AFC Playoff Picture

Looking at how tight the NFC playoff race is for our Minnesota Vikings, I decided to look at the AFC picture as well. There are still many teams lurking around trying to make the post season. Teams like Buffalo, Tennessee, Denver, Houston and Denver.

It is all wrapped up as far an New England and Indianapolis are concerned, while San Diego is one win away from clinching the AFC West Division. Denver lost last night to the surprising Houston Texans, almost assuredly knocking the Denver Broncos from the playoff picture. The Broncos now sit at 6-8 on the season and are one loss away from elimination. A win on Sunday at home against the Detroit Lions will clinch the division for the Chargers, and put the Lions on the brink of playoff elimination. The only other AFC division not settled would be the AFC North.

The Pittsburgh Steelers currently hold a one game lead over the Cleveland Browns. With a combination of a Steelers win and a Browns loss, or two Steelers wins, Pittsburgh will clinch their division. The Steelers have beaten the Browns twice this season and hold the tie breaker over the Browns. By winning out or by beating Buffalo and Cincinnati or San Francisco, Cleveland can still make the playoffs. Listed below are the division leaders and a look at the Wild Card race in the AFC.

Current Division Leaders:

New England Patriots--Clinched AFC East

Indianapolis Colts--Clinched AFC South

San Diego Chargers--One win away from clinching the AFC West

Pittsburgh Steelers--Two wins away, or a one win and a Cleveland loss away from clinching the AFC North

AFC Wild Card Race (Listed by order of playoff entrance): Records in parenthesis

Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4) Current Wild Card Leader--One win away from clinching the Wild Card spot. If Jacksonville wins this week against Pittsburgh, the worst case scenario would be they end up at 10-6. The only other team to catch them would be Buffalo, and they hold the tie breaker over the Bills with a win in their head-to-head match up. Jacksonville also has the tie breaker over Tennessee, Houston and Denver. The Jaguars remaining schedule is: December 16 @ Pittsburgh, December 23 Oakland and December 30 @ Houston

Cleveland Browns (8-5) Current Wild Card Leader--Cleveland is only one game behind the Pittsburgh Steelers from the division title. In order for Cleveland to win the division, they must win out, and the Steelers must lose two of their final three games. Pittsburgh has the tie breaker over Cleveland for the title. However, the Browns can still make the final Wild card spot with two wins and one Buffalo and Tennessee loss. The Browns control their own destiny. With a win over Buffalo this weekend, they will have the tie breaker over the Bills. With a win over Buffalo and Cincinnati or San Francisco, Cleveland will win the Wild card spot.

Buffalo Bills (7-6)--The Buffalo Bills also control their own destiny. If the Bills can win out they will make the playoffs. They can make the playoffs with one loss, but must beat Cleveland and New York or Philadelphia to win a Wild Card spot. A loss this weekend will all but eliminate the Bills. Buffalo still plays on December 16 @ Cleveland, December 23 new york Giants and December 30 @ Philadelphia

Tennessee Titans (7-6)--Tennessee must win out and hope for one Buffalo loss and two Cleveland losses. Cleveland currently holds the tie breaker over Tennessee with a better conference record, so Tennessee must have a better record than the Browns. Tennessee has games on December 16 @ Kansas City, December 23 New York Jets, and December 30 Indianapolis. A tough road for this Titan's team to hoe, but is possible.

Houston Texans (7-7) For the Texans to make the playoffs they must win out and hope that Cleveland loses out, while Tennessee loses two games and Buffalo loses to Cleveland. If the Bills win over the Browns this weekend, Houston is eliminated.

Denver Broncos (6-8) dark horse--Must win out and hope that Cleveland and Tennessee lose all three, while Houston and Buffalo lose two of their final three match ups. By winning out and the other three teams losing, Denver will make the playoffs. The Broncos will be eliminated with one Cleveland or Tennessee win the remainder of the season.

This is the best look I can give you for the AFC playoff race. A lot of theses teams need things to happen and win themselves. However, teams like Jacksonville, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Tennessee are still very much alive in the playoff race. Many of these teams control their own destiny, while teams like Houston and Denver are only in it mathematically. this weekend should clear up this race quit a bit.