This is how the chances of all teams stand on the last day of the game

In the US league of American football, the last round before the playoffs is coming up. For many teams there is still a lot at stake – but due to a game cancellation, the situation is a bit confusing.

The game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills was abandoned Tuesday night after Bills defensive end Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest and required CPR. The 24-year-old has now woken up from his coma and is able to communicate.

The NFL meanwhile announced that it would not make up for the game. The last day of the regular season will take place this weekend, with Buffalo and Cincinnati playing their scheduled games against New England and Baltimore, respectively. That’s what the final day of the NFL is all about.

The games of the last round

American Football Conference (AFC)

The race for 1st place

The best team in each conference gets a bye in the first playoff round. In the AFC, three teams are still fighting for this privilege. Actually, the Buffalo Bills were in the best starting position because they won the direct duel with the Kansas City Chiefs. This decides in the event that two teams have the same balance sheet. But with Buffalo one win (and one game) fewer than Kansas City, the Chiefs are now in pole position.

How the Chiefs take 1st place:

Here’s how the Bills take #1:

While only quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen now have a chance at number one, Cincinnati would have had at least outsider chances if they beat Buffalo. To do that, they would have had to beat Baltimore, while Kansas City lost to Las Vegas. That is no longer possible, and Cincinnati still has to tremble for victory in the AFC North division.

The race for the remaining playoff spots

In addition to Kansas City, Buffalo and Cincinnati, the Los Angeles Chargers and the Baltimore Ravens are sure to be in the playoffs. Baltimore still has a chance to secure the AFC North and enjoy home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. A win on the last matchday would be a special case. Since they would then have the same number of wins as Cincinnati but one more loss, the Bengals would actually be ahead. However, the owners of the 32 NFL teams have agreed that in this case a coin would be tossed to determine who gets to play the first playoff game in their own stadium.

How the Ravens take 1st place in the AFC North:

Two playoff spots are still up for grabs. One of them goes to the winner of the AFC South division. Here’s an easy way to explain who gets it. On the last day of the game, there is a duel between the two rivals from Jacksonville and Tennessee. The winner of the game (Sunday morning, 2:15 am) qualifies for the playoffs.

In the race for the third wild card, however, things get more complicated. Three teams are still fighting for a place in the playoffs: the New England Patriots, the Miami Dolphins and the Pittsburgh Steelers. They all have eight wins and eight losses. So the last match day decides everything. After last weekend’s win against Miami, New England go into the final round with an advantage thanks to their best record against AFC teams.

Here’s how the Patriots get the wild card:

Here’s how the Dolphins get the wild card:

Here’s how the Steelers get the wild card:

It will be an exciting race for the last wild card. New England, which will definitely be in the playoffs if they win, has a decisive disadvantage at the same time. While Pittsburgh with Cleveland and Miami with the Jets have opponents who have already been eliminated, Patriots opponent Buffalo must win. All three games take place on Sunday at 7 p.m. In the unlikely event that all three teams lose, Jacksonville would be in even if they lost to Tennessee – New England, Miami and Pittsburgh would then be out.

These teams from the AFC have already been eliminated:

National Football Conference (NFC)

The race for 1st place

There is still a lot at stake in the NFC on the last day of the game. And here, too, there are still a lot of possible scenarios. Philadelphia remains the favorite, but Dallas and San Francisco also have chances.

How the Eagles take 1st place:

How the 49ers take 1st place:

How the Cowboys take 1st place:

The race for the other playoff places

Division winners San Francisco (NFC West), Minnesota Vikings (NFC North) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFC South) are seeded. So does Philadelphia and Dallas, who are still fighting a long-distance duel for the triumph in the NFC East. With the New York Giants comes another playoff participant from this division. The third wild card is still hard fought. Three teams can still hope for it: the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks.

Here’s how the Packers get the wild card:

Here’s how the Seahawks get the wild card:

Here’s how the Lions get the wild card:

The game between Green Bay and Detroit on Monday night (2.20 a.m.) could be very exciting. But Seattle would have to win against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday evening (10:25 p.m.), otherwise the Lions would definitely have been eliminated. For the Rams, however, it’s really about nothing – at most they can spoil the division rivals’ participation in the playoffs.

These teams from the NFC have already been eliminated:

You might also be interested in: