subject: Five teams have already clinched a playoff berth in the AFC [print this page] Five teams have already clinched a playoff berth in the AFC
Unlike the NFC where the picture is yet not as clear, the AFC has just one more playoff ticket at steak to be decided between Indianapolis and Jacksonville.
In the battle for the number one seat in the AFC North the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens continued with their head-to-head dispute for one more week, as none of them is willing to call a truce. Both teams will be looking for their 12 win of the season on Week 17 where everything will be decided. Steelers will put an end to their regular season on the road against the Cleveland Browns, while Ravens receive the Cincinnati Bengals.
Despite not knowing yet who will finish first, both of them have clinched playoff berth already and are fighting to avoid the Wild Card Round. In terms of tie breakers the Steelers (4-1) have the lead over Ravens (3-2) in best win percentage in division games. In head-to-head confrontations they are tied (Week 4 Ravens won by 17-14 and on Week 13 they lost by 13-10), as well as in win percentage in conference games (8-3).
In the AFC East there is nothing pending, as the New England Patriots have clinched division and home field thanks to their 13-win season. The NY Jets have had to conform themselves with a wild card, as their 10-win record is insufficient for more. New England will try to finish the regular season with an 8-win streak, and in order to do so they must defeat at home the Miami Dolphins. The Jets will say goodbye to their fans against the division rivals Buffalo Bills, whom they already defeated on the road by 38-14 on Week 4.
The AFC West is a closed deal too, as the Kansas City Chiefs have won the division and will be advancing to the playoffs. San Diego Chargers' eight-win season is useless to fight for a wild card spot since at least ten wins are needed in order to be eligible. The Chargers could turn it into nine if they defeat the Denver Broncos at the Invesco Field on January 2, but it would still be insufficient to make it the postseaosn. The Chiefs will be closing their regular season appearances against the Oakland Raiders at home, in the Arrowhead Stadium, venue where they will look for their 11th victory and third in a row.
Things are more interesting in the AFC South where the Indianapolis Colts have come from behind with a three-win streak to replace the Jacksonville Jaguars as the leaders. The Colts began with their first place take over on Week 15 against the Jaguars precisely, whom they defeated by 34-24 to even their records at 8-6. One week later they where going to benefit from the Jaguars' loss to the Washington Redskins by 20-17 in the overtime, that added to their 31-26 road win against the Raiders gave them the solo lead of the division.
With a win against the Tennessee Titans on Week 17 the Colts would be clinching division independently from the result between Jaguars and Houston Texans. The Titans will have all the support from the Jaguars, as they need the Colts to lose that game. But that is not all, as the Jaguars also need a road-win against the Texans. These results would give the Jaguars a better divisional record (4-2) over the Colts (3-3) in case of tie breaker.
