We didn’t learn much about the AFC playoff picture this week. The Ravens and Patriots seem like the cream of the crop in the AFC. Both those teams are poised to secure byes and the only thing in doubt is whether Baltimore or New England will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Texans are flawed and are in a battle with the Colts for the AFC South. The Chiefs should win the AFC West. The wild cards will be a battle between the loser of the Texans-Colts battle, the Buffalo Bills, the Oakland Raiders, and maybe the Steelers or the Browns. Yes, somehow the Browns are still alive, folks.
AFC East
New England Patriots 9-1
The Patriots have one concern: their offense. The New England defense can’t keep bailing out the other side of the football. That hasn’t been the case for a long time in New England. The good news for the reigning Super Bowl champion is that they only play one very good defense the rest of the schedule. The Cowboys should be a good defense but haven’t really shown it on the field. The Texans and Chiefs can be scored upon. There’s probably two losses left on the schedule, but 13 wins should be enough to get the top seed unless the Ravens continue to dominate opponents.
Remaining Schedule: Cowboys, @Texans, Chiefs, @Bengals, Bills, Dolphins
Buffalo Bills 7-3
The Bills need to beat the Broncos or their playoff hopes are in deep trouble. The four games after Week 12 are in tough situations where they play the Cowboys, Steelers, and Patriots away and have to try and stop the Ravenswhich doesn’t look possible right now. What looked like an easy path to the playoffs now looks a little scary.
Remaining Schedule: Broncos, @Cowboys, Ravens, @Steelers, @Patriots, Jets
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens 8-2
There is one real potential loss on the Ravens schedule at this point and that game is at home where they will be favored against the Niners. The rest of their contests are winnable games. Baltimore looks like the best team in the AFC and if the Patriots slip up, the Ravens will have the inside track to top seed in the AFC.
Remaining Schedule: @Rams, Niners, @Bills, Jets, @Browns, Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers 5-5
The Steelers did not look like a playoff team when they lost to the Browns on national television Thursday Night. Of course, that could all change in the upcoming weeks. They just have to win five out of their next six games. That seems easy.
Speaking of the Browns, they have to run the table. They will make this list when they are back to .500.
Remaining Schedule: @Bengals, Browns, @Cardinals, Bills, @Jets, @Ravens
AFC South
Indianapolis Colts 6-4
The Colts already beat the Texans once this year, and if they want to win the AFC South, they’ll have to do it again in Houston this Sunday. The only other obvious lost for the Colts would be at New Orleans, but Indianapolis plays to its level of competition so it wouldn’t be surprising if they slipped up against the Titans or Panthers. We do know that the Colts are a much better team when Jacoby Brissett is healthy.
Remaining Schedule: @Texans, Titans, @Bucs, @Saints, Panthers, @Jaguars
Houston Texans 6-4
The Texans do this every year. Just when we think we can believe in Houston, they lay an absolute dud against a good team and prove they are just a level below the elite teams in the AFC. No one is going to be scared of them when they make the playoffs. They’ll win in the first round and then lose to Baltimore or New England. Houston should still win the AFC South, but last week’s performance was disappointing.
Remaining Schedule: Colts, Patriots, Broncos, @Titans, @Bucs, Titans
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs 7-4
Kansas City is not the wagon it was last year but they will scare whoever they play in the playoffs. Their offense isn’t as explosive and they’ve had some tough injuries to deal with all season. They struggle to stop the run. They could have lost to the Chargers in Mexico City if Philip Rivers wasn’t intent on passing the ball to Kansas City all the time. They could still run the table and make things interesting when it comes to the bye.
Remaining Schedule: Raiders, @Patriots, Broncos, @Bears, Chargers
Oakland Raiders 6-4
Remaining Games: @Jets, @Chiefs, Titans, Jaguars, @Chargers, Broncos
The Raiders could realistically — and should be — 7-4 coming into their game against the Chiefs in Kansas City. No one thought they would be where they are right now. Even if the Raiders were to lose that game and drop to 7-5 a 2-2 record in their final four games could put them in position for a wild card.
Projected Finishes and Seeding next . . .
1 Seed: Baltimore Ravens (13-3)
2 Seed: New England Patriots (13-3)
3 Seed: Kansas City Chiefs (12-4)
4 Seed: Houston Texans (11-5)
5 Seed: Oakland Raiders (10-6)
6 Seed: Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
