Saturday’s triple header of NFL video games featured two AFC showdowns to get the whole lot began earlier than an all-NFC night time recreation. The primary two video games settled one of many remaining AFC playoff groups, however left the door open for a possible Week 18 showdown to settle who will make the postseason. The Los Angeles Chargers beat the New England Patriots within the early recreation, locking themselves into the playoffs. However, the late recreation, and the chaos that was its ending, has the convention poised for 4 groups to be battling for the ultimate place.
The Denver Broncos wanted a win or a tie towards the Cincinnati Bengals within the center recreation of the triple header to lock of their place within the AFC playoff image, eliminating the Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, and Bengals within the course of. Cincinnati claimed the lead a number of instances in the course of the recreation, together with with a landing with simply 1:29 remaining within the fourth quarter. The Broncos wouldn’t go away, nevertheless, as they scored a tying landing with simply eight seconds remaining within the contest.
In time beyond regulation, the Bengals began with the ball, however needed to punt. The Broncos matched the punt earlier than Cincinnati drove down for a 33-yard area aim try – solely to have the ball hit the upright and fall away from the sport profitable rating. The Broncos, needing a primary all the way down to kill the clock and accept a playoff-clinching tie, solely picked up two yards in 23 seconds, resulting in a punt. The Bengals lastly put the sport away with a landing with 1:07 remaining in time beyond regulation.
The win retains the playoff hopes alive for the Colts, Dolphins, and Bengals. They are going to all nonetheless want the Broncos to lose once more subsequent week, the place a win over the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs would lock in Denver, however there may be nonetheless hope for 4 groups.
How does the AFC playoff image look by means of Saturday’s video games? What has to occur for the Dolphins to assert their playoff place? We have a look.
2024 NFL Playoff Standings
AFC Playoff Image (by means of Week 17 Saturday video games):
1 – Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (15-1, AFC West champion)+=*2 – Buffalo Payments (13-3, AFC East champion)+*3 – Baltimore Ravens (11-5,AFC North chief)^*4 – Houston Texans (9-7, AFC South champion)+*
5 – Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6, Wild Card 1 place)^*6 – Los Angeles Chargers (10-6, Wild Card 2 place)*7 – Denver Broncos (9-7, Wild Card 3 place)*
Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)*Miami Dolphins (7-8)
Eradicated from playoffs:Indianapolis Colts (7-9)*New York Jets (4-12)*Las Vegas Raiders (4-12)*Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12)*Cleveland Browns (3-12)Tennessee Titans (3-13)*New England Patriots (3-13)*
^ Playoffs clinched+ Division championship clinched= Homefield benefit and bye clinched
*Week 17 recreation performed
Tie breaks:
Steelers over Chargers primarily based on head-to-head outcomes
Jets over Raiders primarily based on AFC document; Three-way tie: Jets and Raiders over Jaguars primarily based on head-to-head sweep
Raiders over Jaguars primarily based on head-to-head outcomes
Titans over Patriots primarily based on head-to-head outcomes
AFC playoff eventualities:
Denver Broncos
Situation 1:
Broncos win/tie at Bengals (Week 17) OR
Broncos win/tie vs Chiefs (Week 18)
Situation 2:
Dolphins lose/tie at Browns (Week 17) OR at Jets (Week 18) AND
Colts lose/tie at Giants (Week 17) OR vs Jaguars (Week 18) AND
Bengals lose/tie at Steelers (Week 18)
Situation 3:
Dolphins lose at Browns (Week 17) OR at Jets (Week 18) AND
Bengals lose/tie at Steelers (Week 18) AND
Chargers win/tie vs Patriots (Week 17) OR vs Raiders (Week 18)
Indianapolis Colts – Eradicated with loss
The Colts entered Week 17 with three paths to the playoffs. One state of affairs included the Chargers shedding each of their remaining video games, making that path irrelevant transferring ahead. The remaining paths are:
Situation 1:
Win at Giants (Week 17) AND
Win vs Jaguars (Week 18) AND
Dolphins win at Browns (Week 17) AND
Dolphins win at Jets (Week 18) AND
Broncos lose at Bengals (Week 17) AND
Broncos lose vs Chiefs (Week 18)
Situation 2:
Win at Giants (Week 17) AND
Win vs Jaguars (Week 18) AND
Bengals win vs Broncos (Week 17) AND
Bengals win at Steelers (Week 18) AND
Broncos lose vs Chiefs (Week 18)
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins entered Week 17 with three paths to the playoffs. The primary two eventualities included the Chargers shedding each of their remaining video games, making these irrelevant transferring ahead. The one path remaining for Miami is:
Win at Browns (Week 17) AND
Win at Jets (Week 18) AND
Broncos lose at Bengals (Week 17) AND
Broncos lose vs Chiefs (Week 18) AND
Colts lose/tie at Giants (Week 17) OR vs Jaguars (Week 18)
If any of those don’t occur, the Dolphins will probably be eradicated from put up season rivalry.
Cincinnati Bengals
Win vs Broncos (Week 17) AND
Win at Steelers (Week 18) AND
Broncos lose vs Chiefs (Week 18)
Dolphins lose at Browns (Week 17) OR lose at Jets (Week 18)
Colts lose/tie at NYG (Week 17) OR vs JAX (Week 18)
