How the _ _ Can _

Sunday is the last day of the N.F.L. regular season. With 16 games remaining, there are about 43 million different ways the N.F.L. regular season could end. How many of those put the _ in the playoffs? (Or, a different result… win the division get a wild card get a bye get a #1 seed get a #2 seed get a #3 seed get a #4 seed get a #5 seed get a #6 seed make the playoffs .) Far too many to check by hand.

So we built this simulator. Most calculators force you to choose the winners of each remaining game. Here, you can choose the outcomes of just a few games and see how your team’s chances grow or shrink.

See what happens if the _ win… or if they lose… or tie. Unsure

Color highlights particularly important games: outcomes in green help the _’ odds, while those in pink hurt them. As you choose outcomes, the color changes to reflect the new effect of other games.

Now explore the remaining games on the schedule, and we will walk you through the ’ most important scenarios.

Week 16 VISITOR WINS HOME WINS TIE UNSURE THU Titans Jaguars SAT Eagles Redskins Chargers 49ers SUN Browns Panthers Lions Bears Ravens Texans Vikings Dolphins Falcons Saints Patriots Jets Chiefs Steelers Packers Buccaneers Giants Rams Colts Cowboys Bills Raiders Seahawks Cardinals MON Broncos Bengals RESET

Week 17 VISITOR WINS HOME WINS TIE UNSURE SUN Panthers Falcons Browns Ravens Lions Packers Jaguars Texans Chargers Chiefs Jets Dolphins Bears Vikings Bills Patriots Eagles Giants Bengals Steelers Saints Buccaneers Colts Titans Cowboys Redskins Raiders Broncos Cardinals 49ers Rams Seahawks RESET

The Patriots are in, and they have clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs. No button on this simulator can change that.

The Bills had a shot going into Week 16, but they are out. Whether they punted away their season is another matter.

The Cowboys have a chance for a bye week, but the outcome of their game has almost nothing to do with those chances. If the Cardinals and the Seahawks both lose, the Cowboys get a bye. Otherwise, barring a Packers-Lions tie, the Cowboys will be the No. 3 seed and host the No. 6 seed.

The Bengals’ win Monday night against the Broncos secured their place in the postseason, but much about their postseason is in the air. If they lose on Sunday in Pittsburgh, they play as a wild card as the #5 seed. If they win, they will host their first playoff game, whether it’s in the wild-card round or a week later. If the Bengals win and the Broncos lose to the Raiders, the Bengals will get the #2 seed and a bye.

The Steelers are in, playing for the division and the right to host their first playoff game in the wild card round. If they beat the Bengals, their first playoff game is at home.

The Ravens are on the cusp and need help to get in the playoffs; a wild card is their only hope. Beating the Browns to close out the season will only get them halfway there; they’ll also need the Chiefs to beat the Chargers.

The Lions are in the playoffs, and depending on what happens on Sunday, they could end up as the top seed — with a bye week and home field advantage throughout the playoffs — or as low as the #6 seed, playing their first playoff game on the road.

A win at Lambeau field on Sunday guarantees the Lions a bye week. At that point, they need help to get the top seed. They will get it if both the Cardinals and Seahawks lose. If either team wins, the Lions get the #2 seed.

A win against the Lions gives the Packers the N.F.C. North and a first-round bye in the playoffs. A win and a Seahawks loss would give the Packers home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. A loss gets them the #6 seed as a wild card.

Barring a Steelers-Bengals tie, the Colts are locked into the 4th seed and will host their first playoff game.

The Texans’ odds are slim, and their best hope is the last wild card spot in the A.F.C. To do that, they would need to win while the Ravens and Chargers lose.

The Panthers’ playoff hopes are dead simple: win and they’re in.

The Falcons’ playoff hopes are dead simple: win and they’re in.

With their loss to the Bengals on Monday night, the Broncos need to beat the 3-12 Raiders to get a bye week. They could still get a bye with a loss, but they’d need the Steelers to beat the Bengals. Otherwise the Broncos would be the #3 seed.

If the Chargers win their final game, they will make the playoffs. If they lose, they will not.

The Chiefs need help to make the playoffs; beating the Chargers would be just the start. They would also need two games to end favorably, with Ravens and Texans losses.

Once on top of the N.F.C., the Cardinals are now most likely to end up as a wild card. But if they beat the 49ers on Sunday, the Cardinals could still get a first-round bye if the Rams beat the Seahawks The top seed – and home field advantage throughout the playoffs – could still happen, too, if the Packers and Seahawks both lose.

The Seahawks are a win away from the top seed in the N.F.C. and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. But if they lose, the best they can do is the #3 seed.