Week 16 is almost in the books, and in the AFC, the Colts and Ravens are firmly in the driver’s seat to make the playoffs.
The Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens can thank JuJu Smith-Schuster for putting them in the driver’s seat in the race to secure playoff births.
Smith-Schuster’s fumble cost the Pittsburgh Steelers a chance to cement their place on top of the AFC North, but it put them out of the playoffs entirely. Now with an 8-6-1 record, the Steelers now need help just to get into the playoffs.
That’s because the Ravens have leapfrogged them in the AFC North, and victories by the Colts and Tennessee Titans, who are both 9-6, puts Pittsburgh on the outside of the playoff bubble. The Colts can also thank the Philadelphia Eagles today, as their win over the Houston Texans now put them within striking distance to take the AFC South.
The New Orleans Saints have now secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC, which means that the road Atlanta will now go through the Superdome, the toughest place in the NFL to win a playoff road game. So, yea, it’s been a crazy Week 16, and Week 17 will only get crazier.
Here’s where the NFL playoff picture now stands through Sunday night of Week 16:
AFC
1 Kansas City Chiefs (11-3)
2. New England Patriots (10-5)
3. Houston Texans (10-5)
4. Baltimore Ravens (9-6)
5. Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)
6. Indianapolis Colts (9-6)
In the Hunt
Tennessee Titans (9-6)
Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6-1)
NFC
1 New Orleans Saints (13-2)
2. Los Angeles Rams (12-3)
3. Chicago Bears (10-4)
4. Dallas Cowboys (9-6)
5. Seattle Seahawks (8-6)
6. Minnesota Vikings (8-6-1)
In the Hunt
Philadelphia Eagles (8-7)
In the NFC, the Seahawks could punch their playoff tickets tonight with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs, leaving the Eagles needing a win at the Washington Redskins, and the Vikings to lose at home to the Chicago Bears in Week 17.
In the AFC, the Steelers are in a pickle. They need to beat the Bengals at home and have both Baltimore lose to the surging Browns to claim the AFC North. To get into the Wildcard, they need both the Colts and Tennessee Titans to lose in Week 17.
Buckle up.