The AFC playoff standings certainly came down to the wire Sunday with all three teams involved in the race for the seventh seed being in a one-possession game in the fourth quarter.
However, with the Week 18 afternoon slate in the books, we now know how the AFC playoff picture will look.
1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-3, .824 winning percentage)
2. Buffalo Bills (13-3, .813)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4, .750)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8, .529)
5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6, .625)
6. Baltimore Ravens (10-7, .588)
7. Miami Dolphins (9-8, .529)
And here are the matchups:
— Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills
— Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals
— Los Angeles Chargers at Jacksonville Jaguars
There was a lot that transpired.
The Patriots, who entered Week 18 with a win-and-in situation, will miss the playoffs after their 35-23 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Dolphins, who needed to win and the Patriots to lose, earned the final spot after their 11-6 victory against the New York Jets and New England’s helping hand.
The Steelers, who needed the Patriots and Dolphins to lose as well as to win themselves, ultimately earned a 28-14 win over the Cleveland Browns but didn’t benefit from a Miami loss. The 9-8 Steelers and 8-9 Patriots concluded as the eighth and ninth teams in the conference.
The Chiefs previously earned the top spot in the conference Saturday with their Week 18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The Jaguars comeback win over the Tennessee Titans allowed Jacksonville to claim the AFC South and thus the No. 4 seed.
Additionally, the Ravens’ loss to the Bengals on Sunday afternoon cemented the Chargers into the No. 5 seed.
