The National Football League should be grinning ear-to-ear. Every season, we hear about how much parity there is within the league and how every team has a chance to make some noise. In 2014, that is certainly true in the wild AFC.
Of the 16 teams, 12 have a legitimate chance to make the postseason with only the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans, New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars being eliminated. With three weeks, almost everything is completely up for grabs.
Here is how the AFC playoff picture looks:
1. New England Patriots (10-3)
2. Denver Broncos (10-3)
3. Indianapolis Colts (9-4)
4. Cincinnati Bengals (8-4-1)
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5)
6. San Diego Chargers (8-5)
In the hunt
7. Baltimore Ravens (8-5)
8. Houston Texans (7-6)
9. Miami Dolphins (7-6)
10. Kansas City Chiefs (7-6)
11. Buffalo Bills (7-6)
12. Cleveland Browns (7-6)
At the top, New England beats Denver out on the head-to-head tiebreaker. At the bottom, the Steelers beat out the Ravens due to divisional record and the Chargers on conference record. Of the 7-6 teams, Houston and Miami are ranked via conference record, with Kansas City holding an advantage on Buffalo and Cleveland for the same reason.
This week, the Patriots host the Dolphins. Considering it will take 10 wins to make the playoffs, Miami is in deep trouble here as New England hasn’t lost a home game all year. Should the Patriots win out against the Dolphins, Bills and Jets, they earn home-field throughout the playoffs.
Denver hits the road to play San Diego. With a win, the AFC West belongs to the Broncos and almost assuredly earns a bye week, thanks to a tiebreaker over the Colts via their Week 1 win.
Speaking of Indianapolis, it can clinch the AFC South by beating the visiting Texans. Houston basically needs to win out to make the playoffs but faces a daunting challenge. The Texans are facing the Colts, Ravens and Jaguars with Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm. Yikes.
Baltimore should take care of business and hammer Jacksonville at home, while Pittsburgh hits the road to play the Falcons. This has been a game the Steelers would lose this year, already having losses to the Jets, Buccaneers and Saints. That said, Pittsburgh has a dynamic offense going against a brutally bad Atlanta defense.
Keeping with the AFC North, Cincinnati travels to Cleveland in an pseudo elimination game. If the Browns lose, they have seven losses and still travel to Carolina and Baltimore. Should the Bengals lose, they have five losses and still play the Broncos and Steelers. This should add some sizzle to the Battle of Ohio.
Kansas City is reeling. The Chiefs have not stopped the run at all, ranking dead last in yards allowed per carry at 4.9. However, Kansas City controls its own destiny. Should the Chiefs win their last three games, starting with the Raiders in Arrowhead, they will make the playoffs. With a visit to Pittsburgh and a home game against San Diego, the Chiefs are very much alive and dangerous.
Buffalo is clinging to life but will likely be finished off at home against the Green Bay Packers. The defense is great, but Kyle Orton will have a tough time hanging with Green Bay’s potent attack.
