The AFC playoffs are essentially established, with the first six spots already decided.
However, after the Cincinnati Bengals shockingly beat the Denver Broncos yesterday, that final seventh spot opened up for four possible teams.
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Today, that field dropped to three when the Indianapolis Colts lost to the New York Giants, who had a 2-13 record heading into the game.
After a 20-3 win over the Cleveland Browns, the Miami Dolphins have kept themselves in the playoff conversation.
With three teams left, here’s how the Broncos, Dolphins, and Bengals can all get that final Wild Card spot.
Denver Broncos: Beat the Chiefs in Week 18 or All Three Teams Lose
Currently, the Broncos have the best odds to make it into the playoffs, with NFL.com giving Denver a 56 percent chance to land in that final spot.
In order to do so, all they have to do is beat the Kansas City Chiefs, the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
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While this seems like a tall order for Bo Nix and the Broncos, they already came close to beating Kansas City earlier this season when they lost 16-14 on a blocked field goal.
On top of that, there is a good chance that the Chiefs will rest their starters, potentially making the game even easier to win.
If the Broncos do lose, they still have another avenue into the playoffs. All they need is for both the Dolphins and the Bengals to lose as well.
Miami Dolphins: Broncos Lose, Beat Jets
The Dolphins proved that they still belong in the playoff conversation with a dominant 20-3 victory over the Browns. Now, they just need a little help to make those postseason dreams a reality.
If the Broncos fall to the Chiefs, Miami needs to beat Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets. Given that they just lost to the Buffalo Bills 40-14, it’s safe to assume that the Dolphins can come out on top in New York.
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Currently, NFL.com gives Miami a 28 percent chance to make it to claim the Wild Card spot.
Cincinnati Bengals: Broncos Lose, Dolphins Lose, Beat Steelers
Finally, the Bengals have the most difficult path to the postseason. Not only do they need the Broncos to lose to the Chiefs, but they also need the Dolphins to lose to the Jets.
To make things even harder, Cincinnati also needs to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team they already lost to this season, 44-38. In fact, the Bengals haven’t beaten the Steelers since Nov. 20, 2022.
However, Cincinnati is currently on a four-game winning streak led by quarterback Joe Burrow, who is having an MVP-caliber season.
Still, a lot of this is largely out of the Bengals’ hands. NFL.com gives them a 15 percent chance to make the playoffs.
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