NFL 2024-2025 AFC Playoff Permutations and Combinations
The first 17 weeks of the 2024 NFL regular season are in the history books. Week 18 is here.
This week football jargon not used for 51 weeks is said over and over. We learn who controls their own destiny and who needs help making the playoffs. Some years it seems almost everybody has a shot at the playoffs. This year the AFC playoff picture has very few possibilities.
That’s our assessment of the 2024-2025 AFC playoff permutations and combinations.
Only the top seed with home-field advantage throughout the playoffs gets the first-round bye.
The NFC playoff picture also has very few possibilities.
Five of the eight AFC Week 18 games have playoff implications. Three of the four AFC Divisions have been clinched.
Now for the AFC Playoff picture.
1.) Kansas City Chiefs (15-1): The Chiefs clinched the AFC West for the ninth straight season and are locked into the one seed. They have home field advantage throughout the playoffs and the first round bye.
2.) Buffalo Bills (13-3): The Bills clinched the AFC East for the fourth straight season and are locked into the two seed. They will host a game on Wildcard Weekend.
3.) Baltimore Ravens (11-5): The Ravens have clinched a playoff spot and are one game up in the AFC North. They are currently the three seed and cannot move higher. They would play a game at home on Wildcard weekend. Yet if they lose and Pittsburgh wins, the Ravens lose the tie-breaker and the division. They would fall to the five seed Wildcard and play road playoff games.
4.) Houston Texans (9-7): The Texans have clinched the AFC South. They are locked into the four seed and will host a playoff game on Wildcard Weekend.
5.) Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6): The Steelers have clinched a Wildcard and would play road playoff games. They are one game back in the AFC North and are currently the five seed. If the Steelers win and Baltimore loses, the Steelers win the tie-breaker and the AFC North. The Steelers would then be the three seed and be at home for a Wildcard playoff game. If Pittsburgh loses and the Chargers win, the Steelers fall to the six seed.
6.) Los Angeles Chargers (10-6): The Chargers have clinched a Wildcard and will play road playoff games. As of now they are the six seed. Yet if they win their finale and Pittsburgh loses, the Chargers move up to the five seed.
7.) Denver Broncos (9-7): The Broncos have not clinched anything but they control their own destiny. They have a Week 18 showdown against Kansas City, who might be resting starters. If the Broncos win, they clinch the seven seed Wildcard and play a road playoff game on Wildcard Weekend. If they lose they can still grab the seven seed if Miami and Cincinnati also lose. If the Broncos lose and either Miami or Cincinnati wins, the Broncos are out.
Outside looking in:
8.) Miami Dolphins: 8-8): If the Dolphins win in Week 18 and Denver loses, the Dolphins win the tie-breaker and grab the seven seed Wildcard spot. If the Dolphins lose or Denver wins, the Dolphins are out.
9.) Cincinnati Bengals (8-8): The Bengals have the longest shot. They can make the playoffs as the seven seed Wildcard only if they win their regular season finale against Pittsburgh and Denver and Miami both lose. If the Bengals lose, they are out. If either Denver or Miami win, the Bengals are out.
Here are the AFC games with playoff implications:
Cleveland Browns (3-13) at Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
Cincinnati Bengals (8-8) at Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
Miami Dolphins (8-8) at New York Jets (4-12)
Kansas City Chiefs (15-1) at Denver Broncos (9-7)
Los Angeles Chargers (10-6) at Las Vegas Raiders (4-12)
Predictions:
1.) Chiefs 15-2
2.) Bills 14-3
3.) Ravens 12-5
4.) Texans 10-7
5.) Steelers 11-6
6.) Chargers 11-6
7.) Broncos 10-7
Out — Miami 9-8, Cincinnati 8-9
Wildcard Round:
7.) Broncos at 2.) Bills
6.) Chargers at 3.) Ravens
5.) Steelers at 4.) Texans
Divisional Round:
5.) Steelers at 1.) Chiefs
3.) Ravens at 2.) Bills
AFC Title Game: 2.) Bills vs 1.) Chiefs
The Baltimore Ravens are a wrecking machine, but the one team they don’t want to play on the road is the Bills. Last year the Bills lost to the Chiefs in the playoffs. Even though the game is in Kansas City, it is the Bills who will hold the Lamar Hunt Trophy as the AFC Champion. Yet for the fifth time, the Vince Lombardi Trophy will elude them.
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