NFL Week 17 Playoff Scenarios - Miami Dolphins Look to End New York Jets AFC Championship Game Streak

The final week of the 2011 season is almost here, and with it, the final chance for teams to make it to the post season. In the AFC, four of the six playoff spots have already been claimed, with one wildcard position still up for grabs, along with the AFC West division winner. The Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati Bengals, and New York Jets all can make a play for that final wild card slot.

Which is what brings us to this week's New York Jets at Miami Dolphins contest. It seems like every time these two teams meet at the end of the season, it is to decide if at least one of them is going to the playoffs. In 2008, the AFC East Division title went to Miami due to a Week 17 win over the Jets. This year, the Jets are looking for a win, and a some help (Bengals loss and Denver or Oakland loss/tie). Each of the previous two seasons, the Jets have made it to the AFC Championship game, both ties sliding into the playoffs as a Wildcard.

The Dolphins can end that this week with a win over their archrival in Miami. Despite having yet another losing season, and another long year for the fans, the Dolphins can go out on a high note, carry some momentum into the offseason, and make a lot of fans happy as they prevent Rex Ryan and the Jets from making the playoffs as well.

Continue reading to see the full Playoff Scenario for this week.

2011 NFL PLAYOFF SCENARIOS FOR WEEK 17

AFC

CLINCHED: New England Patriots - AFC East and a first-round bye
Houston Texans - AFC South
Baltimore Ravens - playoff spot
Pittsburgh Steelers - playoff spot

New England Patritos
New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
1) NE win or tie OR
2) BAL loss or tie + PIT loss or tie

Baltmore Ravens
Baltimore clinches AFC North division and a first-round bye with:
1) BAL win OR
2) BAL tie + PIT loss or tie OR
3) PIT loss

Baltimore clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
1) BAL win + NE loss

Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division and a first-round bye with:
1) PIT win + BAL loss or tie OR
2) PIT tie + BAL loss

Pittsburgh clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
1) PIT win + BAL loss or tie + NE loss

Denver Broncos
Denver clinches AFC West division with:
1) DEN win OR
2) DEN tie + OAK loss or tie OR
3) OAK loss

Oakland Raiders
Oakland clinches AFC West division with:
1) OAK win + DEN loss or tie OR
2) OAK tie + DEN loss

Oakland clinches a playoff spot with:
1) OAK win + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie OR
2) OAK win + CIN loss + NYJ win

Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati clinches a playoff spot with:
1) CIN win or tie OR
2) NYJ loss or tie + OAK loss or tie OR
3) NYJ loss or tie + DEN loss or tie

New York Jets
New York clinches a playoff spot with:
1) NYJ win + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie + OAK loss or tie OR
2) NYJ win + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie + DEN loss or tie

Tennessee Titans
Tennessee clinches a playoff spot with:
1) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ win + OAK loss or tie OR
2) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ win + DEN loss or tie OR
3) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ loss or tie + OAK win + DEN win

NFC

CLINCHED: Green Bay Packers- NFC North and home-field advantage
San Francisco 49ers- NFC West
New Orleans Saints- NFC South
Detroit Lions- playoff spot
Atlanta Falcons- playoff spot

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco clinches a first-round bye with:
1) SF win OR
2) SF tie + NO loss or tie OR
3) NO loss

New Orleans Saints
New Orleans clinches a first-round bye with:
1) NO win + SF loss or tie OR
2) NO tie + SF loss

New York Giants
New York clinches NFC East division with:
1) NYG win or tie

Dallas Cowboys
Dallas clinches NFC East division with:
1) DAL win