AFC Picture

All six AFC playoff participants are known as only the seeding is up for grabs in the final week.

The Houston Texans, despite a home loss as over a touchdown favorite vs the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday, still control whether they will be a one seed. The Texans travel to Indianapolis where they will face the Colts for the second time in three weeks. If Houston wins, they will be the one seed. However, if they lose in an early game this Sunday, both the Denver Broncos, who are 16 point favorites and the New England Patriots, who are favored by ten points would likely move past the Texans in the AFC seeding. If both do then Houston does not even get a wild card round bye.

The Colts are definitely the number five seed in the AFC. They will definitely play next week on the road, most likely at Baltimore in a game that would be Colts at Baltimore. Of course the Colts had their greatest moments in Baltimore and were revered there.

One wonders how long returning Colts’ coach Chuck Pagano will play certain key players vs Houston. One other note is that unless Houston loses and drops to a three seed, it is possible that the Texans and Colts will meet in another two weeks in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

The Denver Broncos have won ten games in a row, their season turning with their great comeback win in San Diego on Monday night October 15th, and are heavy favorites to be at least the AFC two seed. They are now the favorites to win the AFC and would have an even better chance, one would think as one never knows what will happen, if they become the one seed.

The New England Patriots likely will be the three seed and face the six seed, Cincinnati Bengals in the wild card round. These teams have never faced each other in the playoffs despite being in the same league or conference since the Bengals entered the AFL in 1968.