With Week 16 nearly in the books, three AFC teams-Buffalo, Jacksonville, and Los Angeles-just punched their postseason tickets. And they didn’t need any help until Monday night, when the final domino fell in Santa Clara.
Let’s set the stage: the Bills, Jaguars, and Chargers all handled business on Sunday. No scoreboard watching, no backing in. They got their wins, took care of what they could control, and then turned their attention to the one result that could seal the deal early-a Colts loss to the 49ers.
Enter Brock Purdy and the San Francisco offense.
Purdy didn’t just show up-he lit it up. Five touchdown passes against a Colts defense that looked like it had no answers.
Philip Rivers did what he could on the other side, battling to keep Indianapolis in it, but the Niners were simply too much. From the opening drive, it felt like San Francisco was in rhythm, and the Colts were playing catch-up.
By the time the final whistle blew, it wasn’t just a San Francisco win-it was a statement. And for the Bills, Jags, and Chargers, it was the confirmation they’d been waiting for.
All three are officially playoff-bound.
That locks in five of the AFC’s seven postseason spots. The Broncos and Patriots had already secured their places, and now these three join the party. That leaves just two openings-and the race to claim them is heating up.
In the AFC North, the Steelers are still in control, but the Ravens are lurking. One slip, and Baltimore could sneak past them down the stretch.
Meanwhile, the final wild card spot is shaping up to be a two-team battle: the Texans hold the advantage, but the Colts-after Monday night’s loss-are hanging on by a thread. They’ll need help, and a lot of it.
But for now, the focus is on the teams who’ve already done enough. Buffalo, Jacksonville, and Los Angeles can breathe a little easier heading into the final two weeks.
The pressure’s not off entirely-seeding and matchups still matter-but the hardest part is over. They’re in.
And for fan bases that have seen their share of ups and downs, that’s worth celebrating.