As the AFC West champions, the Broncos are locked in to one of the top four seeds in the AFC in this year’s postseason tournament.
With that in mind, we thought we’d take a look at what the AFC bracket would look like if the playoffs started today.
1) Houston Texans (11-1)
2) New England Patriots (9-3)
3) Baltimore Ravens (9-3)
4) Denver Broncos (9-3)
5) Indianapolis Colts (8-4)
6) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)
That would give Houston and New England a first-round bye, while the Ravens would host the Steelers and the Broncos would host the Colts in the Wild Card Round.
There is plenty still up in the air with four weeks left in the regular season, however. The Patriots, Ravens and Broncos all share the same record, which is only two games behind the No. 1 seeded Texans.
Baltimore is the only team in the top four that hasn’t clinched a playoff spot, as the Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals are both just two games behind in the AFC North at 7-5.
Here’s a look at who the teams currently in the top six — plus Cincinnati, who is the next-closest team — have remaining on their schedules:
HOUSTON:
at New England (9-3)
vs. Indianapolis (8-4)
vs. Minnesota (6-6)
at Indianapolis (8-4)
NEW ENGLAND:
vs. Houston (11-1)
vs. San Francisco (8-3-1)
at Jacksonville (2-10)
vs. Miami (5-7)
BALTIMORE:
at Washington (6-6)
vs. Denver (9-3)
vs. New York Giants (7-5)
at Cincinnati (7-5)
DENVER:
at Oakland (3-9)
at Baltimore (9-3)
vs. Cleveland (4-8)
vs. Kansas City (2-10)
INDIANAPOLIS:
vs. Tennessee (4-8)
at Houston (11-1)
at Kansas City (2-10)
vs. Houston (11-1)
PITTSBURGH:
vs. San Diego (4-8)
at Dallas (6-6)
vs. Cincinnati (7-5)
vs. Cleveland (4-8)
CINCINNATI:
vs. Dallas (6-6)
at Philadelphia (3-9)
at Pittsburgh (7-5)
vs. Baltimore (9-3)
The playoff-clinching scenarios for Week 14 in the AFC are as follows:
HOUSTON TEXANS
Houston clinches AFC South division with:
1) HOU win + IND loss or tie OR
2) HOU tie + IND loss
Houston clinches a first-round bye with:
1) HOU win + IND loss or tie + BAL loss or tie OR
2) HOU win + IND loss or tie + DEN loss or tie
Houston clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
1) HOU win + IND loss or tie + BAL loss + DEN loss
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Baltimore clinches AFC North division with:
1) BAL win + PIT loss + CIN loss
Baltimore clinches a playoff spot with:
1) BAL win + PIT loss or tie OR
2) BAL win + CIN loss or tie OR
3) BAL tie + PIT loss + CIN loss
Thanks Gray for the playoffs scenarios as of today. Fun stuff!
Its really nice having a playoff spot wrapped up. Now to get home field advantage.
RH709, did you see the latest blog before this one? It’s our opponents for next season.
I did. Facing the NFC East, The AFC South and the winners from AFC East and North seems like a fun time.
RG3, Luck, and possibly a thanksgiving game.
Exciting stuff.
I’ll relish at that later. I’m looking forward to stomping the Raiders in Oakland. I’ll be there in section 220 with my wife. We will be cheering the Broncos under our breath while trying to stay invisible.
Cool beans. As you might know, I went to some Broncos vs raider games in L.A. during the 1980′s while I lived in Orange County at the time. I’ll be sporting my raider hater t-shirt for the game. HaHa!!
Cool stuff Gray but I have a question.With Baltimore and New England being tied and Baltimore having beaten NE in their head to head matchup,wouldn’t that give Baltimore the #2 seed?
I’m looking forward to seeing the blog contest scores. They should be up by tomorrow at the latest I think.
I wish I knew more about how the seeding system works too. Obviously, it starts with record but then what? Head-to-head? Conference record? What happens if Balt., NE, and Denver have tied records but are in a love triangle of head-to-head-to-head wins (NE beats Denver who beats Balt. who beats NE)?
Lmao at the love triangle RH
rh – you just blew my mind. like thinking about space
NFL Tiebreaking Procedures
The six postseason participants from each conference are seeded as follows:
The division champion with the best record.
The division champion with the second-best record.
The division champion with the third-best record.
The division champion with the fourth-best record.
The Wild Card club with the best record.
The Wild Card club with the second-best record.
The following procedures will be used to break standings ties for postseason playoffs and to determine regular-season schedules.
NOTE: Tie games count as one-half win and one-half loss for both clubs.
Three or More Clubs
(Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated during any step, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of the two-club format).
Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the clubs).
Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
Strength of victory.
Strength of schedule.
Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
Best net points in common games.
Best net points in all games.
Best net touchdowns in all games.
Coin toss
My weekly grumbling about the Power Poll. I actually agree with NFL.com’s, but I’m annoyed at RSPN ranking the 49ers above us. One they’ve tied once this season and they lost last week. Plus, we beat a team that had a winning record. I get being ranked behind the Pats because they beat us, but I don’t agree with the 49ers being ranked ahead of us.
*ESPN
RH709 cold you break the “three or more clubs” tie reader up by explaining it using team scenarios because it doesn’t really make sense.
Good to see ya Cat. I thought you were living on twitter now. I agree with your grumblings.
I kinda wish they’d rank us even lower so our team would have reason to carry an even bigger chip on their shoulders.
Don’t get me wrong,it’s cool that we are ranked as high as we are.Over the years it just seems like we play better or with more intensity when we are the underdog.
I wish I could Cat. I am still trying to make heads or tails out of it myself.
Those Power rankings are subjective. Try this on for size.
http://www.advancednflstats.com/2012/12/team-efficiency-rankings-week-14.html
It is based purely on numbers and less influenced by the personal feelings of the voters.
The playoff scenario is pretty cool to speculate right now but all I really care about is Carson Palmer having a REALLY bad day on Thursday.
LOL I do love twitter, but I have been super busy too so I didn’t want to come on if I could stick around for awhile.
Gray, could you possibly explain how tie breakers work if NE, Balt, and the Broncos all have the same record but NE beat the Broncos, the Broncos beat Baltimore, and Baltimore beat NE (which we think will happen)?
RH709 that IS AWESOME! LOL
Thursdays game, there’s going to be a thrashing of the faiders!! LOL
My condolences go out to HC Dennis Allen for the loss of his father this week. I still have the utmost respect for Dennis!!
The tiebreaker rules (If they use the same rules as the wildcards)
Three or More Clubs
(Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of applicable two-club format.)
Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)
Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
Strength of victory.
Strength of schedule.
Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
Best net points in conference games.
Best net points in all games.
Best net touchdowns in all games.
Coin toss
If we are tied with Pats and Ravens at the end of the season and we got the win in Baltimore, the first tiebreaker will not eliminate any team since Pats lost to Ravens, we lost to the pats and we won against the ravens. If we lose to Ravens we are eliminated in this scenario.
The next part is conference record, Pats is best at the moment with 8-1, Ravens is 8-2 and we are 6-2. Pats have the 2nd seed right now.
This is how i understand the rules.
thanks dane. makes sense now
i hope brock Osweiler turn out to be a Aaron Rodgers.. sit for 3+ years and then be the best when he starts. or be a Andy Dalton or Big Ben
**** OFFICIAL SCORE PREDICTION ****
Broncos 21
Raders 16
There are 4 major things that worry me about this game:
1) Major trap game.
2) Raiders at home on a nationally televised game.
3) Broncos clobbered Raiders already. Very hard to do that twice.
4) Alllen’s fathers death (Win one for the “gipper” game).
While I expect the Bronvos to win, an upset won’t surprise me.
i have zero faith in osweiler. doesnt have the disposition
wasted draft. hopefully he can serve me some crow
raiders 18 broncos 32
take it to the bank
OS – #4 is the most worrisome….In my estimation…but none of those (#1-4) work in a situation where a team is just not able to field talent. Next year, I have no doubt that Allen will have the Raider back in shape to again be a pain in our collective backsides. This year – the Raiders suck = in more ways than they normally suck!!! LOL
to expound. good qb knows x and o but also has indominable will to win games. newton said he wants to entertain. he will never be great. rg3 knows football and says nothing but he wants to win games. he is great and will be as long as he is healthy.
osweiler hems and has and says he wants to be good with an encouraging smile. no go imo. again i can only hope he proves me wrong.
Wow. judging a guy before he plays a game in the NFL. That is insane. You have no idea what is inside this kid or what he can do on the field.
Alex, Os has done plenty of things this off season to convince me he is taking things seriously. Don’t even think for a second that he’s not learning everything he can. He knows he’d be stupid not to. I don’t get where you think he’s taking things lightly. He’s better than Hanie.
it aint insane. its called scouting. every single player that ever played an nfl down was judged before hand. again its called scouting. as an amateur scout i say osweiler sucks. as a bronco fan i hope im wrong. only time can tell
also – i never said he was taking it lightly. i said he doesnt have the right disposition. the distinction is subtle.
simply put – i think he is a bust – i hope he proves me wrong
He was sc outed by NFL scouts and picked for his talents and attitude. Normally that wouldn’t count for a whole lot but this staff seems to be exceptional at developing that talent.
I watched about 4 or 5 games from his last season in Arizona and liked what I saw. of course it wasnt perfect but the dude does not suck at all. He has the talent, size, and desire. It is now up to the staff to develope it. Just cause he wasnt a starter quality from the get go doesnt mean he sucks.
You havent spent any time with him or seen him since preseason and you call him a wated pick. Ill say it again…Insane!
to be honest i liked what i saw on film too. i am primarily basing my opinion on the john gruden interveiw. same thing i watched when i predicted rg3 would be great.
rg3 seemed like he knew football and wanted nothing but to win.
newton seemed like he wanted to be rich and famous.
osweiler seemed like he was BSing his way through his interview.
but i hope im wrong
So are you the one making sure he studies his playbook at night? Sorry but you are assuming he doesnt have the right disposition. Then making a rash statement about him being a bust based of your assumtion.
No offense but Ill make my judgements when I see him play a game and even then Id say give him a ssason before I would call it anything other than a draft pick to fill a need. As far as that is concerned, its been what it was suppose to be.
well – new blog.
i hope you are right – rh.
meanwhile im sticking to my guns