 | #20 (7-8) |
Sun 4:15 PM | |
714 | Sam Rosen, Chad Pennington | 139 | 112 | Our last meaningless game means a second NFC East team will finish at .500 for once! |
#30 (4-11) |
17½-28 | #8(9-6) |
Sun 4:15 PM | |
713 | Dick Stockton, John Lynch | 136 | 117 | With only one playoff spot still to go in the NFC, this is what passes for a Fox feature game: Atlanta maybe playing for the 5. |
#18 (7-8) |
22½-25½ | #T15(8-7) |
Sun 4:15 PM | |
718 | Marv Albert, Rich Gannon | 85 | 93 | The Raiders could claim the division – but have an outside shot at the wild card if they don’t. |
| #12(8-7) |
22-26 | #11(8-7) |
Sun 8:20 PM |  |
Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya | 92 | 93 | Final game of the regular season is the NFC East title game. | |