Just one playoff spot remains in the AFC entering the final week of the regular season, as the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens will face one another in an AFC North title game at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday night.
The rest of the other six AFC playoff teams have already been decided, with the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos having each clinched their division and a home playoff game, and the Buffalo Bills , Houston Texans , Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers all securing playoff berths.
There's plenty still at stake in the final week of the regular season, including the AFC No. 1 seed and first-round bye, which can still go to the Broncos, Jaguars and Patriots. The Broncos are in the driver's seat for the No. 1 seed and will clinch it with a win when they host the Los Angeles Chargers at 4:25 p.m. on Sunday.
Also up for grabs is the AFC South title, with the Jaguars and the Texans both still in the running for that. Both of those teams play at 1 p.m. on Sunday, with the Texas hosting the Indianapolis Colts and the Jaguars at home against the Tennessee Titans . The Jaguars enter the final week of the regular season one game ahead of the Texans, so Houston needs a win and a Jacksonville loss in order to move up in the playoff pecking order and earn a home date.
The winner of the Steelers and Ravens showdown on Sunday Night Football is locked into the No. 4 seed, while the No. 5, 6 and 7 seeds will be decided between the loser of the AFC South showdown, along with the Bills and the Chargers, who are locked into Wild Card slots, but are currently tied with the Texans at 11-5.
Should the Steelers win over Baltimore, the Texans are their most-likely first-round opponent, followed the Chargers, Bills and Jaguars in that order.
In addition to a win over the Ravens, the Steelers can also win the AFC North with a tie against Baltimore on Sunday night.
Denver Broncos Wide Receiver Courtland Sutton (14) prior to a game against the Buffalo Bills on November 24, 2019, at New Era Field in Orchard Park, NY. — Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire
1. Denver Broncos** 13-3
2. New England
Patriots** 13-3
3. Jacksonville Jaguars* 12-4
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
9-7
5. Houston Texans* 11-5
6. Los Angeles Chargers* 11-5
7. Buffalo Bills* 11-5
~ In the hunt:
9. Baltimore Ravens
8-8
~ Eliminated:
8. Indianapolis Colts 8-8
10. Miami Dolphins
7-9
11. Cincinnati Bengals
6-10
12. Kansas City Chiefs
6-10
13. Cleveland Browns
4-12
14. Tennessee Titans 3-13
15. New York Jets
3-13
16. Las Vegas Raiders
2-14
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 24, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
All games on Sunday, Jan. 4
Indianapolis Colts at Houston TexansCleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals
Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos
Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders
New York Jets at Buffalo Bills
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots
Baltimore Raves at Pittsburgh Steelers
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Steelers Playoff Picture Comes into Focus for Week 18
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