Week 17 AFC Playoff Picture: Another Opportunity for KC Chiefs

Now out of the race for the one-seed in the AFC, Kansas City has yet another chance to clinch the AFC West this weekend.

The Kansas City Chiefs entered Week 16 with a chance to still come back and secure the No. 1 playoff seed in the AFC. Following a Christmas Day defeat at the hands of the Las Vegas Raiders, however, those hopes are officially extinguished.

That doesn't mean the season is over for Andy Reid's club, though. Kansas City has plenty left to fight for, which starts with simply clinching a spot in the playoffs. For the second week in a row, the Chiefs can punch their ticket to the playoffs via an eighth consecutive AFC West title. 

With the postseason approaching, which teams are threats to Kansas City in the conference? Are there any clubs set to potentially rise or fall in the coming weeks? Let's take a look at the Week 17 AFC playoff picture and find out.

1: Baltimore Ravens (12-3)

Coming off a big-time win over the San Francisco 49ers, the Baltimore Ravens look like perhaps the best team in football right now. They have an MVP candidate leading the way at quarterback, their defense is terrific and they're battle-tested. One last serious test is coming this weekend when the Miami Dolphins come rolling into town. With a win, Lamar Jackson and company can lock up the top overall seed in the conference with a week to spare. 

2: Miami Dolphins (11-4)

Still alive in the race for the top overall seed, Week 17 is a massive opportunity for the Dolphins to send a statement. They clinch the AFC East title with a win or a Buffalo Bills loss/tie, although their goals still go beyond that until mathematically told otherwise. One of the gripes surrounding Miami this season has been their inability to take down quality opponents. They can temporarily silence those doubters with a strong performance against Baltimore. 

3: Kansas City Chiefs (9-6)

It's been a rough season for the Chiefs, as the offense continues to struggle while the defense is still a championship-caliber unit. While the one-seed is out of the question, the two-seed is still possible but requires back-to-back wins by them and consecutive Miami losses. As far as the division is concerned, all Kansas City has to do this weekend is win or tie or see the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos lose or tie. 

4: Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7)

Since starting the season 6-2, Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars are just 2-5 in their last seven games. That includes a four-game losing streak in which Lawrence has suffered multiple injuries and the team simply hasn't looked impressive. Closing contests against the Carolina Panthers and Tennessee Titans leave the door open for a bounce-back scenario. The Jaguars can clinch the AFC South with a Week 17 win and losses by the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans. 

5: Cleveland Browns (10-5)

Even with their quarterback situation being in shambles for most of the year and the offense not always being the most consistent, here the Cleveland Browns are. Joe Flacco and company are staring right at a playoff spot, able to lock one up with a straight-up win or multiple other things playing themselves out this weekend. Facing the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football this week, they could complete their win-and-in scenario before everyone else even plays. 

6: Buffalo Bills (9-6)

A month ago, just about everyone seemed to be counting the Bills out. Their offense was going through some things, their head coach didn't seem to have a great grip on the team and their defense was incredibly banged up. While the latter part still rings true, Buffalo has 14 separate clinching scenarios for a wild card berth this weekend. Facing the 4-11 New England Patriots on Sunday, this is a prime opportunity for Josh Allen and company to enter the postseason as one of the scariest potential opponents to face. 

7: Indianapolis Colts (8-7)

Gardner Minshew and the Colts are still very much alive in the division, with the New York Times playoff odds list giving them a 24% chance to win the AFC South entering Week 17. With back-to-back games against the Las Vegas Raiders and the Texans to close the week, there's plenty on the line for everyone involved. Indianapolis has alternated wins and losses over the past month; more stability to close the season is necessary in order for the playoffs to become a reality. 

Close but no cigar: Houston Texans (8-7), Cincinnati Bengals (8-7), Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7)

Speaking of the Texans, they're hoping to get rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud back in the lineup this weekend after a brief absence. If they can take care of business to close the year, they have a very real chance of sneaking into the playoffs and even have some divisional hopes left. Elsewhere, feisty AFC North clubs like the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers are on the outside looking in with estimated 19% and 12% chances to make the playoffs per the NYT. 

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