Hello Everyone,
I am posting here in the NFL Nations Forum to chart out the AFC Playoff Picture and Scenarios. For those of you more interested in the NFC (and Seattle), please see my companion topic HERE.
Just like the NFC Chart, I will use the following symbols as appropriate:
*--Clinched Homefield
z--Clinched no worse than 2nd seed (and a first week bye)
y--Clinched Division (sometimes followed by a number to reflect specific seed)
x--Clinched a Playoff Spot of Any Kind
(e)--Eliminated From Playoff Contention
With all that, let's start with the AFC East:
Patriots 10-3 7-2 Conf 3-1 Div Remaining Games: @Steelers, Bills, Jets
Bills 7-6 5-4 Conf 1-2 Div Remaining Games: Dolphins, @Patriots, @Dolphins
Dolphins 6-7 5-4 Conf 2-2 Div Remaining Games: @Bills, @Chiefs, Bills
Jets 5-8 5-4 Conf 2-3 Div Remaining Games: @Saints, Chargers, @Patriots
Clinching Scenarios: Perhaps shockingly because of the MNF upset, the Patriots still haven't secured a playoff spot let alone their own divison. Nevertheless they still have the second seed and control their own destiny not only for the division but the number one seed. If the Patriots win or tie *OR* the Bills lose or tie, then the Patriots clinch the AFC East. In addition, if Baltimore loses or ties, then the Patriots are guaranteed a playoff spot of some kind. That's because the Chiefs and Chargers play each other, so Baltimore losing would insure that any 10 win team would automatically be no worse than the 6th seed. [The Bills don't factor into this unlike the Jags because if the Patriots don't win the division, the Bills will, so either way they don't tiebreak against each other for a wildcard.]
Elimination Scenario: Surprisingly none of the AFC East Teams have yet been eliminated. The Dolphins would have been had they lost to the Patriots on MNF but they pulled off the upset. That said the Dolphins and Jets remain on life support. If either team loses or even ties, they are out, period. Also if the Bills win + Ravens win + Titans win, then ALL teams with 8 losses or more are auto eliminated since the minimum to qualify for a wildcard would be nine wins. This would include the Dolphins (but already eliminated by Bills win), Jets, and Bengals.
Let's move onto the AFC North:
Steelers-y 11-2 8-1 Conf 5-0 Div Remaining Games: Patriots, @Texans, Browns
Ravens 7-6 5-4 Conf 2-2 Div Remaining Games: @Browns, Titans, Bengals
Bengals 5-8 5-6 Conf 2-3 Div Remaining Games: @Vikings, Lions, @Ravens
Browns (e) 0-13 0-10 Conf 0-4 Div Remaining Games: Ravens, @Bears, @Steelers
Clinching Scenarios: The Steelers clinched the AFC North with their win over Baltimore. They can cinch a first round bye with a win of tie over the Patriots. That's because they'd own the tiebreak over the patriots and only Jacksonville could catch them (and in that case both would get a first round bye).
Elimination Scenarios: The Ravens can't be eliminated in week 15. The Browns have long since been eliminated. The Bengals are eliminated with a loss or tie. They are also eliminated with a Ravens+Titans+Bills win (see above).
Now let's move onto the AFC South:
Jaguars 9-4 8-2 Conf 3-1 Div Remaining Games: Texans,@Niners, @Titans
Titans 8-5 7-4 Conf 4-1 Div Remaining Games: @Niners, Rams, Jaguars
Texans (e) 4-9 3-6 Conf 1-3 Div Remaining Games: @Jaguars, Steelers, @Colts
Colts (e) 3-10 2-7 Conf 1-4 Div Remaining Games: Broncos, @Ravens, Texans
Clinching Scenarios: Perhaps surprisingly the Jaguars can't clinch the AFC South. That's because their situation with the Titans is very much like the Rams situation with the Seahawks. Specifically the Titans have already beaten the Jags earlier this ear AND with a better Divisional record win the tiebreaks. However, the Jaguars DO clinch a playoff spot if they win AND the Bills *or* Ravens lose or tie. Why? If the Jags win, then can do no worse than 10-6 and that means that if they don't win the division, only two other teams could also finish 10-6 (that's because the Chiefs and Chargers play each other this week). If one of them lose or tie, then the Jags are assured a ticket to the playoffs no matter what. The Titans with one win less can't quite clinch a spot this week.
Elimination Scenarios: With the Dolphin win on MNF, the Texans got eliminated. There are no elimination scenarios in the AFC South. Even if the Jags win and the TItans lose, the Titans can still win the division by winning their remaining two and the Jags losing their remaining two (since they play each other at the end of the season AND the Titans have the tiebreak).
Now let's move onto the AFC West:
Chiefs 7-6 5-4 Conf 3-1 Div Remaining Games: Chiefs, Dolphins, @Broncos
Chargers 7-6 4-5 Conf 2-2 Div Remaining Games: @Chiefs, @Jets. Raiders
Raiders 6-7 5-6 Conf 2-3 Div Remaining Games: Cowboys, @Eagles, @Chargers
Broncos (e) 4-9 3-7 Conf 2-3 Div Remaining Games: @Colts, @Redskins, Chiefs
Clinching Scenarios: There are no clinching scenarios in week 15 for the AFC West. That said, if the Chiefs can beat the Chargers, they will own the head to head tiebreak against them and that will potentially put them on the verge of winning the AFC West but they can't do it in week 15. Likewise no team in the AFC West can clinch a playoff spot (for obvious reasons).
Elimination Scenarios: The Broncos are obviously long since eliminated. The Chargers can not be eliminated from the AFC West even if they lose (see above). However a Raiders loss will eliminate the Raiders from the AFC West (since that would be the 8th loss and lose the head to head against either the Chiefs or Chargers on a hypothetical 8-8 tiebreak). If the Raiders lose AND Ravens+Titans+Bills win, the Raiders are eliminated entirely.
*Whew* I hope this helps.
I am posting here in the NFL Nations Forum to chart out the AFC Playoff Picture and Scenarios. For those of you more interested in the NFC (and Seattle), please see my companion topic HERE.
Just like the NFC Chart, I will use the following symbols as appropriate:
*--Clinched Homefield
z--Clinched no worse than 2nd seed (and a first week bye)
y--Clinched Division (sometimes followed by a number to reflect specific seed)
x--Clinched a Playoff Spot of Any Kind
(e)--Eliminated From Playoff Contention
With all that, let's start with the AFC East:
Patriots 10-3 7-2 Conf 3-1 Div Remaining Games: @Steelers, Bills, Jets
Bills 7-6 5-4 Conf 1-2 Div Remaining Games: Dolphins, @Patriots, @Dolphins
Dolphins 6-7 5-4 Conf 2-2 Div Remaining Games: @Bills, @Chiefs, Bills
Jets 5-8 5-4 Conf 2-3 Div Remaining Games: @Saints, Chargers, @Patriots
Clinching Scenarios: Perhaps shockingly because of the MNF upset, the Patriots still haven't secured a playoff spot let alone their own divison. Nevertheless they still have the second seed and control their own destiny not only for the division but the number one seed. If the Patriots win or tie *OR* the Bills lose or tie, then the Patriots clinch the AFC East. In addition, if Baltimore loses or ties, then the Patriots are guaranteed a playoff spot of some kind. That's because the Chiefs and Chargers play each other, so Baltimore losing would insure that any 10 win team would automatically be no worse than the 6th seed. [The Bills don't factor into this unlike the Jags because if the Patriots don't win the division, the Bills will, so either way they don't tiebreak against each other for a wildcard.]
Elimination Scenario: Surprisingly none of the AFC East Teams have yet been eliminated. The Dolphins would have been had they lost to the Patriots on MNF but they pulled off the upset. That said the Dolphins and Jets remain on life support. If either team loses or even ties, they are out, period. Also if the Bills win + Ravens win + Titans win, then ALL teams with 8 losses or more are auto eliminated since the minimum to qualify for a wildcard would be nine wins. This would include the Dolphins (but already eliminated by Bills win), Jets, and Bengals.
Let's move onto the AFC North:
Steelers-y 11-2 8-1 Conf 5-0 Div Remaining Games: Patriots, @Texans, Browns
Ravens 7-6 5-4 Conf 2-2 Div Remaining Games: @Browns, Titans, Bengals
Bengals 5-8 5-6 Conf 2-3 Div Remaining Games: @Vikings, Lions, @Ravens
Browns (e) 0-13 0-10 Conf 0-4 Div Remaining Games: Ravens, @Bears, @Steelers
Clinching Scenarios: The Steelers clinched the AFC North with their win over Baltimore. They can cinch a first round bye with a win of tie over the Patriots. That's because they'd own the tiebreak over the patriots and only Jacksonville could catch them (and in that case both would get a first round bye).
Elimination Scenarios: The Ravens can't be eliminated in week 15. The Browns have long since been eliminated. The Bengals are eliminated with a loss or tie. They are also eliminated with a Ravens+Titans+Bills win (see above).
Now let's move onto the AFC South:
Jaguars 9-4 8-2 Conf 3-1 Div Remaining Games: Texans,@Niners, @Titans
Titans 8-5 7-4 Conf 4-1 Div Remaining Games: @Niners, Rams, Jaguars
Texans (e) 4-9 3-6 Conf 1-3 Div Remaining Games: @Jaguars, Steelers, @Colts
Colts (e) 3-10 2-7 Conf 1-4 Div Remaining Games: Broncos, @Ravens, Texans
Clinching Scenarios: Perhaps surprisingly the Jaguars can't clinch the AFC South. That's because their situation with the Titans is very much like the Rams situation with the Seahawks. Specifically the Titans have already beaten the Jags earlier this ear AND with a better Divisional record win the tiebreaks. However, the Jaguars DO clinch a playoff spot if they win AND the Bills *or* Ravens lose or tie. Why? If the Jags win, then can do no worse than 10-6 and that means that if they don't win the division, only two other teams could also finish 10-6 (that's because the Chiefs and Chargers play each other this week). If one of them lose or tie, then the Jags are assured a ticket to the playoffs no matter what. The Titans with one win less can't quite clinch a spot this week.
Elimination Scenarios: With the Dolphin win on MNF, the Texans got eliminated. There are no elimination scenarios in the AFC South. Even if the Jags win and the TItans lose, the Titans can still win the division by winning their remaining two and the Jags losing their remaining two (since they play each other at the end of the season AND the Titans have the tiebreak).
Now let's move onto the AFC West:
Chiefs 7-6 5-4 Conf 3-1 Div Remaining Games: Chiefs, Dolphins, @Broncos
Chargers 7-6 4-5 Conf 2-2 Div Remaining Games: @Chiefs, @Jets. Raiders
Raiders 6-7 5-6 Conf 2-3 Div Remaining Games: Cowboys, @Eagles, @Chargers
Broncos (e) 4-9 3-7 Conf 2-3 Div Remaining Games: @Colts, @Redskins, Chiefs
Clinching Scenarios: There are no clinching scenarios in week 15 for the AFC West. That said, if the Chiefs can beat the Chargers, they will own the head to head tiebreak against them and that will potentially put them on the verge of winning the AFC West but they can't do it in week 15. Likewise no team in the AFC West can clinch a playoff spot (for obvious reasons).
Elimination Scenarios: The Broncos are obviously long since eliminated. The Chargers can not be eliminated from the AFC West even if they lose (see above). However a Raiders loss will eliminate the Raiders from the AFC West (since that would be the 8th loss and lose the head to head against either the Chiefs or Chargers on a hypothetical 8-8 tiebreak). If the Raiders lose AND Ravens+Titans+Bills win, the Raiders are eliminated entirely.
*Whew* I hope this helps.
