AFC Playoff Picture!
By Matt DeLucia
So who’s in from the AFC, well right now all we know is that the Tennessee Titans will not be traveling during the postseason. Unless it’s to Tampa Bay for this year’s Super Bowl. And the Pittsburgh Steelers have the second seed wrapped up now. Oh and let’s not forget the Indianapolis Colts they have the fifth seed as one of the wild-card seeds. But that’s it, everything else and the remaining postseason occupants are still yet to be determined.
But that’s only a portion of this year’s AFC playoff picture, the rest of the field will be determined in the season’s final weekend of action. What’s at stake, well for teams in the AFC East and the AFC West the whole kitten caboodle is on the line. The AFC East is waiting to crown this years winner. The Miami Dolphins can lay claim to it, with a win over the New York Jets next Sunday. But then again, if the New England Patriots beat the Buffalo Bills, they still have two ways of making the playoffs.
New England can claim another AFC East title with a win and a Jets victory over Miami. The other way the Patriots can find themselves playing in January is with a win, and a loss by the Baltimore Ravens. The first order of business is that New England must win, then see if either the Jets or the Ravens can give them a helping hand. At this point, I’ll be happy with the Patriots just getting into the playoffs. Especially since everyone basically had them written off, after the loss of Tom Brady.
And now I guess we need to talk about the West, not like I want to, but it does matter for the playiffs. Somebody needs to represent this division, but it’s starting to look like no one wants to lay claim to it. The Denver Broncos have had numerous attempts to put it away and take it. Problem is they are playing like they don’t want it. With losses to Carolina and the Bills the past two weeks, it now sets up an epic conclusion to the regular season. As the Broncos will have to travel to San Diego and play the San Diego Chargers next Sunday night. And it’s winner take all. Who ever wins gets the rights to playing in January, and the loser gets to ponder what went wrong all off season.
Oh and the Ravens and the Dolphins it’s easy you win, and your in. The Ravens as the final wild-card spot, and the Dolphins would be the new AFC East champions. So let’s get ready for a very interesting end to the regular season. With so many hopes and dreams on the line, it truly will be entertaining to see what happens. And how the AFC playoff picture wraps up. Good luck to the those still alive and go New England.