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And now we have two. The Cowboys have become the second NFL team to clinch a 2021 playoff berth, joining the Packers. Yes, we’re aware that the Cowboys were not one of the teams on the field Thursday night in Nashville, Tennessee. But the 49ers’ loss to the Titans secured the Cowboys’ spot, based on playoff scenarios confirmed Thursday morning by the league. The Titans haven’t clinched anything yet, but they can secure the AFC South title as early as Sunday if the Colts lose to the Cardinals.
What follows is a preview of our weekly snapshot of the NFL’s playoff picture, incorporating ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) and a bit of our own instincts to give you a sense of the stakes. We’ve threaded playoff and/or division clinching scenarios for a handful of teams, and we’ll update how it all worked out on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Note: X denotes a team that has clinched a playoff berth, Y shows a team that has clinched its division and Z indicates a team that has secured a first-round bye.
Jump to: AFC | NFC
AFC
FPI chances to make playoffs: 99%
FPI chances to win division: 93%
The Chiefs were at one point 3-4, but they have won seven consecutive games and are getting better results — if not better play-to-play efficiency — than any team in the NFL. They no longer have to worry about losing the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Chargers, and they can clinch the AFC West this weekend with a win over the Steelers and a Chargers loss to the Texans. And they have a 53% chance to get the first-round bye, per ESPN’s FPI. The Chiefs can also simply clinch a playoff berth this week with a win.
Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Bengals, at Broncos
FPI chances to make playoffs: 97%
FPI chances to win division: 91%
Current projected first-round matchup: vs. Chargers
The Titans had lost three of their past four games before Thursday night’s comeback victory over the 49ers. The win knocked them up one spot in the AFC standings, but the Patriots will leapfrog them with a win…
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Source : espn
