This late in the NFL season, a lot of games are meaningless, featuring teams that are already mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. But it can be hard to keep straight which games matter and which games don’t.
So here’s your handy guide to Week 16 in the NFL, with six games that have playoff implications for both teams, six games that have playoff implications for one team, and four games matching up two teams that are already mathematically eliminated:
PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS FOR BOTH TEAMS
Washington-Philadelphia (Saturday): Washington clinches the NFC East with a win. Philadelphia controls its own destiny in the NFC East with a win.
Patriots-Jets: The Patriots clinch home-field advantage with a win. The Jets can stay in wild card contention with a win but become an extreme long shot to make the playoffs if they lose.
Packers-Cardinals: Both teams have clinched an NFC playoff berth but are jockeying for seeding. The Cardinals clinch a first-round bye with a win. The Packers clinch the NFC North with a win and a Vikings loss.
Panthers-Falcons: The Panthers clinch home-field advantage with a win. The Falcons still have slim playoff hopes, though they’ll have to win out and get a lot of help.
Giants-Vikings (Sunday night): The Vikings clinch a playoff spot with a win, and the Giants need to win to stay alive in the NFC East. That could change before kickoff, however, as the Vikings would clinch a playoff spot on Sunday afternoon if either the Falcons lose or the Seahawks win, and the Giants would be eliminated if Washington wins on Saturday.
Bengals-Broncos: The Bengals clinch a first-round bye with a win. The Broncos clinch the AFC West with a win and a Chiefs loss, and clinch a playoff spot with a win and either a Jets loss or a Steelers loss.
PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS FOR ONE TEAM
Texans-Titans: The Texans can clinch the AFC South with a win and some help. The Titans are playing for the first overall pick in the draft, so Titans fans may be hoping for a loss.
Browns-Chiefs: The Chiefs still have a shot at the AFC West title, and if they win out they’re guaranteed at least a wild card. The Browns are long since out of it, and their best-case scenario for Weeks 16-17 may be two losses and a Titans win, which would send the first overall pick to Cleveland.
Steelers-Ravens: The Steelers clinch a wild card spot if they win and the Patriots beat the Jets. The Ravens are out of it.
Colts-Dolphins: The Colts still have a chance at the AFC South title, though they’ll need the Texans to lose. The Dolphins are out of it, though interim coach Dan Campbell may be hoping that a two-game winning streak to end the season could earn him the job on a permanent basis.
Jaguars-Saints: The Jaguars still have a very slim shot at the AFC South title. The Saints are out of it.
Rams-Seahawks: The Seahawks have already clinched a wild card, so the only thing that this game can affect is whether they’re the No. 5 seed or the No. 6 seed in the NFC. The Rams are out of it.
PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS FOR NEITHER TEAM
Chargers-Raiders (Thursday night): Both teams are mathematically eliminated.
49ers-Dolphins: Both teams are mathematically eliminated.
Cowboys-Bills: Both teams are mathematically eliminated.
Bears-Buccaneers: Both teams are mathematically eliminated.
