Naughty or Nice? (AFC Week 17)

Last week, the American Football Conference could have seen literally all of their storylines settled. All seven spots clinched, all four divisions clinched, even the #1 seed could have been wrapped up. Thankfully, that did not happen. If it had, we would have seen a lot of games in the final two weeks mean very little to nothing. Instead, we still have just a few things that need to be handled in Week 17, the penultimate week of the season, which starts on Christmas Day and is followed by the final countdown to the New Year. At least one NFL game played for five of the next six days! Let's go!

Let's take a look at the AFC Playoff Picture:

Kansas City Chiefs (14-1)

The Kansas City Chiefs' win over the Houston Texans reduced the battle for the #1 seed down to just two teams, and it moved them just one win or tie away from getting that top spot. The Chiefs will kick off Week 17 on Christmas Day in Pittsburgh, and they can get that win exactly one year to the day after they were soundly embarrassed on their own field. They have, at most, two chances to nab that #1 seed.

Buffalo Bills (12-3)

The Buffalo Bills can't clinch anything else... yet. It was their close win over the Patriots that kept the alive for the #1 seed, but they need to pull for the Steelers and the Broncos, and that's if the Bills win this week over the Jets. If the Bills win out and the Chiefs lose out, the two teams will finished tied in the standings, and Buffalo will have the tiebreaker due to their win over KC. The Bills will be locked in at #2 if they don't get the top seed, but if last year taught us anything, it's that the #7 seed isn't exactly an automatic out anymore.

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a Week 16 they'd want to forget. Their plans of locking up the AFC North hit a snag, but they still have that chance. But they will need both weeks to do so. Winning out will get it done; they host the Chiefs on Christmas and end the regular season hosting the Bengals. So they are looking at playing three straight games at home should they win out and win the North. Most likely, the Steelers will be locked in at #3 in the conference.

Houston Texans (9-6)

The Houston Texans' seeding is nearly locked in; they can't move up higher than #3, but with their division title, they can't finish lower than #4. So the Texans will be at home to start the playoffs, most likely the first game of Wild Card Weekend, it seems to be tradition with them.

Baltimore Ravens (10-5)

I mentioned the Texans; that's who the Baltimore Ravens host on the second of the two Christmas Day games. The Ravens picked up a huge win over the Steelers to lock in a playoff spot, but they are not done yet. There's still the division to go, and they can get the AFC North by winning out and the Steelers losing one (mainly Week 18 because it's all divisional). After hosting the Texans, the Ravens will host the Browns on the final week.

Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)

Here's where the scenarios gets interesting. There are two spots left in the AFC, and they can be nabbed this week. The Los Angeles Chargers moved one step closer to getting in to the playoffs with their big win over the Denver Broncos. A win or tie this week gets it done, or losses or ties from the Colts and Dolphins will put them in. The Chargers will be in Foxboro in the opener of a Saturday tripleheader on NFL Network.

Denver Broncos (9-6)

The Denver Broncos' loss did not take their right to control their own destiny. In order to reach the playoffs for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50, all they have to do is defeat or tie the Cincinnati Bengals. That game will serve as the heart of the Saturday tripleheader on NFL Network.

As for the three teams who still have a bit of a pulse:

The 7-8 Teams

The Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, and Cincinnati Bengals are not dead yet! All three teams won their respective games, keeping their faint playoff hopes alive and well for another week. I mentioned that the Bengals host the Broncos on Saturday. They are the only one of the three teams playing at home this week. Unfortunately for Cincy, they are also the only one of the three teams playing against a real team. The Colts will be in MetLife Stadium on Sunday against a Giants team who hasn't won a game since before the NHL season started in North America, while the Dolphins will be in Cleveland against a three win Browns team, though two of those wins were against Pittsburgh and Baltimore. As for their paths to the playoffs, they are as follows:

Indy leads the 7-8 cluster and has the easiest paths. Winning out and the Chargers losing out will put them in. Option 2 has Indy and Miami winning out, and Denver losing out. Option 3: Win out, Denver loses out, and Cincy wins next week. Miami also has three options; the first one has them needing to win out and both LA and Denver losing out. If only one of them loses out, Miami will need Indy to lose or tie just one of their final two games. As for the Bengals, there's only one way in for them: Win out, Denver loses in the final week, and both Indy and Miami have to lose or tie one of their final two games. All three teams can be eliminated this week, and they are all lose and out.

I am very excited for Week 17, I always am because it's the beginning of an always amazing end in the NFL. I am hopeful that Week 17 ends with something left to play for in the AFC in the final week; we need that Week 18 drama in the AFC.