NFL Playoffs 2016: AFC Wild Card race Week 13

In Week 13, the AFC Wild Card race is heating up. Which teams will either help or hurt their chances of making the playoffs this week.

The AFC Wild Card race is heating up, as plenty of teams have a chance to claim the two spots. On Sunday Night Football last week, the Denver Broncos and Kansas cIty Chiefs played a huge game for playoff implications.

After the Oakland Raiders were able to move to 9-2 on top of the AFC West, the Broncos and Chiefs did battle in Denver. The Broncos made a bold decision to kick a 62-yard field goal attempt to get a win. The kick missed, and the Chiefs were essentially handed a win due to the great field position. The kick by Cairo Santos was as close as you can get to missing, but it bounced off the post and in.

Now, the Chiefs have the first Wild Card spot, and it was the Miami Dolphins who hopped the Broncos for the second Wild Card spot. It was good that the Chiefs were able to win, as they will have a tough game in Week 13 on the road against the Atlanta Falcons. Momentum from a win in Denver might help Kansas City, but that will be a tough game.

For the Dolphins, they will also have a challenging game. In Week 13, they will be on the road against the AFC North-leading Baltimore Ravens. That is a game that has huge implications for both the Wild Card and a division in the AFC.

The Broncos have a golden opportunity to get back a Wild Card spot this week, as they will be facing the Jacksonville Jaguars. After losing to the Chiefs, beating the Jaguars is a must for the Broncos if they want to make the playoffs.

Next batch:

After those three teams, there are three teams in the AFC with six wins, and very much in the playoff hunt. The Pittsburgh Steelers are arguably the best of the bunch. They will be at home against the New York Giants, who are winners of six straight. Due to the Ravens playing a tough game, this week is an opportunity to gain ground in the AFC North.

The Buffalo Bills are the other team that is 6-5 and looking in on the Wild Card race. This week will be tough for the Bills, as they face the Raiders in Oakland. The Raiders appear to be one of the top teams in the AFC and the Bills will be hard-pressed to earn a win.

The final team in the AFC that has six wins is the Tennessee Titans. It has been a great season for Marcus Mariota and the Titans. While the Wild Card is reachable, they are more focused on taking the AFC South from the Houston Texans. The Titans are on their bye week in Week 13, and won’t be able to gain any ground this week. However, in the AFC South, not playing might help them move up in the standings.

Outsiders:

The two teams that are very unlikely to grab an AFC Wild Card spot are the Indianapolis Colts and San Diego. Like the Titans, the Colts are still in the playoff hunt. However, that is because they play in the AFC South. The Chargers are a very competitive team, but they, unfortunately, play in the tough AFC West. With a 5-6 record, the Chargers likely need to win out to secure a Wild Card spot. With the Buccaneers coming out West this week, the Chargers might see their playoff hopes come to an end.

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Week 13 will surely be a fun one to watch in the AFC. With the current Wild Card teams having tough games, we might see the gap closed in the standings this week.