AFC Playoff Picture: Six competing for two spots

[beach tribe]

There are so few teams truly out of the playoff race after 10 weeks. It's hard to count any team out of the desultory AFC South, where only two games separate first place from the cellar. That might be the only decent division race, but there are a total of eight (!) teams with four or five losses.

After diving into the NFC playoff picture on Monday, we are only comfortable saying three AFC teams are definitely not going to be a factor in the playoff race this season: Baltimore, San Diego, and Cleveland. It's a reminder that quarterbacks can't save everything. Philip Rivers and Joe Flacco are still in the upper echelon of AFC quarterbacks, but they haven't been able to save their teams.

So how does this AFC race shake out and what do we know so far?

Eight is enough

Here are the eight teams with four or five losses in the AFC: Pittsburgh, Buffalo, New York Jets, Kansas City, Oakland, Miami, Indianapolis, and Houston. We're going to just assume the AFC South is only going to send one team to the playoffs because any other scenario is too horrific to imagine.


That leaves six AFC contenders competing for two spots. Pittsburgh has to be considered the favorite for one spot because they are 6-4 and have the best quarterback of the group by far. Miami is the only team that we would rule out from that group because of their general malaise and lack of distinguishing characteristics. They are headed to another seven- or eight-win season at best.

That would leave Buffalo, Kansas City, Oakland and the Jets battling for one spot. Each team has real strengths and look better than any team in the AFC South. The Bills have the highest ceiling because of their overall talent, but the Chiefs are playing the best right now. Don't be shocked if Kansas City, once 1-5, is still playing for a playoff spot in Week 17.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...-for-two-spots

[Simply Red]

you seem nice.

[CoMoChief]

The Chiefs are in the best spot because they control their own destiny. They play a couple other teams that are in the mix, BUF and OAK twice and have the tie breaker over PIT. I personally don't think the Jets or Dolphins are anything to worry about. And I would suspect that Denver is going to see a massive slide, that team is going to start losing consecutive games, the Chiefs are going to start climbing the ladder if they can take care of BUF and OAKx2. They can still win the division, Denver just has to tank and they very well could.

And arent the last 2 or 3 games at home? That always helps. Things can and will get interesting if the Chiefs continue to win.

[TEX]

In a way, the Chiefs playoffs started last week. That game changed everything. IF they bet the Bolts to get to 5-5, and the Cheating Donx stumble in Chicago, they have a real shot at more than a WC.

[Vietnam58]

ill start to believe if we come out and really dominate the Chargers. .

we are not gonna catch the Donkeys. . but we might back into a wildcard spot

The Broncos are not a bad team . .they are not gonna just tank . .

BUT i think we can all agree If we lose this week its over. .

[TEX]

Originally Posted by Vietnam58

ill start to believe if we come out and really dominate the Chargers. .

were are not gonna catch the Donkeys. . but we might back into a wildcard spot

BUT i think we can all agree If we lose this week its over. .

That's a good position to take. Many, including myself, have said get to 5-5 and we'll talk.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by Vietnam58

ill start to believe if we come out and really dominate the Chargers. .

we are not gonna catch the Donkeys. . but we might back into a wildcard spot

The Broncos are not a bad team . .they are not gonna just tank . .

BUT i think we can all agree If we lose this week its over. .

The Broncos have to play the Patriots, the Bengals, and the Steelers.
That's 3 loses potentially, which gets them to 5.

Any other misstep by them, and the Chiefs winning out wins the division for the Chiefs.

Not likely, but also not completely improbable.

[Coochie liquor]

Take care of the division games, and hope for a couple other wins and we'll see. First things first, beat Sandy Ego.

[CoMoChief]

Man...those losses to the Broncos and Bears, and really even the Vikings hurt this team BAD. Just like the Titans and Raiders losses last year. This team would be in a great position to take the division had they beaten those 3 teams, esp DEN and CHI.

very frustrating.

[FringeNC]

Originally Posted by milkman

The Broncos have to play the Patriots, the Bengals, and the Steelers.
That's 3 loses potentially, which gets them to 5.

Any other misstep by them, and the Chiefs winning out wins the division for the Chiefs.

Not likely, but also not completely improbable.

The Broncos are an underdog this weekend at Chicago.

[Vietnam58]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

Man...those losses to the Broncos and Bears, and really even the Vikings hurt this team BAD. Just like the Titans and Raiders losses last year. This team would be in a great position to take the division had they beaten those 3 teams, esp DEN and CHI.

very frustrating.

that Denver game took the life out of this team . .u could really see it. .
Even as a fan that one hurt. .took a few weeks to get over that one

they finally got the momentum going in a psoitive direction. .im not sure that momentum is enough beacuse i dont think we have enough talent on offense. . and Andy Reid is gonna Andy Reid

but with that said it would be nice to see a win this week and a playoof run. . at least they would be comopetive. .

I

[NJChiefsFan]

Originally Posted by Vietnam58

ill start to believe if we come out and really dominate the Chargers. .

we are not gonna catch the Donkeys. . but we might back into a wildcard spot

The Broncos are not a bad team . .they are not gonna just tank . .

BUT i think we can all agree If we lose this week its over. .

It depends. Mathematically I think 7 losses gets you in with tiebreakers, maybe even 8 losses. The problem with a loss this weekend wouldn't be the six loss as much as a showing that the Chiefs are still capable of losing games they shouldn't, making it hard to believe they would win the final six games.

Also, even though your point was understood, if the Chiefs finish 8-1 or 7-2 to get a wildcard spot, you can't call it backing into the playoffs. Backing in is having a huge lead and falling apart but holding on to a spot.

[stevieray]

...if they claw their way out of a 1-5 hole, then they are getting hot at the right time.

...as much as the first game was demoralizing, the win at Denver could be the springboard towards the playoffs.

[FringeNC]

If we tie with the Broncos, and we both sweep the rest of the division, we lose out based on common games. Makes it tougher. Let's hope Osweiler plays as badly as he did against us -- seems he could be a real turnover machine.

[MahiMike]

Let's wait a couple weeks for this thread...