After a gritty Week 14 win over the Baltimore Ravens, the Pittsburgh Steelers have clawed their way back to the top of the AFC North. It’s been a rollercoaster stretch for Mike Tomlin’s crew-dropping three of their last four-but this latest victory puts them right back in the driver’s seat of one of the NFL’s most tightly contested divisions. And with the Ravens stumbling after a 5-1 run, the door is wide open again.
Now, circle Week 18 on your calendar. Steelers vs.
Ravens, round two. If the standings stay tight, that game could have serious playoff implications-potentially even an elimination matchup.
For now, though, Pittsburgh sits in the fourth seed in the AFC, which would line them up for a wild card clash with the Buffalo Bills if the postseason started today.
The Bills helped shift the playoff picture by knocking off the Bengals, and with the Colts falling, the wild card race just got a fresh shake-up. There’s still movement possible-especially if the Chargers pull out a win in their late afternoon matchup, which would push them up to the fifth seed.
But the Colts’ loss wasn’t just about the scoreboard. Quarterback Daniel Jones suffered a ruptured Achilles, ending his season and delivering a brutal blow to Indy’s playoff hopes. In a crowded AFC race, losing your starting quarterback this late in the year is a tough hand to play.
Elsewhere, the Jacksonville Jaguars held serve with a win to remain in the third seed. The New England Patriots, who sit atop the conference at 11-2, had the week off, while the Denver Broncos-currently second in the AFC-are set to play in the late afternoon window.
Sunday night brings another huge matchup with playoff implications, as the Kansas City Chiefs host the Houston Texans. Both teams are hovering just outside the top seven, and with the Colts slipping, there’s a real opportunity for one of them to sneak into a wild card spot. The Chargers, currently sixth, will have their say on Monday night.
Here’s how the AFC playoff picture stands after the early Sunday slate in Week 14:
AFC Standings (Week 14): 1.
New England Patriots (11-2) - Bye week
2.
Denver Broncos (10-2) - Late game pending
3.
Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4)
4.
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
5.
Buffalo Bills (9-4)
6.
Los Angeles Chargers (8-4) - Monday night game pending
7.
Indianapolis Colts (8-5)
8.
Houston Texans (7-5) - Sunday night game pending
9.
Kansas City Chiefs (6-6, 3-4 in AFC) - Sunday night game pending
10.
Baltimore Ravens (6-7)
11.
Miami Dolphins (6-7)
12.
Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)
13.
Eliminated - New York Jets (3-10)
14.
Eliminated - Cleveland Browns (3-10)
15.
Eliminated - Las Vegas Raiders (2-10)
16.
Eliminated - Tennessee Titans (1-11)
The playoff race is thinning out at the bottom. The Titans, Raiders, and Jets were officially eliminated in Week 14, and the Browns joined them after suffering their tenth loss-paired with four division defeats, that’s the final nail in the coffin.
AFC North Standings (After Week 14): 1.
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
2.
Baltimore Ravens (6-7)
3.
Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)
4.
Cleveland Browns (3-10)
The Steelers’ win, combined with losses by both the Bengals and Browns, reshaped the division standings. Cincinnati’s playoff hopes are hanging by a thread-they’d need a near-miraculous run to even sniff the division title. As for Cleveland, their season is officially over in the playoff sense.
Bottom line: The AFC playoff picture is as fluid as ever. With just a few weeks left, every game is a potential season-changer. And as we’ve seen already-whether it’s a quarterback injury, a tiebreaker swing, or a late-game collapse-anything can happen in December football.