Instant Alert: 6 teams are fighting for the final 3 spots in the NFL playoffs — here's what each team needs

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6 teams are fighting for the final 3 spots in the NFL playoffs — here's what each team needs

by Tyler Lauletta on Dec 28, 2017, 5:23 PM

It's the final weekend of the NFL regular season, but there is still plenty of business to be settled before we settle in for the playoff push.

While there is still a jumble of seeding to be arranged in both conferences that will come down to numerous tiebreakers on Sunday, nine teams — the Patriots, Steelers, Jaguars, Chiefs, Eagles, Vikings, Rams, Saints, and Panthers — have all punched their tickets to the postseason. For the remaining three spots in the playoffs, six teams remain in contention.

You can dive into every possible playoff permutation of the NFC and AFC through these useful graphics, but for those simply interested in who's in and who's out, there's a few key games you'll especially want to keep your eye on.

Below we break down every team that's still fighting to extend their season. All playoff percentages based on FiveThirtyEight's projections.

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons have the simplest path to the playoffs — beat the Panthers this week and they're in. Depending on how things fall, it's possible that these teams would meet again in the Wild Card round, but for now Atlanta fans should keep their thinking simple. Win and you're in.

Should the Falcons fall to the Panthers, they can still sneak into the playoffs if the Seahawks fall at home to the Cardinals, but that seems like an risky proposition, and Atlanta would much prefer to take care of business on their own.

Paths to the playoffs:

Falcons win
Seahawks lose
Falcons tie, Seahawks tie

Current chances: 70%

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks can't get into the playoffs without help — they need not only to win but for the Falcons to stumble against the Panthers in order to keep playing into the postseason. Luckily for them, the Panthers still have something to play for, as they can potentially win their division with a win, meaning that Seattle don't have to put their hopes on a team that's showing up dead on arrival.

Paths to the playoffs:

Seahawks win, Falcons lose or tie
Seahawks tie, Falcons lose

Current chances: 30%

Baltimore Ravens

For the Ravens, a spot in the AFC playoffs is all but secured. They control their own fate, and are playing the Bengals at home, so simply win and they won't have to worry about any other games on Sunday.

But should the Ravens stumble against the Bengals, they'd still be able to get a spot in the Wild Card round with a Bills loss to the Patriots or a Titans loss to the Jaguars. With so many outs remaining for Baltimore, fans should feel pretty comfortable about their postseason chances. Still, it's never settled until the final whistle has blown.

Paths to the playoffs: