UPDATE: The Broncos failed to clinch on Sunday. Five teams were eliminated from contention entirely, and the Patriots moved into the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Updated playoff picture here.
NFL playoff picture and scenarios 2015, Week 14: Top AFC teams can clinch on Sunday
The Bengals failed and the Broncos didn’t get the results they needed, but the Patriots can still secure a spot in the postseason Sunday.
At the beginning of Week 14, every team except the Cleveland Browns was still alive in the postseason race. While teams like the San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers aren't going to make it to the playoffs, the tightness of the wild card races in both conferences has kept almost every team mathematically alive into mid-December.
After both the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals secured their postseason spot before Sunday, the onus will be on the teams at the top of the AFC to lock down their playoff berths. The New England Patriots enter Week 14 following back-to-back losses that dropped the team from a perfect 10-0 to No. 3 in the AFC and outside of the range for a first-round bye.
A win over the Houston Texans would finally clinch a spot for the Patriots who have toyed with clinching scenarios for the last two weeks. If the New York Jets also lose to the Tennessee Titans, the Patriots have a chance at clinching the AFC East as well.
The scenario for the Cincinnati Bengals was pretty simple: Beat the Pittsburgh Steelers and they are the champions of the AFC North as well as the leader for the No. 1 spot in the conference. Things got much more complicated after they not only lost to the Steelers, but quarter Andy Dalton suffered a thumb injury that could jeopardize his season.
For the Denver Broncos, just beating the Oakland Raiders won't be enough to earn the AFC West crown after the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Diego Chargers. They needed one of the Steelers or Jets to lose or tie if they had any chance of clinching a playoff spot, but both teams won.
No other team that hasn't clinched a postseason spot can earn a spot in Week 14, although the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals had some rooting interest after locking down spots already. A win for the Panthers against the Atlanta Falcons secured a first-round bye for Carolina, while a loss for the Seattle Seahawks against the Baltimore Ravens would have guaranteed the Cardinals the NFC West crown.
In the AFC there’s little room for error in the wild card race, although unlike the NFC, there are three teams tied for two spots. The Steelers are currently the team on the outside looking in, even after an upset win over the Bengals.
Both the Texans and Buffalo Bills are ready to jump into the race if any team leaves the door ajar for them to do so, but with so many teams in contention, teams like the Raiders and Miami Dolphins would need some help to get back in the thick of the race.
With four weeks left to play, these are the current favorites to win the Super Bowl, according to Football Outsiders:
| No. | Team | Super Bowl win |
| 1 | Carolina Panthers | 19.9 percent |
| 2 | Arizona Cardinals | 16.7 percent |
| 3 | Cincinnati Bengals | 16.5 percent |
| 4 | Denver Broncos | 12.2 percent |
| 5 | New England Patriots | 10.5 percent |
Here are the current standings entering Sunday:
AFC
1. Denver Broncos (10-2)
2. New England Patriots (10-2)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (10-3)
4. Houston Texans (6-6)
5. Kansas City Chiefs (8-5)
6. New York Jets (8-5)
In The Hunt
Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5)
Buffalo Bills (6-7)
Indianapolis Colts (6-7)
Oakland Raiders (5-7)
Miami Dolphins (5-7)
NFC
1. Carolina Panthers (13-0)
2. Arizona Cardinals (11-2)
3. Green Bay Packers (8-4)
4. Washington (6-7)
5. Seattle SeahawksMinnesota Vikings (8-5)
6. Minnesota Vikings (8-5)
In The Hunt
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7)
Atlanta Falcons (6-7)
Philadelphia Eagles (6-7)
New York Giants (5-7)
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