Chiefs, Steelers top AFC, plenty contend Online:
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are already in. No surprise for the defending Super Bowl champions.
Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers are undefeated no more, but they’re also on the verge of clinching an AFC playoff spot. After that, well, there are plenty of other contenders who might have something to say about the conference being just a topheavy twosome.
Buffalo and Cleveland are 9- 3, with Tennessee, Miami and Indianapolis all 8- 4. They’d all be in the playoffs right now with this season’s expanded, seventeam format.
Baltimore and Las Vegas are still in the mix at 7-5. And it’s never smart to count out a Bill Belichickcoached team, especially with New England surging with four wins in its past five games to get to .500 at 6- 6.
A division- by- division look at the AFC playoff race going into the final quarter of the season:
AFC EAST >> Josh Allen and the Bills could make a massive statement when they take on the Steelers at home Sunday night.
The third-year quarterback has played his way into the MVP conversation and another impressive performance — and a win — would justify that buzz. It would also put Buffalo well in line for its first division title since 1995.
But the Dolphins are still swimming right there with the Bills. Miami and rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa are just a game behind Buffalo in the race for the division and host the Chiefs on Sunday. Still, there’s a chance the regular season finale at Buffalo on Jan. 3 could decide who finishes on top.
The Patriots have been that team for 11 consecutive years — with Tom Brady at quarterback, of course — but that streak appears in serious jeopardy. Belichick’s bunch has this going, though: After Thursday night’s game against the Rams, New England’s final three opponents are all in the division — at Miami, home vs. Buffalo and home against the currently 0-12 New York Jets.
AFC NORTH >> The Steelers were cruising along when — whoa! — the Washington Football Team dashed any dreams of perfection in Pittsburgh with a stunning 23-17 upset Monday night.
Now, winning the division is far from a certainty, especially with Baker Mayfield and the Browns on a fourgame winning streak and looking like the scary squad many have been expecting. Pittsburgh still has a twogame lead and could clinch with a win and a Browns loss to Baltimore, but the division could come down to these two playing in what will likely be chilly Cleveland in the regular season finale.
Oh, and don’t forget about Baltimore, which might be out of the division race but got Lamar Jackson back from a one-game COVID-19 absence and snapped a three-game skid with a 34-17 win over Dallas on Tuesday night. The Ravens host the Browns next, then finish with three straight opponents currently with losing records: home vs. Jacksonville (1-11) and the New York Giants (57), and at Cincinnati (2-9-1). AFC SOUTH >> Tennessee and Indianapolis split their two regular season meetings and fittingly sit tied atop the division with four games left. Ryan Tannehill and the Titans would seem to have the easier path to winning the South with only one team with a winning record (Green Bay at 9-3) remaining on their schedule. They also have: at Jacksonville, home vs. Detroit (5-7) and wrap up the regular season at Houston (4-8).
The Colts are winners of three of their past four, with the only loss during that stretch coming at home against the Titans two weeks ago. Philip Rivers’ squad will be at Las Vegas (7-5), home vs. Houston, at Pittsburgh and home vs. Jacksonville to wrap things up.
AFC WEST >> The Chiefs earned a playoff berth last week and would have already clinched their fifth straight division title if not for since-fired Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ bizarre play call that allowed the Raiders to pull off a stunning 31-28 victory at New York last Sunday.
Kansas City can take care of business itself by winning (or tying) Sunday at Miami. A loss (or tie) by the Raiders at home against Indianapolis would also give coach Andy Reid and his Chiefs the division.
PANTHERS RB MCCAFFREY NOT EXPECTED TO PLAY >> Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey is not expected to make his return this Sunday, coach Matt Rhule said.
“At this point, I don’t expect him to play, but I’ll continue to monitor it,” Rhule told reporters.
McCaffrey, who missed the past three games with a shoulder injury, missed Thursday’s practice after a quad injury surfaced earlier this week. McCaffrey had been on track to return Sunday against the Denver Broncos (4-8).
RAVENS WR BRYANT SAYS HE’S HAD TWO NEGATIVE COVID TESTS >> Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Dez Bryant, who was not allowed to play in Tuesday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys, claims on social media that he’s tested negative twice for COVID-19.
Bryant said Thursday that he has had “back to back” negative COVID tests. The former Dallas Cowboys receiver was ruled out of the game against his former team 30 minutes before kickoff after he claimed he had tested positive for the virus.
Bryant was not placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Ravens, and suggested that it could have been a false positive.