Dec 27 2005
AFC Playoff Picture
Updated 12/27/2005
|
Seed
|
Team
|
Record
|
Div.
|
Conf.
|
|
1
|
Indianapolis Colts
|
13-2
|
6-0
|
11-1
|
|
2
|
Denver Broncos
|
12-3
|
4-1
|
9-2
|
|
3
|
Cincinnati Bengals
|
11-4
|
5-1
|
7-4
|
|
4
|
New England Patriots
|
10-5
|
5-0
|
7-4
|
|
5
|
Jacksonville Jaguars
|
11-4
|
3-2
|
8-3
|
|
6
|
Pittsburgh Steelers
|
10-5
|
4-2
|
7-5
|
|
–
|
Kansas City Chiefs
|
9-6
|
4-2
|
8-3
|
TIEBREAKERS:
None
What we know: Indy is the #1 seed. Denver is the #2 seed. Cincinnati is the AFC North champion and needs a win to keep the #3 seed. New England is the AFC East champion and needs a win and a Cincinnati loss to move up from #4 to #3. Jacksonville is the #5 seed.
All that’s really left to determine is the last Wild Card spot, and right now, The Steelers are in good shape. A win at home against the Detroit Lions confirms them as the #6 seed. The Chiefs can only get into the playoffs if they beat the Bengals, plus the Steelers lose to the Lions and the San Diego Chargers lose to the Broncos.
Why is the San Diego game important? If it comes down to tiebreakers, the tie is broken within the division first, and the Chargers beat the Chiefs based on their record against common opponents — 8-4 vs. 7-5. (Those losses against Dallas and New York ultimately ruined the Chiefs.) Then San Diego and Pittsburgh would be in a tiebreaker, and since the Steelers beat the Chargers on Monday night, their in.
So if the Chargers beat the Broncos in San Diego on Saturday afternoon — quite likely, in fact, since Denver has nothing to play for — the Wild Card race could be over, and the only thing left to decide is whether the Pats can jump ahead of the Bengals and get the #3 seed. Kinda boring, actually. Just like that last Monday Night game on ABC…
THIS WEEK’S BIG GAMES
1.) Denver at San Diego (Sat., 4:30 PM, CBS): This is the lynchpin for the rest of the weekend. If Denver decides to show the Chargers who’s boss, that would put the last Wild Card spot in play on Sunday.
2.) Detroit at Pittsburgh (Sun., 1:00 PM, FOX): The Steelers couldn’t ask for a better season-ender than this. They’re already 3-0 against the NFC North, and the Lions are arguably the worst team in that division. I predict a party.
3.) Cincinnati at Kansas City (Sun., 1:00 PM, CBS): The Bengals may be in the playoffs already, but they don’t want to go into the playoffs with two straight losses, especially if it means facing the Jaguars instead of the Steelers in the first round. Larry Johnson will be a formidable challenge for the Bengals’ run defense.
4.) Miami at New England (Sun., 1:00 PM, CBS): As cliche as it sounds, this game is the Dolphins’ Super Bowl. A Patriots win and a Bengals loss would give the Pats a better draw in the playoffs. I don’t think anyone really wants Jacksonville in the first round.
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