AFC Playoff Picture: Breaking down postseason scenarios for every team still in the hunt

After Monday afternoon, it’s simple: New England and Pittsburgh are locked into the top two seeds in the AFC. If the Patriots win Sunday, they’ll get home field. But what are the various scenarios for the rest of the conference?


1. Patriots (12-3)
Remaining schedule: vs. Jets (5-10)
The skinny: For the Patriots, it's simple: New England is guaranteed one of the top two seeds. If the Patriots take care of business against the Jets Sunday at home, they'll get home field.

2. Steelers (12-3)
Remaining schedule: vs. Browns (0-15)
The skinny: Pittsburgh also secured one of the top two seeds with its blowout of the Texans Monday afternoon. The Steelers can leapfrog past the Patriots if they beat the Browns and the Jets upend the Patriots. They can also make it happen if they tie Cleveland and New England loses. If not, they’re locked in at No. 2.

3. Jaguars (10-5)
Remaining schedule: at Titans (8-7)
The skinny: That loss to the Niners in San Francisco certainly caused some people around the league to question Jacksonville’s bonafides. It’ll be interesting to see the impact of a late-season loss on a young team like that going forward: Do the new AFC South champs need a reset before the start of the postseason, or will they be able to right the ship in the regular-season finale against Tennessee?

4. Chiefs (9-6)
Remaining schedule: at Broncos (5-10)
The skinny: Kansas City, which clinched the AFC West last weekend, has rebounded after a rocky middle of the season to outscore its opponents 85-41 over the last three weeks. The Chiefs are locked in at No. 4.

5. Ravens (9-6)
Remaining schedule: vs. Bengals (6-9)
The skinny: Baltimore can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Cincinnati. The Ravens can also secure a spot in the postseason if the Titans or Bills lose. It’d be their first appearance in the playoffs since the memorable divisional playoff contest against New England in January 2015.

6. Titans (8-7)
Remaining schedule: vs. Jaguars (10-5)
The skinny: No team has gagged down the stretch this year worse than Tennessee, which is on the verge of going from 8-4 to 8-8 and out of the playoff picture. However, there’s still hope — the Titans can get into the postseason with a win or with losses from the Chargers and Bills. But if they don't make it, the Titans had the sort of late-season choke job that causes teams to re-evaluate its coaching staff.

In The Hunt
7. Chargers (8-7)
Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders (6-8)
The skinny: Los Angeles can still make the playoffs, but it needs plenty of help. The best option for the Chargers starts with a win over Oakland, and includes a Jacksonville win over Tennessee and a Baltimore win over Cincy. It’s a long shot, but the way this season has gone for the Chargers, it wouldn’t be a shock if they pull it off.

8. Bills (8-7)
Remaining schedule: at Dolphins (6-9)
The skinny: Like Los Angeles, Buffalo needs some help to make it. The Bills can land in the postseason with a win over Miami and a Baltimore loss to Cincinnati. Or, they can make it if they win and the Titans and Chargers both lose or tie. Everything is on the table for Buffalo, which is attempting to break the longest postseason drought in NFL history.