Seven playoff spots in each conference still leaves plenty of room for teams to squeeze in, and it also means a few good clubs can wind up on the outside looking in. The 2024 Seattle Seahawks went 10-7 and still missed the postseason, which says plenty about how tight the AFC race can get.
With training camps opening across the league and Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season approaching, here’s one reason each AFC team can make the playoffs.
In the AFC North, the Pittsburgh Steelers have history working in their favor. They’ve gone 10-7 and fallen in the Wild Card Round in each of the last three seasons, which has started to define them as a team that sits in the middle of the playoff picture. Still, with many of the same players returning in 2026, that familiar formula could be enough again.
The Baltimore Ravens have a different case. Their 2025 season was nearly derailed by a 1-5 start and a wave of injuries, yet they still came close to the playoffs. Most of the Lamar Jackson era points to that year being the exception rather than the rule.
Cincinnati has a strong argument built around talent. The Bengals now have what looks like the best roster of the Joe Burrow era, and that matters because the offense is already loaded with Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins. With a revamped defense, this group finally looks built to get back to the postseason.
For the Cleveland Browns, the hope is tied to Todd Monken. His NFL background includes a track record as a prolific offensive mind, and if the Browns can pair that with a solid defense, there’s a path where Monken’s offense gives them enough punch to get in.
The AFC South brings a different set of reasons. Jacksonville already gave itself a strong launch point by winning 13 games in 2025, and that kind of foundation can carry into 2026 and beyond. The coaching staff is in place, and Trevor Lawrence was playing out of his mind over the final month and a half of the season.
Houston’s case is even more straightforward. The Texans have reached the playoffs every year of the CJ Stroud era and have one of the three best rosters in the sport. At this point, the postseason feels like the baseline for them.
Indianapolis has a more volatile path, but not an impossible one. The Colts opened 2025 at 7-1, and if something close to that first-half surge shows up again in 2026, they can absolutely be in the mix. A full healthy season from Daniel Jones could be the difference between a decent year and double-digit wins.
Tennessee’s hope centers on the pairing of Cam Ward and Brian Daboll. Daboll has a solid history working with young quarterbacks, and Ward showed plenty of big-time throws in his rookie season. If Ward makes a year-two jump, the Titans could sneak into the playoffs as a Wild Card team.
In Other News...
Steichen Just Sent A Clear Message In The Colts QB2 Battle
Training camp opened with Daniel Jones fully participating, and the Colts quarterback picture already looks more layered than a simple starter-backup setup. Shane Steichen has begun sorting out the depth chart behind Jones, with Anthony Richardson getting the kind of attention that suggests the staff still sees him as a significant part of the room, while Riley Leonard has been working with fewer reps as the evaluation process gets underway.
The rotation is expected to keep moving as camp goes on, but the early signal matters because the Colts are trying to balance development, readiness and long-term roster planning at the most important position on the field. Richardsons standing in the pecking order gives this battle a different feel than a typical backup competition, and Leonard will need every chance he gets to close the gap as the team continues sorting out how it wants to handle the role behind Jones. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Fans Are Watching A Summer Tradition Near Its End
The first day of Colts training camp brought fans back to Grand Park in Westfield on Wednesday, keeping alive a summer routine that has become part of the teams identity over the past several years. The 2026 camp is underway with public practices open through Aug. 20, and tickets are required for entry, making the early days of camp feel like a familiar but still carefully managed gathering point for the fan base.
What makes this year different is the sense that the clock is running out on the setting itself. This is the eighth and final Colts camp at Grand Park, so every practice there carries a little extra weight for fans who have made the trip north each summer and for a team that has built a steady preseason rhythm around the venue. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Camp Has An Undrafted Lineman Forcing A Real Roster Battle
An undrafted offensive lineman has quietly turned into one of the more interesting names in Colts camp, with Nolan Rucci drawing buzz as a legitimate candidate to crack the 53-man roster after a strong summer. The Penn State product has shown enough in training camp to get noticed in a room that already looks solid up front, which is what makes his push worth tracking this late in the preseason.
Ruccis college tape gave him a foundation to work from, and the Colts are weighing whether his progress is enough to keep him around as a developmental option. He may not be ready to help right away, but if he keeps flashing the way he has in camp, Indianapolis will have a real decision to make on one of its final offensive line spots. [Read more 🡒]