AFC Playoff Picture

[iknowftbll]

Posted on another forum I frequent:

Unless someone on the bubble gets hot, I think we may see an 8-8 team claim that #6 playoff seed.

Look at the 6-6 teams' remaining schedules:

Ravens: vs Vikings, @ Lions, vs Patriots, @ Bengals. They could easily go 1-3 against that slate. I don't see them going 3-1.

Dolphins: @ Steelers, vs Patriots, @ Bills, vs Jets. Their last two road games can go either way. It helps that they get the Patriots at home, and the finale is a winnable game. I see them going no worse than 2-2, and 3-1 isn't a stretch really. But a road trip to Pittsburgh followed by three divisional games is a tough way to close out a season.

How about some of the 5-7 teams?

Titans: @ Broncos, vs Cardinals, @ Jaguars, vs Texans. They are most likely going to be outgunned by the Broncos. If that game doesn't eliminate them, a tilt against the Cardinals (an NFC bubble team) has the potential to do so.

Steelers: vs Dolphins, vs Bengals, @ Packers, vs Browns. I honestly think this is your #6 seed based on the remaining slate. With three home games and the lone road game against a seemingly free-falling Packers team. Already with 7 losses, the Steelers probably need to sweep it to get in. But that's not that big of a stretch, really.

Chargers: vs Giants, @ Broncos, vs Raiders, vs Chiefs. This is another team that can potentially sweep its remaining slate if Rivers gets hot and stays that way. He's had a pretty good season. Obviously the biggest hurdle for them to clear is their last road game of the season: in Denver. But if they come out of that one 7-7 I think they will be a real contender.

Jets: vs Raiders, @ Panthers, vs Browns, @ Dolphins. The fact that this team is being discussed as a bubble team after 12 games is not only a surprise to me, but a small victory for a team that was being discussed as having a top 5 draft pick this spring before the season started. With that said, the Raiders and Browns games can go either way, but I don't see them beating on the road the Panthers or the Dolphins. Especially if the Dolphins are still in the playoff hunt in the last week of the season.

I'm not going to discuss the 4-8 teams. I've got to draw the line somewhere. But if one of them sweeps their remaining four games and enough of the above teams lose the right combination of games, then I suppose it's not impossible for the Browns, Raiders or Bills to get in by the skin of their teeth at 8-8. But those teams are all essentially one loss away from elimination, and none of them have shown enough this season to suggest any of these teams are capable of ripping a four game streak.

With all that said, I am willing to take a stab at the final AFC playoff seeds:

1. Broncos: 14-2 (sweep remaining slate)

2. Patriots: 13-3 (sweep remaining slate)

3. Bengals: 11-5 (1 additional loss to Steelers)

4. Colts: 10-6 (1 additional loss to Bengals, 1 additional loss to Chiefs)

5. Chiefs: 12-4 (1 additional loss to Chargers)

6. Steelers: 9-7 (sweep remaining slate)

If I'm right, this will give us some intriguing matchups on Wild Card Weekend. The Steelers and Bengals will be an AFC North tilt in the playoffs and the last time that happened, the wild card Steelers knocked off the AFC North Champion Bengals and went on to win the Super Bowl. Meanwhile Chiefs @ Colts would feature two teams that dominated the first half of the season but have struggled down the stretch and essentially limped across the finish line. One of them will have to win that game.

What say the fans?

 

[cdumler7]

This 6th seed is about as hard to figure out as it has ever been. So many teams still in the hunt and you just never know who is going to get the lucky breaks and get hot here at the end of the year. Now of the 6-6 teams I like the Dolphins chances of coming out of the season with a better record but then again Baltimore has been playing better lately so hard to really tell between the two. I do think it comes down to one of them since they do have the one game lead on the 5-7 teams. Not sure how all the tie breakers would play out. Of the 5-7 teams I like the chances of the Steelers above the rest.


Now come playoff time of that group that you listed I think the Chiefs and Patriots are the only real threats at this time. I know I know any given Sunday kind of thing but them and us seem like the best rosters at this time to be able to make a good playoff run.

 

[WalkerBoh]

Here are our playoff scenarios this week:


Denver can clinch a playoff berth with:

1. WIN or TIE
2. MIA loss/tie
3. BAL loss/tie

 

[randymon]

All I know right now is I want Pats "in" Denver. Unless Pats get beat ( highly unlikely) their destined to meet in AFC championship. I wouldn`t rule out Ravens yet either. Ravens/Steelers have the only chance to knock off Pats. Andy Dalton takes away Bengals chances at moving on. Nobody else out there in AFC could challenge beside those two and of course the Chiefs. Don`t like thought of a gm 3 with them.....IMO of course gents

 

[MRVegas]

All I know is that the NFL deserves another Manning/Brady AFCCG. I don't care where its played but I do want it in bad weather. Broncos are just a better team than the Pats IMO, so the inclement weather evens it out a bit. Not a fan of either team, just a football fan who appreciates these two QB's and what a legendary game that could be.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I would prefer a Bengals vs. Broncos show down in the AFCC game.

Brady has had enough chances.

 

[Broncosr0k]

I would prefer a Bengals vs. Broncos show down in the AFCC game.

Brady has had enough chances.

I can handle that. Boston has won enough shit over the past decade to last them many years. Also, If they broncos and patriots do play I want it in Denver. Seems like Denver is always going to Foxborough to play.

 

[iknowftbll]

If some of these early scores hold up, the Patriots will not even be in position for a first round bye, and the Bengals will slide up to the #2 spot. With that said, the Browns have just a 12 point lead, and there is still a lot of time for the Pats to do their thing. It'll be harder for them with Gronkowski coming out of the game like that.

 

[WalkerBoh]

Broncos clinch the West with a win and a KC loss this next week (week 15)

 

[iknowftbll]

Broncos clinch the West with a win and a KC loss this next week (week 15)

And for now they've clinched a playoff spot. And by beating the Titans, they helped the Colts back into an AFC South title even though the Colts pretty much got owned by the Bengals yesterday.

 

[cdumler7]

I'm liking what I am seeing from the Bengals over the last couple of weeks. Going down to San Diego playing a team fighting for the last playoff spot and getting the win then just dismantling the Colts (why couldn't we have played the Colts when they became a shell of themselves?). Right now whether it is New England in the 2 or 3 seed and same with the Bengals it looks like it will be those two possibly facing off in the divisional round with us maybe having to play the Chiefs a stinking 3rd time this season. At least that would be my prediction right now.

 

[iknowftbll]

The Broncos loss puts the Patriots back in the driver's seat for the #1 seed. But the Patriots have back to back road games at Miami and Baltimore. That's two desperate playoff bubble teams, much like the Broncos just got through with the Titans and Chargers. The Pats play the Dolphins this week and will have to adjust without Gronk. Keep in mind, this team went something like 6-2 without Gronk to start the season, so I don't know why so many are predicting the end of their season.

Meanwhile the Chiefs flat out steamrolled the Redskins and that may have rejuvenated their season. Their offense has been playing better, and their defense made an appearance after a three-week hiatus. Since losing their first game against the Broncos the Chiefs have been averaging 37 ppg, with some scores on defense and ST helping their cause. While Sunday's game is just one data point, it shows what this team can do if they get all three phases of the game in gear. And if the #4 and #5 seeds hold up, this Chiefs team will face off against a floundering Colts team that has already clinched, but many believe is limping into the playoffs.

It's a huge disappointment that the Broncos lost to the Chargers, but it's better to drop one now than in a few weeks. Meanwhile there are some good games on the slate this week that can really go a long way toward shaping the AFC playoff picture.

 

[Broncosr0k]

I think the patriots can still make some noise, Belichick has proven he can make adjustements. The difference between this team and the 6-2 on is that this team is a little more banged up and a little more tired. I don't see them dropping 3 straight but I can definitely see them losing to the dolphins or ravens.

Chiefs look like they could make a bit more noise that previously believed. I can't decide if I would rather face them or the bengals in the playoffs.

 

[iknowftbll]

The Patriots had a chance to knock the Broncos out of the #1 spot. Instead the Dolphins were too much for them and now they risk being bumped from the #2 seed if the Bengals win tonight.

The Fins slide into the #6 slot at least temporarily, pending the outcome of the Monday Night game. And the Chiefs held serve against the Raiders winning a pretty high scoring affair 56-31 in Oakland.

This is a pretty flawed slate of playoff teams as it appears right now. The Broncos defense hasn't looked good lately but they still have the talent to put it together in time for a playoff run. The way I see it, there is no team in the playoff picture that stands out as "unbeatable." Every team has some weaknesses that can be exploited. One of these teams is going to put together a run, though and I see no reason to believe that team can't or won't be the Broncos.

 

[DownSetHutch]

Here's my Christmas wish list for the Broncos to play in the playoffs (I'm going to assume we have a first round bye):

Ravens.

Patriots.

Seahawks or Niners.

This would likely be the toughest road to a Super Bowl win and it would allow us to get some revenge along the way. That would be pretty satisfying.

Of course, if the Broncos are going to win it all, they are going to have to get better on defense before the playoffs start. I can see this happening if they get healthy.