With the NFL post-season race heating up, we break down the slate of games in the AFC. Which of Week 15’s matchups will affect the playoff picture?
If the season ended today…
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)
Which teams have clinched? None
Which teams have been eliminated? New York Jets (2-11), Tennessee Titans (2-11), Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11), Oakland Raiders (2-11)
Who can clinch in Week 15?
Denver Broncos: The Broncos can clinch a second-straight AFC West title with a win over the San Diego Chargers Sunday. Denver can also clinch a first-round bye in the playoffs, two different ways:
1) DEN win + IND loss + CIN loss + PIT loss or tie OR
2) DEN win + IND loss + CIN loss + DEN clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over PIT
Should Denver fall to the Chargers, they can clinch a playoff berth if any of the following scenarios unfold this week:
1) MIA loss or tie + HOU loss or tie + CIN loss + PIT loss OR
2) MIA loss or tie + HOU loss or tie + BAL loss + CLE loss or tie OR
3) MIA loss or tie + HOU loss or tie + BAL loss + PIT win
New England Patriots: A win over the Miami Dolphins Sunday and the Patriots will clinch their 12th AFC East title since 2001. Bill Belichick’s squad faces similar scenarios as the Broncos in terms of locking up a first-round bye:
1) NE win + IND loss + PIT loss or tie + CIN loss or tie OR
2) NE win + IND loss + PIT loss or tie + DEN loss
And clinching a playoff berth despite a Week 15 loss:
1) BUF loss or tie + CIN loss + PIT loss + BAL loss + HOU loss or tie OR
2) BUF loss or tie + CIN loss + PIT loss + KC loss or tie + SD loss OR
3) BUF loss or tie + HOU loss or tie + KC loss or tie + SD loss + BAL loss
Indianapolis Colts: A win over the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium will earn Andrew Luck and Co. their second consecutive AFC South title.
Week 15’s AFC game to watch:
Denver Broncos (10-3) at San Diego Chargers (8-5): Despite some uncharacteristic play from Peyton Manning, the Broncos have won three straigh. A win would put the Chargers right back into the division race, while a loss could put a big dent in the team’s post-season aspirations in the jam-packed AFC. It doesn’t help that Denver has won 11 consecutive road games against divisional opponents.
The rest of the relevant Week 15 games:
Miami Dolphins (7-6) at New England Patriots (10-3): The Dolphins kicked off the season with a shocking win over the Patriots, and now need a victory in New England to stay alive in the race to the playoffs. It won’t come easy. The Patriots – looking to become just the sixth team in NFL history to win six-straight division titles – are undefeated in Foxboro this season, and haven’t loss a regular season game at Gillette Stadium since Dec. 2012.
Cincinnati Bengals (8-4-1) at Cleveland Browns (7-6): Johnny Manziel’s first NFL start couldn’t come at a more crucial time for the Browns. Cleveland squandered a great opportunity to gain some ground in the AFC after falling to the Colts on a last-minute touchdown last week, and now can’t afford to drop another game; especially a divisional matchup. The AFC North-leading Bengals are in a similar position, with the Steelers and Ravens hot on their tails.
Houston Texans (7-6) at Indianapolis Colts (9-4): Thanks to stellar play from J.J. Watt and Arian Foster, the Texans are clinging to their playoff hopes after a pair of wins against two of the league’s worst in the Titans and Jaguars. A loss to Luck and the Colts in Indianapolis this week would likely put an end to all that and secure the division crown for their opponents.
Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5) at Atlanta Falcons (5-8): Sitting as the fifth seed in the AFC heading into Week 15 thanks to a spectacular fourth-quarter showing against the Bengals, the Steelers are on the verge of either taking the lead in the AFC North or joining the “In The Hunt” crowd again, depending on how Sunday’s game against the Falcons plays out.
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11) at Baltimore Ravens (8-5): Due to their big loss in Pittsburgh earlier this season, the Ravens are on the outside looking in with three weeks to go. But with a win over the hapless Jaguars at home – where Baltimore is 4-2 – and a loss from either the Bengals or Steelers (or, even better, both), John Harbaugh’s team would jump into a post-season position and control its own destiny.
Green Bay Packers (10-3) at Buffalo Bills (7-6): Technically the Bills are still alive, but with the red-hot Packers coming to town, it looks like their playoff drought will stay intact heading into 2015. In order to play in January for the first time since 1999, Buffalo needs to win out and get some help from the other teams they’re battling with in the AFC. One thing the Bills have in their favour: the Packers have NEVER won in Buffalo.
Oakland Raiders (2-11) at Kansas City Chiefs (7-6): There’s no two ways around it, the Chiefs just aren’t that good right now. Since racking up five-straight wins between Oct. 19 and Nov. 16, the Chiefs have lost three in a row and are averaging just 16 points a game over that stretch. Against whom did this skid begin? You guessed it, the Raiders. Another loss to Oakland would seal the Chiefs’ fate.
