AFC Playoff Projections After Week 13

PLAYOFF PROJECTIONS AS OF 12/7:

AFC DIVISION WINNERS:

NEW ENGLAND 9-4: The Patriots got a huge divisional win Monday night against the Bills. They have road games at Indianapolis and Miami and are at home against Buffalo and Jacksonville. They should go 3-1, 2-2 at the worst. Winning the Division Chances: 80% Making the Playoffs: 100%

TENNESSEE 8-4: They are struggling without Derrick Henry and the Colts are putting some pressure on them. But, they own the tiebreaker against Indy for the division, and a couple of wins is all they need. The remaining schedule includes home games with Jacksonville, San Francisco, and Miami. They go on the road to Pittsburgh and Houston. Winning the Division Chances: 90% Making the Playoffs: 90%

KANSAS CITY 8-4: The Chiefs have a one-game lead over the Chargers and still have to go to LA. So, that is a key game. Their home schedule includes Las Vegas and Pittsburgh, and they have road tests at Cincinnati, Denver, and the Chargers game. They should go 5-0 or 4-1. Winning the Division Chances: 85% Making the Playoffs: 100%

BALTIMORE 8-4: The Ravens are trying to let the other division teams take over first place, but nobody will take it. Heading down the stretch, they have road games at Cleveland and Cincinnati. The home dates include, Green Bay, the Rams, and Pittsburgh. Winning the Division Chances: 65% Making the Playoffs: 90%

AFC WILD CARD CONTENDERS:

BUFFALO 7-5: The Bills are struggling and they have difficult road tests at Tampa Bay and New England. The good news is their home schedule includes very winnable games with Carolina, Atlanta, and the Jets. They should finish at least 10-7. Winning the Division Chances: 40% Making the Playoffs 75%

LA CHARGERS 7-5: They still have a chance to win the division, but they are going to have to beat the Chiefs in LA, and win some games that they always seem to lose. Their home schedule includes the Giants, Kansas City, and Denver. The road games are winnable against Houston and Las Vegas. They should go at least 11-6. But will they? Winning the Division Chances: 25% Making the Playoffs: 75%

CINCINNATI 7-5: The Bengals are similar to the Chargers. Can they win the games they are supposed to win? They are a game behind the Ravens, but they have the tiebreaker. Their schedule has the 49ers, Ravens, and Chiefs at home, and road games at Denver and Cleveland. That is not an easy schedule for a team that isn’t used to winning. Winning the Division: 25% Making the Playoffs: 50%

INDIANAPOLIS 7-6: The Colts have four games left and a wild-card spot is what they are shooting for. They have New England and Las Vegas at home and Arizona and Jacksonville on the road. They could lose three of those games very easily. Winning the Division: 5% Making the Playoffs: 20%

PITTSBURGH 6-5-1: We can’t count the Steelers out until they are officially eliminated. But, their schedule is tough. They have to go to Minnesota, Kansas City, and Baltimore. Tennessee and Cleveland are the home games. Winning the Division: 5% Making the Playoffs: 20%

LAS VEGAS 6-6: The Raiders’ loss last week against Washington was a killer. They have three division games left that include at Kansas City, and home games with Denver and the Chargers. They have to win all three of those games. The other games are on the road at Cleveland and Indianapolis. Winning the Division: 5% Making the Playoffs: 15%

DENVER 6-6: The Broncos’ chances are very similar to the Raiders. They have to win their division games at home with Kansas City and on the road at Vegas and Los Angeles. The other two games are at home against Detroit and Cincinnati. Winning the Division: 0% Making the Playoffs: 10%

CLEVELAND: Their chances are dwindling with every loss. Home games include Baltimore, Las Vegas, and Cincinnati. They go on the road to Green Bay and Pittsburgh. With their offense struggling the way they have been, that’s a pretty difficult schedule. Winning the Division: 0% Making the Playoffs: 10%

MIAMI: The Dolphins are one of the hottest teams in the NFL. They have four games left and they have to win them all. The home games include, the Jets and New England. They have road games at New Orleans and Tennessee. Winning the Division: 0% Making the Playoffs: 5%