The NFL is heading into Week 18, the regular season finale, but for many teams they are focused on the postseason. For some, it is just trying to secure a playoff spot. For others, it is trying to get the best playoff seed/matchup possible. In this article we’ll focus on what the AFC Playoff scenarios are for all teams who are still considered “in the hunt” for the postseason.

AFC Playoffs

Kansas City Chiefs: Secured AFC West, No. 1 Seed, Wild Card Round BYE

Buffalo Bills: Secured AFC East, No. 2 Seed, will play lowest seeded team in Wild Card Round

Houston Texans: Secured AFC South, No. 4 Seed, can’t change seeding in Week 18, locked in at No. 4 and will host the Chargers or Steelers in Wild Card round.

Baltimore Ravens: AFC North Leader, can clinch the AFC North with a WIN vs. the Browns or a LOSS by the Steelers. The Ravens already clinched a playoff berth.

The regular-season finale will decide if the Ravens are hosting as the AFC’s No. 3 seed or traveling to the Texans on Wild Card weekend as the No. 5-seed.

If the Ravens win the AFC North, they will host either the Chargers or Steelers.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Currently Wild Card No. 1, can win the AFC North if they WIN vs. Bengals and the Ravens LOSE to the Browns. Pittsburgh already clinched a playoff berth.

The regular-season finale will decide if they’re hosting as division champions during Wild Card weekend, or on the road as a fifth or sixth-seed.

If the Steelers win the AFC North, they would host the Chargers in Round 1. If the Steelers earn the fifth seed, they will visit the Houston Texans. If they fall to the No. 6 seed, they’ll face the rival Ravens.

Los Angeles Chargers: Currently Wild Card No. 2, can either be a No. 5 or 6 seed in the AFC playoffs.

The Chargers will be the fifth seed if they WIN vs. the Raiders and the Steelers LOSE to the Bengals. At No. 5, the Chargers would face the Texans in the Wild Card round.

The Chargers will remain in the No. 6 seed spot if they LOSE to the Raiders or the Steelers WIN vs. the Bengals. A sixth seed would give the Chargers a Wild Card weekend trip to either the Ravens or Steelers.

Denver Broncos: Currently Wild Card No. 3, can clinch a playoff spot with a WIN against the Chiefs at home in Week 18 will give the Broncos a Wild Card berth as the No. 7 seed. That’s the best seed the Broncos can get, and would guarantee them a trip to Buffalo in Round 1.

If the Broncos LOSE vs. the Chiefs, they can still get into the postseason with help. In that scenario, they’d need the Jets to WIN vs. the visiting Dolphins and the Steelers to beat the Bengals.

The Broncos will be eliminated if they lose to the Chiefs and either the Bengals or Dolphins win in Week 18.

Miami Dolphins: Currently out of the playoffs. The Dolphins need help to get a spot in the AFC Playoffs. They face the Jets on the road in Week 18, where they must win and get help.

The help Miami needs with that WIN: a Broncos LOSS

The Dolphins would face the Bills in the Wild Card round if they get the final postseason bid.

Cincinnati Bengals: Currently out of the playoffs. The Bengals have the hardest chance at securing a playoff spot.

The Bengals must defeat the Steelers on Saturday and have the Dolphins and Broncos each LOSE the following day.

The Bengals would face the Bills in the Wild Card round if they get the final postseason bid.

Be sure to stay tuned to SCN and FFSN for the latest news and notes surrounding the NFL Playoffs as Week 18 kicks off this weekend.