Week 17 Playoff Scenarios Spelled Out

[MHSL82]

1. If KC wins and Denver wins, the Chiefs play the Texans regardless of what any other team does, though the 3rd, 6th, 2nd, and 1st seeds could change around.

2. If KC wins and Denver loses, the Chiefs will likely host Denver in the WC round. UNLESS:
2a. If the Jets lose, KC will instead host the Steelers.
2b. If the Jets and Steelers lose, KC will host the Jets.

3. If KC loses and Denver wins, the Chiefs will likely play the Broncos on the road. UNLESS:
3a. If the Jets lose, KC will play the Texans on the road.
3b. If the Jets win and the Bengals lose, KC will play the Bengals on the road.

4. If KC and Denver lose, the Chiefs will play Denver on the road. UNLESS:
4a. If the Jets lose, KC will play the Texans on the road.

IN OTHER WORDS:

Kansas City will host Denver if: KC wins, Denver loses, and Jets win.

Kansas City will host the Jets if: KC wins, Denver loses, and the Jets and Steelers lose.

Kansas City will host the Steelers if: KC wins, Denver loses, the Jets lose, and the Steelers win.

Kansas City will play Denver on the road if: KC loses, Denver wins, the Jets win, and Bengals win.

Kansas City will play Denver on the road if: KC loses, Denver loses, and the Jets win.

Kansas City will play the Bengals on the road if: KC loses, Denver wins, Jets lose, and Bengals lose.

Kansas City will play Houston on the road if: If Denver and KC wins.

Kansas City will play Houston if: KC loses, Denver wins, and the Jets lose.

Kansas City will play Houston if: KC, Denver, and Jets lose.

 

[MHSL82]

The Jets, Bengals, and Steelers play before we do.

If the Jets and Bengals win:

1. Kansas City will host Denver if we win and they lose.
2. Kansas City will play Denver on the road if we lose, regardless of what Denver does.
3. Kansas City will play the Texans if we both win.

If Jets win and Bengals lose:

1. Kansas City will host the Jets if we win and Denver loses.
2. Kansas City will play the Texans if we lose and Denver wins.
3. Kansas City will play Denver if we both lose.

If the Jets lose, Bengals win, and Steelers win:

1. Kansas City will host the Steelers if we win and Denver loses.
2. Kansas City will play the Texans on the Road if Denver wins, regardless of what we do.

If the Jets lose, Bengals lose, and Steelers win:

1. Kansas City will host the Steelers if we win and Denver loses.
2. Kansas City will play the Bengals on the road if we lose and Denver wins.
3. Kansas City will play the Texans if we both lose.

If the Jets, Bengals, and Steelers lose:

1. Kansas City will host the Jets if we win and Denver loses.
2. Kansas City will play the Bengals on the Road if we lose and Denver wins.
3. Kansas City will play the Texans if we both lose.

There might be more, but I have to go right now.

 

[MHSL82]

The key seems to be the Jets winning. Kansas City wants them to win if they don't want to play the Steelers or Bengals. If the Jets lose and KC doesn't want to play the Steelers, it might be better to lose or for Denver to win.

Having said that, I think KC could beat or lose to the Steelers. I don't think the Steelers are as strong as people make them out to be, but I think they had their wake up call.

 

[MHSL82]

2015 NFL Week 17 playoff scenarios

 

[MHSL82]

I'll try to simplify this:

• If the Chiefs win the AFC West because in week 17 the Chiefs win and the Broncos lose, the Chiefs would seed third and host the Wild Card playoff against one of the following:
1) The Broncos (if the Jets win)
2) The Jets (if the Jets and Steelers both lose)
3) The Steelers (if the Jets lose and the Steelers win)

• If the Chiefs win but the Broncos also win (or if the Chiefs lose but the Jets also lose), the Chiefs would seed fifth and play on the road against the eventual winner of the AFC South:
1) The Texans (if in week 17 either the Texans win, the Colts lose, or the Colts win but fail to tie with the Texans in the Strength of Victory tie-breaker and go on to win the Strength of Schedule tie-breaker)
2) The Colts (only if all of the following happen: The Colts win, the Jaguars win, the Steelers win, the Broncos win, the Falcons win, the Bills win, the Dolphins win, the Ravens win, and the Raiders win)

• If the Chiefs lose and the Jets win, the Chiefs would seed sixth and play on the road against one of the following:
1) The Bengals (if the Broncos win)
2) The Broncos (if the Broncos lose and the Bengals win)