With 18 games to go, NFL playoff scenarios coming into focus

Eighteen games remain in the 2011 NFL season: Bears-Packers tonight, Falcons-Saints tomorrow and 16 games on New Year’s Day. Here’s a rundown of how each team still in contention can have its playoff position affected by the results of those 18 games: Patriots: Clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs by beating Buffalo or by…