postseason scenarios ... going into the final weekend of regular season football, new england and cincinnati are tied for 3rd in the afc with identical 10-5 records ... if the season were to end today, the patriots would be seeded 3rd and the bengals 4th based on the fourth tiebreaker ... strength of schedule (115 vs 105 opponent wins) ... new england would host the jets, baltimore would travel to cincinnati ... but the season will not end until near midnight on sunday when the cincinnati vs new york jets game is done ... so, going into the weekend, playoff possibilities look like this

win or lose, the patriots and bengals are division winners and will host a playoff game wild card weekend ... who will be seeded 3rd and 4th is now dependent on the outcome of sunday's new england at houston and cincinnati at new york jets games ... and if the tiebreaker is needed, on results of games involving teams on the patriots and bengals schedules

if the new york jets (8-7) and baltimore ravens (8-7) win their sunday games, they are in the playoffs as wild card teams ... if either loses, the door opens for other 8-7 teams <> denver, jacksonville, pittsburgh and miami in that order