While the Raiders' path to the playoffs has cleared a bit after this weekend's games, clinching their first postseason appearance since the 2002 season will require some help.First of all, the Raiders have to beat an already-eliminated and possibly-disinterested San Diego Chargers team Sunday in the season finale at the O.co Coliseum. Lose or tie, and the Raiders are eliminated.To win the AFC West, the Raiders must win and Denver must either lose to or tie Kansas City at home.In that scenario, the Raiders would win the division, the No. 4 seed in the AFC bracket and play host to a wild-card round playoff game, against either Pittsburgh or Baltimore.For the Raiders to claim the last wild card spot, two scenarios are in play: a Raiders win, plus a Cincinnati loss at home to Baltimore and a Tennessee loss on the road to or tie against Houston; or a Raiders win, plus a Cincinnati home loss to Baltimore and a New York Jets victory at Miami.Win the wild card, and the Raiders are the No. 6 seed and travel to Houston for a wild-card round game.In any other scenario, the Raiders are on the outside looking in on the Super Bowl tournament.The Jets and Titans each play at 10 a.m. PT on Sunday, while the Raiders, Broncos and Bengals all kick off at 1:15 p.m. PT.First things first, of course, but would you rather see the Raiders as a wild card facing the T.J. Yates-led Texans on the road, or as a division champ at home against the Steelers or Ravens?Following, then, is the updated look at the NFL's playoff picture, with one week to go:2011 NFL PLAYOFF SCENARIOS FOR WEEK 17AFCCLINCHED:New England Patriots -- East Division and a first-round bye.Houston Texans -- South Division. Baltimore Ravens -- wild card spot.
Pittsburgh Steelers -- wild card spot.OAKLAND RAIDERSOakland clinches AFC West Division: 1) OAK winDEN loss or tie 2) OAK tieDEN loss Oakland clinches a wild card spot:
1) OAK winCIN lossTEN loss or tie
2) OAK winCIN lossNYJ winNEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs:
1) NE win or tie 2) BAL loss or tiePIT loss or tieBALTIMORE RAVENSBaltimore clinches AFC North Division and a first-round bye:
1) BAL win 2) BAL tiePIT loss or tie 3) PIT loss
Baltimore clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs: 1) BAL winNE lossPITTSBURGH STEELERSPittsburgh clinches AFC North Division and a first-round bye:
1) PIT winBAL loss or tie
2) PIT tieBAL loss
Pittsburgh clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs: 1) PIT winBAL loss or tieNE lossDENVER BRONCOS Denver clinches AFC West Division: 1) DEN win 2) DEN tieOAK loss or tie 3) OAK lossCINCINNATI BENGALS
Cincinnati clinches a wild card spot:
1) CIN win or tie 2) NYJ loss or tieOAK loss or tie
3) NYJ loss or tieDEN loss or tieNEW YORK JETS
NY Jets clinch a wild card spot:
1) NYJ winCIN lossTEN loss or tieOAK loss or tie
2) NYJ winCIN lossTEN loss or tieDEN loss or tieTENNESSEE TITANS
Tennessee clinches a wild card spot: 1) TEN winCIN lossNYJ winOAK loss or tie 2) TEN winCIN lossNYJ winDEN loss or tie 3) TEN winCIN lossNYJ loss or tieOAK winDEN win NFC CLINCHED: Green Bay Packers -- North Division and home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs.San Francisco 49ers -- West Division.New Orleans Saints -- wild card spot.Detroit Lions -- wild card spot. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERSSan Francisco clinches a first-round bye:1) SF win2) SF tieone NO loss or tie3) one NO lossNEW ORLEANS SAINTS New Orleans clinches NFC South Division:
1) one NO win or tie
2) one ATL loss or tie
New Orleans clinches a first-round bye:
1) two NO winsSF loss or tie
2) one NO winone NO tieSF loss NEW YORK GIANTS
NY Giants clinch NFC East Division: 1) NYG win or tieDALLAS COWBOYS
Dallas clinches NFC East Division: 1) DAL winATLANTA FALCONS Atlanta clinches NFC South Division: 1) two ATL winstwo NO losses
Atlanta clinches a wild card spot:
1) one ATL win or tie
2) one CHI loss or tie
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