Sizing Up the AFC Playoff Race

While the NFC has whittled down the amount of teams competing for a playoff spot, the AFC has quite a few still in contention. Let's take a look at those courtesy of CBS Sportsline*:

* Quick Side Note, why is CBS Sportsline the only site that have been showing the playoff standings up until this point? Seems like NFL.com, ESPN.com and the rest of them should be doing the same.

Seed	Team	Division	Record
1	Indianapolis	South	10-0-0
2	Cincinnati	North	7-3-0
3	San Diego	West	7-3-0
4	New England	East	7-3-0
5	Jacksonville	South	6-4-0
6	Pittsburgh	North	6-4-0
Still alive (below)
7	Denver	West	6-4-0
8	Baltimore	North	5-5-0
9	Houston	South	5-5-0
10	Miami	East	5-5-0
11	N.Y. Jets	East	4-6-0
12	Tennessee	South	4-6-0

AFC South:

Indianapolis Colts (10-0) - #1 Seed
Indy can wrap up the division with a win and a Jacksonville loss. At 10-0, I don't think anyone is catching them for the best record in the AFC. So homefield advantage is theirs. The real question is can they go undefeated in the regular season? Their schedule sends them to Houston, Jacksonville and Buffalo and they host Tennesse, Denver, and the Jets. It's a real possibility that they can join the Pats at 16-0.

Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4) - #5 Seed
Jacksonville is buoyed into this spot because of a 5-2 conference record so far this season (Jacksonville earns the No. 5 seed over Denver and Pittsburgh based on conference record--5-2 over Broncos' 5-3 and Steelers' 4-3). I, personally, was surprised to see them that high. Are they as good as they've shown? We'll see with a remaining schedule featuring games against Indy and at New England. Their other games are at San Fran, hosting Houston and Miami and at Cleveland so if they can win those 4, the two against the beasts of the AFC won't matter as much. After they go on the road to San Fran this week, they host 3 straight games; we'll be able to tell if their a playoff team a lot better after this stretch.

Houston Texans (5-5) - #9 Seed
The loss last night may have ended the playoff hopes. A horrible job all around by the Texans unable to contain Vince Young and unable to win a must-win game at home. I don't see how this team makes the playoffs at this point. The one hope: beating either New England or Indianapolis at home and running the table for the rest of their games.  

Tennessee Titans (4-6) - #12 Seed
They have to run the table to get in, but it's still possible. But it's really not with the schedule they have in front of them playing playoff teams in Arizona, San Diego, and Indy not to mention games at Seattle and against Miami. Sorry Tennessee. It's too little, too late

AFC North

Cincinnati Bengals (7-3) - #2 Seed

The Bengals turned into the Bungles again on Sunday and it's going to cost them dearly. They controlled their own destiny to get a first round bye and now, while they still somewhat control their destiny, they only barely hold on to the #2 because of the tiebreaking rules: Cincinnati earns the No. 2 seed over San Diego and New England based on strength of victory (.471 over Chargers' .457 and Patriots' .386). Cincy plays Cleveand, Detroit and Kansas City at home and Minnesota, San Diego and the Jets on the road. The Bengals need to pick up their game or they can say bye to the first round bye.

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) - #6 Seed
Barely holding on to a playoff spot--Pittsburgh earns the No. 6 seed over Denver based on head to head (1-0)--and with Big Ben having concussion-like symptoms and Troy Polamalu nursing an injury, the Steelers playoff hopes are looking a bit iffy the season after they won the Super Bowl. That's also because the rest of their schedule is not an easy one: they go on the road to Baltimore, Cleveland and Miami and host Oakland, Green Bay and Baltimore. Those two matchups against the Ravens could determine if one or either of the teams goes to the playoffs.

Baltimore Ravens (5-5) - #8 Seed
Like the Jaguars, I don't know what to make of the Ravens. I think the games against the Steelers will tell us a lot. They need to sweep those two games because a loss there, coupled with a tough trip to Lambeau Field in two weeks may spell the end of the Ravens season. I'm not sure 9 wins gets them in.

AFC West

San Diego Chargers (7-3) - #3 Seed
They play like crap and then turn on the motor a few months in. It's the formula San Diego has used for the past few years and it's got to be driving Denver batshit crazy. San Diego got lucky against the Giants but overall, they've played a lot better ball as of late. They can't rest now, though, with games that include visiting Dallas and hosting Cincy. And they need to start beating good teams because of the tiebreaker: San Diego earns the No. 3 seed over New England based on strength of victory (.457 to Patriots' .386). But if they can win one of those two games, they should have no trouble with the rest of their schedule and should end up with at least 11 wins...

Denver Broncos (6-4) - #7 Seed
And 11 wins should win the division. Denver went from 6-0 to 6-4. If they lose against the Giants on Thanksgiving (at home), they can kiss their season good-bye as far as I'm concerned. They still need to travel to Indy and to Philly as well as a home-and-home against the much-improved Chiefs. The Giants game this week is a must-win for the Broncos--which is going to be tough coming off a short week with a banged up QB.

AFC East
New England Patriots (7-3) - #4 Seed
We'll find out a lot about exactly what New England is this week against the Saints (with New Orleans possibly having the chance to clinch the division) and in the coming weeks. The teams that New England has beaten have only a .386 winning percentage. The only team they play the rest of the season with a winning percentage below that is Buffalo and they only play one other team with a losing record in Carolina and they've been playing better as of late. I think this is a better team than that indicates (they should have had the win against Indy), but if they can't beat the good teams, they are going no place in the playoffs. Still, they should win this division easily.

Miami Dolphins (5-5) - #10 Seed
I believe, technically, they're the #9 seed, but either way, they should thank Tennessee for dropping the Texans back to the pack. Miami's schedule the rest of the way is tough (@Buffalo, New England, @Jacksonville, @Tennessee,  Houston and Pittsburgh) and they're without Ronnie Brown and Chad Pennington for the rest of the season, but if they get hot, they have a chance. But I think they're too beat up and have too many teams in front of them to make a move.

New York Jets (4-6) - #11 Seed
They're technically not out of it, but can you actually see this team making the playoffs? They play Carolina, Atlanta and Cincy in the Meadowlands and Buffalo (in Canada), Tampa and Indy on the road. They need to run their schedule to get to 10 wins and need to beat either Cincy or Indy to have a shot at 9 wins. I think they're going to be on the outside looking in.

I've added a new poll on the right. Vote on who you think will join Indy in the AFC playoffs.