Odds of Wild Cards meeting in the Super Bowl could be high.

[Max Fischer]

Although there's a long way to go, any combination of the current playoff scenarios appears to present decent odds that two Wild Card teams could meet in the Super Bowl. 

 

Of course, a team will ALWAYS want home field, and the bye has significant advantages, but there are quite a few scenarios in which a Wild Card team could run the table, even if on the road all three games.  It's possible, given injuries and how each is playing, that more than a few Wild Card teams could be even or better odds versus Division winners. 

[TheFunPolice]

AFC Division winners do not impress me as true contenders:

 

Denver, Indy/Jax/Hou, NE, BAL,PIT,CIN

 

Out of that mix, the scariest possible division winner would be CIN, because they are like a video game team that can score at will when healthy. If their defense can force 2-3 punts they will be in every game with Burrow. 

 

But none of the other likely AFC division winners scares me at all. I still think it will be BUF/KC in the AFC Title Game in Highmark, as it should be. 

 

 

[Gregg]

5 minutes ago, TheFunPolice said:

AFC Division winners do not impress me as true contenders:

 

Denver, Indy/Jax/Hou, NE, BAL,PIT,CIN

 

Out of that mix, the scariest possible division winner would be CIN, because they are like a video game team that can score at will when healthy. If their defense can force 2-3 punts they will be in every game with Burrow. 

 

But none of the other likely AFC division winners scares me at all. I still think it will be BUF/KC in the AFC Title Game in Highmark, as it should be. 

 

 

 

I don't know about that. I think at this point KC misses the playoffs.

[TheFunPolice]

17 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

I don't know about that. I think at this point KC misses the playoffs.

 

It's certainly possible, but a 10-7 AFC will make it in. Happens every year when we say "this year an 11-6 team will miss!" then a 9-8 team slips in. 

 

Lots of losses are coming for the top AFC teams. It's just math, because they play each other. Broncos/Jaguars, Broncos/Chargers, Chargers/Texans, Chargers/Chiefs, Broncos/Chiefs, Jags/Colts twice, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some... 

 

I think the Chiefs get the Colts spot. 

 

 

Edited 59 minutes ago by TheFunPolice

[Gregg]

1 minute ago, TheFunPolice said:

 

It's certainly possible, but a 10-7 AFC will make it in. Happens every year when we say "this year an 11-6 team will miss!" then a 9-8 team slips in. 

 

Lots of losses are coming for the top AFC teams. It's just math, because they play each other. Broncos/Jaguars, Broncos/Chargers, Chargers/Texans, Chargers/Chiefs, Broncos/Chiefs, Jags/Colts twice, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some... 

 

 

 

We will see how it plays out but KC has to run the table at this point. Even that might not be enough. They will need help with other teams losing.

[gonzo1105]

14 minutes ago, TheFunPolice said:

 

It's certainly possible, but a 10-7 AFC will make it in. Happens every year when we say "this year an 11-6 team will miss!" then a 9-8 team slips in. 

 

Lots of losses are coming for the top AFC teams. It's just math, because they play each other. Broncos/Jaguars, Broncos/Chargers, Chargers/Texans, Chargers/Chiefs, Broncos/Chiefs, Jags/Colts twice, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some... 

 

I think the Chiefs get the Colts spot. 

 

 

The problem isn’t that some team can slip, it’s the fact that they have lost so many tiebreakers besides the Colts like you mentioned. It’s another huge one for tiebreakers when Houston meets KC. A KC loss ends any shot for them but a win now does give them tiebreakers over the Texans and Colts 

 

We’re gonna for sure get 2 AFC East,  Two AFC West, the North Champions. The question is can the AFC South get that 3rd bid over the Chiefs or can another team catch fire down the stretch like the Steelers (highly unlikely). 
 

A team that can honestly do it is the Dolphins if you can believe that. They have Jets, Steelers, Bengals(all winnable), Tampa at home, and NE to end the season 

Edited 44 minutes ago by gonzo1105

[MDH]

2 minutes ago, gonzo1105 said:

The problem isn’t that some team can slip, it’s the fact that they have lost so many tiebreakers besides the Colts like you mentioned. It’s another huge one for tiebreakers when Houston meets KC. A KC loss ends any shot for them but a win now does give them tiebreakers over the Texans and Colts 

 

I don't think a loss this week ends KC's chances. The Colts are faltering and we'll see about Herbert's health. Even if Herbert is okay their schedule is BRUTAL. I can see both Indy and LAC ending up on the outside looking in while both the Chiefs and the Texans sneak in at 10-7.

[Max Fischer]

54 minutes ago, TheFunPolice said:

AFC Division winners do not impress me as true contenders:

 

Denver, Indy/Jax/Hou, NE, BAL,PIT,CIN

 

Out of that mix, the scariest possible division winner would be CIN, because they are like a video game team that can score at will when healthy. If their defense can force 2-3 punts they will be in every game with Burrow. 

 

But none of the other likely AFC division winners scares me at all. I still think it will be BUF/KC in the AFC Title Game in Highmark, as it should be. 

 

 

 

I believe any AFC playoff team could string together two or three wins to reach the Super Bowl. Right now, some are stronger than others, but I wouldn't discount any team that makes the playoffs (except maybe the Steelers, unless they beat the Ravens twice)  

 

As of right now, I'd tier them: 

 

(*wins division)

 

Patriots* 

Texans* (I think they sneak in somehow)

Chiefs (Chiefs probably need to win out, but it's possible they could, and in the process knock out the Jags, Colts, Texans or Chargers)

Broncos*

 

Bills (win three out of five should be enough to get in)

Jaguars (head-to-head matchups with Colts and Texans)

Colts (same)

Chargers (tough schedule, Herbert health)

Ravens* (beat Steelers twice?)

 

Steelers (could swap with Ravens)

 

 

Edited 26 minutes ago by Max Fischer

[TheFunPolice]

13 minutes ago, gonzo1105 said:

The problem isn’t that some team can slip, it’s the fact that they have lost so many tiebreakers besides the Colts like you mentioned. It’s another huge one for tiebreakers when Houston meets KC. A KC loss ends any shot for them but a win now does give them tiebreakers over the Texans and Colts 

 

We’re gonna for sure get 2 AFC East,  Two AFC West, the North Champions. The question is can the AFC South get that 3rd bid over the Chiefs or can another team catch fire down the stretch like the Steelers (highly unlikely). 
 

A team that can honestly do it is the Dolphins if you can believe that. They have Jets, Steelers, Bengals(all winnable), Tampa at home, and NE to end the season 

 

using the ESPN playoff simulator I actually got them in at 10-7 with a loss to HOU this week. That would require the Chargers to fall back though. 

 

In that scenario:

 

1 DEN 13-4

2 NE 13-4

3 HOU 11-6

4 CIN 9-8

5 BUF 12-5

6 JAX 11-6

7 KC 10-7

 

KC would need DEN to defeat LA in week #18 in this scenario. DEN would be playing for the #1 seed. 

 

 

[DrBob806]

1 hour ago, TheFunPolice said:

 

 

Out of that mix, the scariest possible division winner would be CIN, because they are like a video game team that can score at will when healthy. If their defense can force 2-3 punts they will be in every game with Burrow. 

 

 

 

 

The amount of "Bengal fear" on this board is unbelievable.

 

It seems many fans won't be satisfied until the playoff bracket looks like the Bills, Raiders, Browns, Jets & Titans. 

 

No "fan scared" allowed!!!

[The Jokeman]

1 hour ago, Gregg said:

 

I don't know about that. I think at this point KC misses the playoffs.

KC ticket is dependent on the Chargers and Indy holding their spots IMO. Or better stated at least both make the playoffs to keep KC out. 

[SoCal Deek]

I know everyone on here hates to see it, but the road to the Super Bowl appears to run through Foxboro. Ugh!