Originally posted on 12/29/2015:
AFC is a mess. There are simply way too many permutations to think about seedings. God this is confusing.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (Can't do worse than 2nd)
New England can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with:
1) NE win or tie
2) DEN loss or tie
CINCINNATI BENGALS (Can only be 2nd or 3rd)
Cincinnati can clinch a first-round bye with:
1) CIN win + DEN loss or tie
2) CIN tie + DEN loss
3) DEN loss + KC win
DENVER BRONCOS (Can be 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 5th)
Denver can clinch the AFC West division title with:
1) DEN win or tie
2) KC loss or tie
Denver can clinch a first-round bye with: (2nd)
1) DEN win
2) DEN tie + CIN loss or tie
3) KC loss or tie + CIN loss
Denver can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with: (1st)
1) DEN win + NE loss
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (currently the 5th seed, can go to the 3rd seed, can't be 1st or 2nd)
Kansas City can clinch the AFC West division title with:
1) KC win + DEN loss
NEW YORK JETS (currently the 6th seed, can be 5th seed, 6th seed or miss the playoffs)
N.Y. Jets can clinch a playoff berth with:
1) NYJ win or tie
2) PIT loss or tie
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (out of playoffs, can be the 6th seed)
Pittsburgh can clinch a playoff berth with:
1) PIT win + NYJ loss
HOUSTON TEXANS (can only be 4th seed in playoffs)
Houston can clinch the AFC South division title with:
1) HOU win or tie
2) IND loss or tie
3) HOU clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over IND OR clinches strength of schedule tiebreaker over IND
(Note: HOU clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over IND if one of the following teams wins or ties: NO, CIN, NYJ, SD, NE.
HOU clinches strength of schedule tiebreaker over IND if KC wins or ties and BAL wins or ties as long as both teams don't tie.
If Houston and Indianapolis end up tied in strength of victory and tied in strength of schedule, the teams would then go to the next tiebreaker, which is best combined ranking among AFC teams in points scored and points allowed in all games. Houston currently has a combined AFC ranking of 17 and Indianapolis is at 25.)
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (can only make the 4th seed)
Indianapolis can clinch the AFC South division title with:
1) IND win + HOU loss + IND ties HOU in strength of victory tiebreaker and clinches strength of schedule tiebreaker over HOU
(Note: IND ties HOU in strength of victory tiebreaker and clinches strength of schedule tiebreaker over HOU if BOTH of the following occurs:
• a) all of the following teams win: BAL, ATL, BUF, DEN, MIA
• b) OAK win or tie + PIT win or tie as long as both teams don't tie.
If Houston and Indianapolis end up tied in strength of victory and tied in strength of schedule, the teams would then go to the next tiebreaker, which is best combined ranking among AFC teams in points scored and points allowed in all games. Houston currently has a combined AFC ranking of 17 and Indianapolis is at 25.)
Apparently the 5th seed is the screw up...
DEN clinches #5 with:
1. NYJ loss/tie
KC clinches #5 with:
1. KC win
2. KC tie + NYJ tie
3. NYJ loss
NYJ clinches #5 with:
1. NYJ win + KC loss/tie
2. NYJ win + KC win + DEN loss
3. NYJ tie + KC loss