AFC Playoff Situation Is Clearing Up

[mgteich]

I'm sure that someone will crack this list. However, the top 5 as of now is pretty clear.

DIVISION WINNERS
NE
PITT
JAGS or TENN
KC

FIRST WILDCARD
JAGS or TENN

LAST WILDCARD SPOT
BILLS or the team that has a great last half

 

[ALP]

last line should prob continue "or team losses out on first wildcard above
'

 

[mgteich]

No
The JAGs and TENN will get the South division win and one of the wildcards.

Someone else will have the wildcard spot.

last line should prob continue "or team losses out on first wildcard above
'

 

[Kontradiction]

The Steelers had better pray they don’t draw the Jaguars at any point during the playoffs. That is a terrible match-up for them. They won’t even make it to Gillette. I doubt the Bills will hold onto that last WC spot.

 

[TB_Helmet]

Things change quickly. While unlikely, I could see one of the other AFC West teams making a run on KC.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Don't count out the Raiders quite yet either.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

What? no love for the re-surging Jets?



i kid of course, they're the Jets. Bad enough to help the Patriots, good enough to not get a high draft pick. Also, Buffalo is 1-3 in the division (not that that matters as they aren't taking it from us).

 

[NG Pats Fan]

LAST WILDCARD SPOT
BILLS

 

[Joey007]

Don't count out the Raiders quite yet either.

Raiders are the one team I can see breaking in that isn't in the OP list. Maybe a very small chance for the Ravens as well due to their schedule not necessarily being daunting, but they look nothing like a playoff team so idk.

You can immediately cross off Cleveland Indy and Houston.

This leaves five other teams. Chargers look solid but are too far behind. Miami has a fair record but pretty much sucks. Cincy is wildly inconsistent. Denver is stuck with Brock. Jets look competitive, but lack talent to sustain anything above .500.

So I think that covers it. Overall I don't think the list changes from the OP's list. I think both Buffalo and Oakland finish 9-7, but Buffalo's head to head tiebreaker gets them in.

 

[Joey007]

Who else is it going to be? Basically the Bills have to just finish .500 down the stretch.

 

[Deus Irae]

Among Buffalo's remaining games:

Saints
Patriots
Chargers
Chiefs
Patriots (again)

They should be underdogs in at least 4 of them. If that holds, and they go 1-4, that gives them 7 losses, with

Dolphins
Colts
Dolphins

left to be played.

 

[stinkypete]

Raiders are the one team I can see breaking in that isn't in the OP list. Maybe a very small chance for the Ravens as well due to their schedule not necessarily being daunting, but they look nothing like a playoff team so idk.

You can immediately cross off Cleveland Indy and Houston.

This leaves five other teams. Chargers look solid but are too far behind. Miami has a fair record but pretty much sucks. Cincy is wildly inconsistent. Denver is stuck with Brock. Jets look competitive, but lack talent to sustain anything above .500.

So I think that covers it. Overall I don't think the list changes from the OP's list. I think both Buffalo and Oakland finish 9-7, but Buffalo's head to head tiebreaker gets them in.

I'd have to agree that Buffalo and Oakland look like the only real contenders for that last playoff spot.

The Bills finish with Saints, @Chargers, @Chiefs, Pats, Colts, Fins, @Pats, @Fins
The Raiders finish with Pats, Broncos, Giants, @Chiefs, Cowboys, @EAGLES, @Chargers

I see no way that Oakland catches up with Buffalo. Buffalo takes the #6 seed with an 8-8 record.

 

[Ring 6]

I'm sure that someone will crack this list. However, the top 5 as of now is pretty clear.

DIVISION WINNERS
NE
PITT
JAGS or TENN
KC

FIRST WILDCARD
JAGS or TENN

LAST WILDCARD SPOT
BILLS or the team that has a great last half

Both wild card spots are WIDE OPEN

 

[Ring 6]

Who else is it going to be? Basically the Bills have to just finish .500 down the stretch.

They probably won’t be able to do that.

 

[oldrover]

https://imgflip.com/memegenerator

 

[Deus Irae]

Baltimore has an easy schedule, moving forward (Packers/Texans/Lions/Steelers/Browns/Colts/Bengals)
Miami is 4-4 and has an easier schedule than Buffalo, moving forward

Too soon to count them out, IMO

 

[BobDigital]

Top teams.

Pats - They are still not where we are use to seeing them but they have turned it around a fair amount since the first 4 weeks. The NFL's most dangerous team has ripped off 4 straight wins and has room to improve still.

Steelers - That D is legit in a lot of ways. The talent is clearly there and they have experience on offense. The big issue is can Ben get his mojo back? Odd to say it but the HOF QB on this team could drag them down. Also again despite all their best efforts their offense is just a 2 man show again.

KC - trending down since looking monstrous for a while. Losing 3 out of 4 has knocked them down to earth but make no mistake they are dangerous. Smith is starting to cool off some as is Hunt (still playing well but cooling off). This team has defensive issues without their star safety but they till have an elite pass rush and game breakers like Hill and Kelce and Hunt.

Bills - they have feasted on turnovers and won games with good D and okay offense. However we saw what happened they those turnovers dried up. A team with a rough road ahead looks to be trending down.

Miami - They have an easier schedule than the Bills but a worse team. They continue to tread .500 water.

Tenn - They are 5-3 and tied with the Jags. They had good wins vs the Jags but more notably Seattle. One or two good wins doesn't mean you are a good team. They have feasted on bottom feeders mostly and will try to win the worst NFL division.

Jags - Same a Tenn. An early win before Houston got their feet under them (and before the rug was pulled out). The Key win is against the Steelers but one win isn't enough to provee anything. Pitt just sucked that D all around on offense particular Ben and luck was on their side. The Jags D is good but a bit overrated IMO. Honest IDC which of these 2 teams makes it out i honestly see them as a one and done likely unless they get an easy match up...

Oakland - Why talk about a 4-5 team? Cause they will be in the playoffs. This team started 2-0 then lost 4 straight. They were considered dead and forgetting but have come back to life a bit. I think as other teams faulter they will rise and be the 4th best AFC team.

Threat order.

#1 Pat
#2 KC (Hot and cold offense and be be electric with play makers at time)
#3 Pitt (If they play the Pats they are in trouble)

gap

#4 Raiders
#5 Jag
#6 Bills
#7 Tenn

 

[FourierSeries]

AFC Playoff Situation Is Clearing Up

So is my chlamydia.

 

[brdmaverick]

Last season the top 6 AFC teams in power rankings after week 9 were......

Patriots
Raiders
Chiefs
Broncos
Texans
Bills

*The Steelers and Dolphins were 7 and 8 who overthrew the Broncos and Bills.

But all in all it does go to show that the mid season favorites provided a good picture of who was going to the playoffs.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Top teams.

Pats - They are still not where we are use to seeing them but they have turned it around a fair amount since the first 4 weeks. The NFL's most dangerous team has ripped off 4 straight wins and has room to improve still.

Steelers - That D is legit in a lot of ways. The talent is clearly there and they have experience on offense. The big issue is can Ben get his mojo back? Odd to say it but the HOF QB on this team could drag them down. Also again despite all their best efforts their offense is just a 2 man show again.

KC - trending down since looking monstrous for a while. Losing 3 out of 4 has knocked them down to earth but make no mistake they are dangerous. Smith is starting to cool off some as is Hunt (still playing well but cooling off). This team has defensive issues without their star safety but they till have an elite pass rush and game breakers like Hill and Kelce and Hunt.

Bills - they have feasted on turnovers and won games with good D and okay offense. However we saw what happened they those turnovers dried up. A team with a rough road ahead looks to be trending down.

Miami - They have an easier schedule than the Bills but a worse team. They continue to tread .500 water.

Tenn - They are 5-3 and tied with the Jags. They had good wins vs the Jags but more notably Seattle. One or two good wins doesn't mean you are a good team. They have feasted on bottom feeders mostly and will try to win the worst NFL division.

Jags - Same a Tenn. An early win before Houston got their feet under them (and before the rug was pulled out). The Key win is against the Steelers but one win isn't enough to provee anything. Pitt just sucked that D all around on offense particular Ben and luck was on their side. The Jags D is good but a bit overrated IMO. Honest IDC which of these 2 teams makes it out i honestly see them as a one and done likely unless they get an easy match up...

Oakland - Why talk about a 4-5 team? Cause they will be in the playoffs. This team started 2-0 then lost 4 straight. They were considered dead and forgetting but have come back to life a bit. I think as other teams faulter they will rise and be the 4th best AFC team.

Threat order.

#1 Pat
#2 KC (Hot and cold offense and be be electric with play makers at time)
#3 Pitt (If they play the Pats they are in trouble)

gap

#4 Raiders
#5 Jag
#6 Bills
#7 Tenn

On national with the division lead on the line playing a very mediocre Jets. The Bills got whipped handily. A struggle they lose by a low score could be understood. But mid season against a low tier team?

Maybe they'll show something to say it was a severe aberration, however, I'm not buying that. That loss to the Jets is going to be a tough blow for them to overcome. I expect a downward trend for the Bills for the second half.