Here is how the AFC Playoff Picture looks following the Baltimore Ravens’ huge loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13.
Week 13 is almost in the books and the AFC standings have shaken up. The Baltimore Ravens losing 20-19 following a failed two-point conversion, and with the Las Vegas Raiders losing 17-15 to the Washington Football Team.
If the 2021 season were to end today, here is how the AFC Playoff Picture would look.
Note: This is before the Kansas City Chiefs-Denver Broncos game on Sunday Night Football, and the New England Patriots-Buffalo Bills game on Monday Night Football.
Contents
AFC Playoff Picture: NFL Division Standings After Week 13
AFC East
New England Patriots (8-4)Buffalo Bills (7-4)Miami Dolphins (6-7)New York Jets (3-9)
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens (8-4)Cincinnati Bengals (7-5)Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5-1)Cleveland Browns (6-6)
AFC South
Tennessee Titans (8-4)Indianapolis Colts (7-6)Houston Texans (2-10)Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10)
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs (7-4)Los Angeles Chargers (7-5)Denver Broncos (6-5)Las Vegas Raiders (6-6)
The New England Patriots now are the top seed in the AFC, thanks in part to the Ravens. Baltimore was down 20-13 in the closing minutes, but quarterback Lamar Jackson worked his way down field and hit Sammy Watkins in the end zone for the game-tying touchdown. Instead of going for the extra point, head coach John Harbaugh went for two. Jackson attempted a pass to a wide open Mark Andrews, but he dropped it.
Las Vegas is now falling further and further out of the crowded playoff picture. The team did hold a 15-14 lead, but it disappeared after a game-winning, 48-yard field goal by Brian Johnson. The Raiders have now lost four of their last five games.
Matchups if the NFL started today after Week 13
Here’s what the NFL Playoffs would look like on the AFC side of the bracket if the season were to end today.
(1) New England Patriots — First round bye(2) Tennessee Titans vs. (7) Cincinnati Bengals(3) Baltimore Ravens vs. (6) Los Angeles Chargers(4) Kansas City Chiefs vs. (5) Buffalo Bills
Teams on the bubble:
(8) Denver Broncos(9) Pittsburgh Steelers(10) Indianapolis Colts(11) Las Vegas Raiders(12) Cleveland Browns(13) Miami Dolphins
NFL Playoff format: How many teams make the postseason?
This season, much like last year, seven teams will be eligible to make the NLF Playoff from each conference.
NFL Schedule: How many games are there?
There are 18 weeks in the 2021 season, with each team playing 17 games on their schedule.
NFL tiebreaker scenarios
For division and Wild Card record ties, here is how the seeding will be determined, per NFL.com. Here is how teams are seeded:
The division champion with the best record.The division champion with the second-best record.The division champion with the third-best record.The division champion with the fourth-best record.The Wild Card club with the best record.The Wild Card club with the second-best record.The Wild Card club with the third-best record.
Breaking a tie within the division or Wild Card becomes way more complicated, and is determined by any combination of head-to-head record, division record or conference record.
