Who can clinch a playoff spot in Week 17?

As the regular season wanes, each week brings with it a fresh opportunity for some teams to clinch playoff spots. Check out every possible scenario for each conference below, and predict the playoffs here:

CLINCHED: Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks

ELIMINATED: New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles

The Cowboys clinch home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with: a win plus a Cardinals loss or tie and a Lions-Packers tie.

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Who can clinch a playoff spot in Week 17?

Falcons" turnaround sends them to brink of playoffs

It was a wave that would have made Queen Elizabeth proud: There was Atlanta Falcons defensive end Osi Umenyiora, the football in his right hand and 50 yards of unfettered green in his field of vision, turning back toward the north end zone of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday and using his left hand to say goodbye to the New Orleans Saints, figuratively and literally.

A few hours after completing the 86-yard fumble return that closed out the Falcons‘ 30-14 victory — setting up a winner-take-all showdown with the Carolina Panthers at the Georgia Dome next Sunday for the NFC South title — Umenyiora put his team’s surprising revival in perspective, recalling a late-October collapse that would have made London Bridge seem historically sturdy by comparison.

Eight weeks earlier at Wembley Stadium, after blowing a 21-0 halftime lead and making a series of unconscionable late-game mistakes in a 22-21 defeat to the Detroit Lions, the Falcons flew home from London carrying a looming sense of doom. With a 2-6 record, a five-game losing streak and an embattled head coach in Mike Smith, Atlanta — just two seasons removed from a heartbreaking NFC championship game defeat — looked headed for oblivion.

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Falcons" turnaround sends them to brink of playoffs

Cardinals, Colts, Lions among least convincing winning teams

Fifteen weeks into the 2014 NFL campaign, eight teams boast double-digit win totals:

» Arizona Cardinals (11-3)
» Denver Broncos (11-3)
» New England Patriots (11-3)
» Dallas Cowboys (10-4)
» Detroit Lions (10-4)
» Green Bay Packers (10-4)
» Indianapolis Colts (10-4)
» Seattle Seahawks (10-4)

But of course, not all double-digit winners are created equal. Which is the least-convincing team with 10-plus wins?

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Cardinals, Colts, Lions among least convincing winning teams

Lions ride Matt Prater"s leg to win vs. Vikings

DETROIT — It was the type of kick that always seems to go through the uprights against the Detroit Lions.

Nobody has ever made a field goal from 68 yards in an NFL game, but when Minnesota’s Blair Walsh lined up at that distance on the final play Sunday, there were some nervous folks at Ford Field.

"Stranger things have happened to us," Detroit offensive lineman Rob Sims said. "But maybe this is our time. Maybe things are changing."

Walsh’s kick came up short and wide to the left, and Detroit held on for a 16-14 victory over Minnesota.

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Lions ride Matt Prater"s leg to win vs. Vikings

Kirk Ferentz sees Brandon Scherff as first-round draft pick

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Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz considers Hawkeyes offensive tackle Brandon Scherff compares favorably with a number of the top former Iowa linemen in the NFL, such as the Baltimore Ravens’ Marshal Yanda and former first-round picks Riley Reiff (Detroit Lions) and Bryan Bulaga (Green Bay Packers). And according to the Des Moines Register, Ferentz anticipates Scherff, a senior, to be a first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, at the same time.

"It Is not about the combine items, although Brandon’s got freakish strength and explosion," Ferentz said. & quot;But lots of men can not take that to the field. Brandon’s got the power to do this, also. He is a rare man."

Uncommon enough to earn Big Ten Rimington-Rate Offensive Lineman of the Year honours with a vote of the league’s coaches. In a league known for road-grading offensive linemen, Scherff beat out the likes of Wisconsin’s Rob Havenstein, Michigan State centre Jack Allen and Ohio State guard Pat Elflein for the award.

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Kirk Ferentz sees Brandon Scherff as first-round draft pick

NFL declares Week 15 flex scheduling, Week 16 Saturday slate

As the regular season nears its final month, playoff races continue to heat up across the NFL. As a result of adaptive scheduling, more supporters throughout the nation will have the ability to see these significant competitions.

The league on Sunday declared the finalization of both Week 15’s flex program and Week 16’s Saturday doubleheader. The Week 15 1 p.m. ET competition between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns and the 4:25 p.m. ET match between the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions will both be broadcast on FOX.

The reversal of network — a fresh element of the flex scheduling procedure called "cross-bending" — for the Cincinnati-Cleveland game brings an instate competition into a bigger audience as both teams fight for supremacy in a closely contested AFC North.

A classic NFC North matchup between recognizable foes takes the 4:25 p.m. time slot when the Vikings travel to Ford Field to take on the upstart Lions.

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NFL declares Week 15 flex scheduling, Week 16 Saturday slate

Redskins" relevancy in November isn"t completely out of reach

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Here Is the backstory to among the significant minutes of Week 8, the Washington Redskins’ thrilling overtime triumph over the Dallas Cowboys on "Monday Night Football". The Redskins’ shocking road win behind a third-string quarterback, along with the Detroit Lions’ recovery from 21 down to defeat the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium in London as well as the Arizona Cardinals’ victory in the "Conflict of the fowl" having a late touchdown and last-second defensive stand are nominees for the GMC Never Say Never Minute of the week. Cast your vote for the GMC Never Say Never Minutes of Week 8.

Colt McCoy

A longtime division competition. A third-string quarterback returning to his home state to play the team he rooted for. An injury into a star quarterback. A team owner springing into action, removing himself from his luxury box perch to head to the sidelines. All the subplots as well as the spectacular on-the-field theatrics helped make for among the very memorable Monday night games in recent memory.

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Redskins" relevancy in November isn"t completely out of reach

Ankle injury sidelines Lions" Calvin Johnson vs. Falcons

The Detroit Lions will again be without star receiver Calvin Johnson.

Megatron tested out his ankle pregame, running around the field at Wembley Stadium in London, where the Lions will take to the Atlanta Falcons, but the wide receiver was not able to play. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported the Lions’ hope was to get Johnson a complete month of rest, per a source told of the Lions’ selection.

it’ll be the third consecutive missed match for Johnson. Detroit, 5-2, won the preceding two tussles. Yet, Matthew Stafford as well as the Lions’ offense have fought without their Pro Bowl receiver. 

There was some confidence that Megatron, who had been restricted in practice all week, could play before the international crowd. Finally, the Lions determined the most wise move was to give their playmaker an additional week of rest. They expect to have Johnson back in the field following their Week 9 bye.

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Ankle injury sidelines Lions" Calvin Johnson vs. Falcons

Rams surprise in more ways than one against Seahawks

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Here Is the backstory to among the significant minutes of Week 7, the St. Louis Rams’ astonishing (in more ways than one) win over the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. The Rams’ startling win, along with the Detroit Lions’ fourth quarter comeback victory on the New Orleans Saints as well as the Buffalo Bills’ last-second win over the Minnesota Vikings are nominees for the GMC Never Say Never Minute of the week. Cast your vote for the GMC Never Say Never Minutes of Week 7.

Johnny Hekker

The Rams built a substantial 21-3 lead, and then begin to see the defending champs chip away at that once-cozy edge and threaten to send the area team household with a different crushing defeat. The Rams, as you may remember, smashed out to a 14-0 lead on the visiting San Francisco 49ers in a Week 6 "Monday Night Football" confrontation, and then succumb to an avalanche of points — 24 unanswered — in a 31-17 loss. Rather, Rams coach Jeff Fisher excavated deep to the old bag of tricks to pull out a tight win in thrilling style.

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Rams surprise in more ways than one against Seahawks

Browns" long journey back to respectability picking up steam

This is the backstory to one of the great moments of Week 5, the Cleveland Browns pulling off the largest road comeback in the 95-year history of the NFL and the biggest comeback in franchise history. The Browns‘ rally from a 25-point deficit to beat the Tennessee Titans, as well as the Buffalo Bills‘ last-second road win over the Detroit Lions and the New Orleans Saints‘ overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are nominees for the GMC Never Say Never Moment of the week. Cast your vote for the GMC Never Say Never Moments of Week 5.

Brian Hoyer

The Browns‘ long journey back to respectability is picking up steam. However, it seemed dead in the water at around 2:15 p.m. ET on Sunday, when the Titans took a commanding 28-3 lead. The saying "same old Browns" likely crept into the minds of many a football fan. Another thought that likely permeated the minds of fans was "when will we see Johnny Manziel in at quarterback?" Instead, first-year Browns coach Mike Pettine stuck with his man, veteran signalcaller Brian Hoyer, and the result was a comeback for the ages.

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Browns" long journey back to respectability picking up steam

Joining the dots: Where NFL scouts were Saturday

Which NFL teams are scouting which school matches this weekend? From College Football 24/7’s press box operatives around the country directly to you, here is a glance at the teams that were credentialed to attend some of the largest matches in college football Saturday:

Clemson at FSU: Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, San Diego Chargers, New York Jets. Three top players involved: Clemson (defensive end Vic Beasley, linebacker Stephone Anthony, defensive lineman Grady Jarrett); FSU (tackle Cameron Erving, cornerback P.J. Williams, defensive end Mario Edwards).

Miami at Nebraska: Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers. Three top players involved: Miami (linebacker Denzel Perryman, running back Duke Johnson, offensive lineman Ereck Flowers); Nebraska (defensive end Randy Gregory, running back Ameer Abdullah, receiver Kenny Bell).

Florida at Alabama: Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Three top players involved: Alabama (receiver Amari Cooper, safety Landon Collins, defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson); Florida (offensive tackle Chaz Green, defensive end Dante Fowler, cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III).

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Joining the dots: Where NFL scouts were Saturday

Fines roundup: Muhammad Wilkerson docked $20K for fight

Muhammad Wilkerson’s ejection not only possibly cost his team a win from the Green Bay Packers last Sunday. It brought some cash from his pocket.

The New York Jets defensive lineman was penalized $20,000 for his part in an on-field altercation that contained a hit to the head of Packers guard Josh Sitton during the third quarter of his team’s 31-24 loss to Aaron Rodgers and Co. 

Here’s who else stood by their telephones (and checkbooks) Friday.

» Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Dwan Edwards fined $8,268 for a late hit on Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.

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Fines roundup: Muhammad Wilkerson docked $20K for fight

One Preview: Highest passers on display in Detroit

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One trusted preview. One crucial variable to decide the match. It is that straightforward.

Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX) — One of the NFL’s longest-running competitions revives when the Lions host the Packers. The competition continues to be one sided lately: The Packers have won five of the past six matchups, and gone 22-4 against the Lions dating back to the 2001 season. All time, the Packers hold a 96-66-7 border.

After a hapless Week 1 performance from the Seattle Seahawks, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was his more recognizable self in a 31-24 win on the New York Jets in Week 2. His 346 yards passing last week helped him move previous Professional Football Hall of Famer Bart Starr for second in the team’s all time passing yardage list (24,732 yards to 24,718). Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford had an opposite experience, flourishing in a Week 1 win on the New York Giants but fighting in a Week 2 defeat in the hands of the Carolina Panthers. To change the Lions’ fortunes from the Packers, Stafford must perform better than he’s lately against Green Bay. Stafford is 1-6 against the Packers, has thrown two or more touchdowns in only two of those seven matches and a couple of interceptions in five of these seven matches.

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One Preview: Highest passers on display in Detroit

14 first-rounders, including 6 of top 10, started in Week 1

A bit less than half of the 2014 first-round picks — 14 of 32 — started their first NFL games this past weekend.

Also of interest: Three undrafted free agents were among the 35 rookie starters.

Seven teams started at least two rookies, with the Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders starting three each. There were eight teams that started zero rookies: the Chicago Bears, the Denver Broncos, the Detroit Lions, the New England Patriots, the New Orleans Saints, the Philadelphia Eagles, the San Diego Chargers and the Tennessee Titans.

The total of 35 rookie starters was four fewer than in 2013, 15 fewer than in ’12 and 12 fewer than in ’11. In the past 10 seasons, the 35 rookie starters was the sixth-most; it also was behind the 39 that started in 2010 and the 36 in 2008. It was ahead of the 34 in 2006, the 32 in 2007 and ’09 and the 26 in ’05.

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14 first-rounders, including 6 of top 10, started in Week 1