The AFC playoffs are almost set heading into Week 17 and there is still one spot up for grabs in the conference at the number six spot in the wild card and the Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins are all fighting for it and a number of different scenarios can play out on Sunday.
The Ravens looked like they had the spot locked up before losing last week to the New England Patriots and now there are some interesting things that can play out, including for the Steelers, who can get in after starting 0-4 if everyone finishes 8-8 for a four way tie. The Ravens are 8-7 heading into the week's set of games and they will take the number six seed with a win against the Bengals in Cincinnati and they also need a Dolphins loss or a loss by the Chargers against the Chiefs, because that would set up a two team tiebreaker, but if it's three teams, they lose the tie.
This is one of the first times in recent memory that no one in the AFC controls their own destiny and tiebreakers will help set everything up, as the Ravens would win a two team tie, but lose if its three teams, while the Steelers need a four way tie to get in. The 8-7 Dolphins are still alive for the playoffs as well and they will get in with a win against the New York Jets and a loss by the Ravens or a win by the Chargers, as a win by all those teams would make a three team tie and that would put the Dolphins in for having the best win loss record of the teams in the conference over the Chargers and Ravens and since the Steelers can get to just 8-8, Miami would get in.
The Chargers need to win against the Chiefs on Sunday and they also need a loss by the Ravens and the Dolphins, as that would make them the one team with a 9-7 record. The Steelers need a bunch to happen and it's a bit confusing, as they need a five team tie of teams at 8-8 in the conference and it's so complicated that the team needs a another team that's not even in the playoffs to help factor in with the New York Jets. The Steelers need to win over the Cleveland Browns and they also need losses by the other three teams in the Chargers, Dolphins and Ravens to make a five way tie with the Jets and that would enable NY to knock off Miami in their division records, then the Steelers and Ravens would match up by their division record, giving to to the Steelers and then Pitt also wins out against the Jets and the Chargers by conference record.
Phew, got all that? The Miami Dolphins can also get in if every team loses on Sunday and they would get the three team tiebreaker between the Dolphins, Ravens and Chargers and they would get in by having a better conference record. The games are scheduled for 1 pm for the Ravens, Dolphins and Steelers, while the Chargers play at 4:25 pm.