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Tennessee Titans and the updated AFC playoff picture

By Matias Wodner

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 16: A general view of Mercedes-Benz Stadium during the National Anthem prior to the game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Arizona Cardinals on December 16, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 16: A general view of Mercedes-Benz Stadium during the National Anthem prior to the game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Arizona Cardinals on December 16, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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The Tennessee Titans are still on the outside looking in, which makes the final regular season game a true do-or-die scenario.

Two weeks ago, we checked in on the AFC playoff picture, which was jumbled with an exorbitant amount of teams fighting for essentially one spot. Since then, a lot has changed for the Tennessee Titans. They won their next two games and have now put themselves into a prime position to make the playoffs.

Here is what the current AFC playoff picture looks like.

  1. Kansas City Chiefs: 11-4 record, 9-2 conference record 
  2. New England Patriots: 10-5 record, 7-4 conference record (owns head-to-head tiebreaker over Houston)
  3. Houston Texans: 10-5 record, 8-3 conference record
  4. Baltimore Ravens: 9-6 record, 7-4 conference record
  5. Los Angeles Chargers: 11-4 record, 8-3 conference record
  6. Indianapolis Colts: 9-6 record, 6-5 conference record
  7. Tennessee Titans: 9-6 record, 5-6 conference record
  8. Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-6-1 record, 5-5-1 conference record
  9. Cleveland Browns: 7-7-1 record, 5-5-1 conference record (eliminated from playoff contention)
  10. Miami Dolphins: 7-8 record, 6-5 conference record (eliminated from playoff contention)

With the Browns and Dolphins mathematically eliminated from contention, the final seed in the AFC is going to come down the Titans and Colts on Sunday Night Football. The Steelers or Ravens could theoretically get that spot if the Colts and Titans tie, but that is very unlikely. The only other team that could fall to the sixth seed is the Houston Texans, who would fall to that position if they were to lose to the Jacksonville Jaguars, as either the Colts or Titans would jump them with a superior conference record.

As for the other seeds, the Chiefs and Chargers will be playing for the first overall seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs on Sunday against the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos, respectively. The Patriots will face the Jets in order to hold on to the second bye. The AFC North crown will come down to the Ravens and Steelers, who play the Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, respectively.

All in all, Week 17 is action-packed with an absurd amount of seeding scenarios for the AFC. There is so much left to be decided, but the grandest decision left to be made will come down to the Sunday Night game between the Colts and Titans. Week 17 — and that game in particular — is sure to be a doozy.

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