Two playoff teams in the AFC are still to be determined heading into Week 18.
The simple explanation: If the Patriots beat the Bills on Sunday, New England is the final AFC wild card team. And the winner of Saturday’s Jaguars-Titans game wins the AFC South. Meanwhile, the Dolphins and Steelers can still make the playoffs, but they need help.
Here’s how the playoff picture looks heading into Monday night of Week 17:
CURRENTLY IN
1. Chiefs (13-3) If they beat the Raiders on Saturday and the Bills lose once, the Chiefs are the AFC No. 1 seed.
2. Bills (12-3) If they win their last two games, the Bills are the AFC No. 1 seed.
3. Bengals (11-4) If they win their last two games and the Chiefs lose to the Raiders on Saturday, the Bengals are the AFC No. 1 seed.
4. Jaguars (8-8) If they beat the Titans on Saturday, the Jaguars win the AFC South. If the Jaguars lose on Saturday, they can still get a wild card but need help from the Patriots, Dolphins and Steelers all losing on Sunday.
5. Chargers (10-6) Locked into a wild card, can be either the No. 5 seed or the No. 6 seed.
6. Ravens (10-6) If the Bengals lose tonight, and the Ravens beat the Bengals on Sunday, the Ravens are AFC North champions. Otherwise the Ravens are a wild card.
7. Patriots (8-8) If they beat the Bills on Sunday, the Patriots are a wild card.
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
8. Dolphins (8-8) If the Dolphins beat the Jets on Sunday and the Bills beat the Patriots, the Dolphins will be the final wild card.
9. Steelers (8-8) If the Steelers beat the Browns on Sunday and the Dolphins and Patriots both lose, the Steelers will be the final wild card.
11. Titans (7-9) If they beat the Jaguars on Saturday, the Titans win the AFC South. If they lose or tie to the Jaguars, the Titans are eliminated from the playoffs.
NO CHANCE OF GETTING IN
10. Jets (7-9) Mathematically eliminated.
12. Browns (7-9) Mathematically eliminated.
13. Raiders (6-10) Mathematically eliminated.
14. Colts (4-11-1) Mathematically eliminated.
15. Broncos (4-12) Mathematically eliminated.
16. Texans (2-13-1) Mathematically eliminated.