AFC

1) New England Patriots 11-2 (8-2)
2) Pittsburgh Steelers 10-3 (8-2)
3) Kansas City Chiefs 8-5 (5-5)
4) Jacksonville Jaguars 8-5 (7-3)
5) Baltimore Ravens 9-4 (7-3)
6) New York Jets 9-4 (7-3)
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San Diego Chargers 7-6 (6-4)
Indianapolis Colts 7-6 (5-4)
Miami Dolphins 7-6 (5-5)
Oakland Raiders 6-7 (4-5)

AFC Wild Card
(6) New York Jets at (3) Kansas City
(5) Baltimore at (4) Jacksonville

AFC Divisional Playoffs
(2) Pittsburgh bye
(1) New England bye

- Kansas City currently holds the No. 3 seed based on head-to-head tiebreaker over Jacksonville.
- Baltimore currently holds the No. 5 seed based on head-to-head tiebreaker over the New York Jets


NFC

1) Atlanta Falcons 11-2 (8-1)
2) Chicago Bears 9-4 (7-3)
3) Philadelphia Eagles 9-4 (6-3)
4) St. Louis Rams 6-7 (4-6)
5) New Orleans Saints 10-3 (8-2)
6) New York Giants 9-4 (7-2)
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Green Bay Packers 8-5 (6-4)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 8-5 (6-3)

- Chicago currently holds the No. 2 seed based on head-to-head tiebreaker over Philadelphia.
- Philadelphia currently leads the NFC East based on head-to-head tiebreaker over the New York Giants.
- St. Louis leads the NFC West based on head-to-head tiebreaker over Seattle.

NFC Wild Card
(6) New York Giants at (3) Philadelphia
(5) New Orleans at (4) St. Louis

NFC Divisional Playoffs
(2) Chicago bye
(1) Atlanta bye

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers 10-3
Baltimore Ravens 8-4

remaining games

Pittsburgh (10-3)
New York Jets
Carolina
at Cleveland


Baltimore (8-4)
at Houston
New Orleans
at Cleveland
Cincinnati


- Pittsburgh can clinch a playoff berth with one more win. They can also clinch with some teams losing but one more win in any game would guarantee Pittsburgh a playoff berth.
- If Pittsburgh defeats Carolina and Cleveland they'll clinch the AFC North and at least a first round bye.
- If Pittsburgh defeats the N.Y. Jets and Carolina they do not clinch the AFC North unless Baltimore loses to either Houston or New Orleans.
- Right now if Pittsburgh won the next two and lost to Cleveland they would finish 12-4 but if Baltimore wins out they would finish 12-4 and at this moment Baltimore would have the edge based on a complicated tiebreaker which would be decided based on strength of victory.

AFC South

Jacksonville 8-5
Indianapols 7-6

remaining games

Jacksonville (8-5)
at Indianapolis
Washington
at Houston


Indianapolis (7-6)
Jacksonville
at Oakland
Tennessee


- If Indianapolis defeats Jacksonville and wins the remaining two games they will win the AFC South.
- I believe Jacksonville can clinch the AFC South with a win over Indianapolis.

AFC West

Kansas City 8-5
San Diego 7-6

remaining games

Kansas City (8-5)
at St. Louis
Tennessee
Oakland


San Diego (7-6)
San Francisco
at Cincinnati
at Denver

- San Diego needs to win out and have Kansas City lose one of the remaining games.

I could see the Jets losing two of their last three. That could knock them out. Right?

Jets play

at Pittsburgh
at Chicago
Buffalo

They'll probably win two of those but if they lose next week to fall to 9-5 the pressure will be on.

If they only finish 10-6 there are some teams that can catch them. Indy could beat Jacksonville and then both teams finish 10-6.

San Diego and Kansas City are in similar positions. Both can still finish 10-6.

11-5 is safe ground, 10-6 is potential trouble

The AFC runs through New England this year. Can the Patriots be stopped?.....I don't think so.

aren't the Browns still in the playoff hunt? lol...I couldn't stop laughing typing that.

that is funny......I peed myself a little

The Pats are looking pretty solid but it is still the NFL so I say yes they can be stopped.

Patriots are the clear favorite but it only takes one bad game to pull the upset.

I remember the Steelers got crushed by the Colts on Monday night in 2005 and then went back to Indy and beat them in the playoffs.

some big games next week with playoff implications:

San Francisco (5-8) at San Diego (7-6) on Thursday - must win for both teams

Kansas City (8-5) at St. Louis (6-7)
Philadelphia (9-4) at N.Y. Giants (8-4)
New Orleans (10-3) at Baltimore (8-4)
Jacksonville (8-5) at Indianapolis (7-6)
Atlanta (11-2) at Seattle (6-7)
New York Jets (9-4) at Pittsburgh (10-3)
Green Bay (8-5) at New England (11-2) - Sunday night

Non;598967 wrote:Patriots are the clear favorite but it only takes one bad game to pull the upset.

I remember the Steelers got crushed by the Colts on Monday night in 2005 and then went back to Indy and beat them in the playoffs.

I'll take the Patriots, you can have the rest of the league. They don't beat themselves. Brady was 27-40 for 369 yds......IN A SNOWSTORM

I don't want the rest of the league.

I'm confident the Steelers can go to New England and beat em next time.

I'd love for the chance. I think the Steelers all remembered how over-the-top Brady was being in that game.....those things can come back to haunt you.

The Pats can be beat. They only beat the Ravens by 3 the first time so I am sure it's not out of the realm of possibility.

Baltimore would be a tough game for the Patriots. I have to admit.

They won at New England last year in the playoffs and lost in OT this year.

The Ravens have gone away from the run a little too much I think, putting too much on Flacco.

They have the ability to play a little more smashmouth and be balanced with Ray Rice.

.....but since Thanksgiving....the Pats are just messing with everyone....scoring at will

Right now, I don't think anyone can hold them under 28 pts.

You have to score about 27-30 points even if your defense plays well.

That's a stretch for teams like Pittsburgh and Baltimore but not impossible. Both offenses have that potential if they execute really well on that day.

The Steelers got out prepared when they played the Patriots. New England played Sunday and lost to Cleveland and they quickly went back to the film room on Monday and had a good week of practice.

The Steelers played Monday that week against Cincinnati and they had a lot of injuries, guys didn't practice until like Thursday. It was also their first game playing with Jonathan Scott at left tackle.

If it's the AFC Championship, the Steelers will be a lot better prepared. I'm not saying they would win but I think they'll play a more competitive game all-around in that situation with the Super Bowl at stake.

Non;599025 wrote:I don't want the rest of the league.

I'm confident the Steelers can go to New England and beat em next time.

What are you smoking?

Non;599104 wrote:You have to score about 27-30 points even if your defense plays well.

That's a stretch for teams like Pittsburgh and Baltimore but not impossible. Both offenses have that potential if they execute really well on that day.

The Steelers got out prepared when they played the Patriots. New England played Sunday and lost to Cleveland and they quickly went back to the film room on Monday and had a good week of practice.

The Steelers played Monday that week against Cincinnati and they had a lot of injuries, guys didn't practice until like Thursday. It was also their first game playing with Jonathan Scott at left tackle.

If it's the AFC Championship, the Steelers will be a lot better prepared. I'm not saying they would win but I think they'll play a more competitive game all-around in that situation with the Super Bowl at stake.

How many more excuses can you think of?

Ironman92;599096 wrote:.....but since Thanksgiving....the Pats are just messing with everyone....scoring at will

Right now, I don't think anyone can hold them under 28 pts.

The way Brady is playing, he could throw left handed and score 28 pts.

holdingout;599129 wrote:What are you smoking?

Everybody was ready to hand them the Super Bowl a few years ago when they were undefeated. I'm sure you were saying the same thing then.

Then they lost to the Giants.

I'm not denying they're playing great and are clearly the best team right now. I just know you still have to play the playoff games.

holdingout;599133 wrote:How many more excuses can you think of?

I would say those are more like reasons why it could be a better game next time.

Non, Who wins the South if Colts and Jags have the same record? Also the West if the Chargers and Chiefs have the same? As a Steeler fan I'd much rather see the Chiefs and Jags get in.