There are (13) AFC teams with some sort of mathematical chance at the playoffs.� None of those teams have more than (9) wins, none more than (7) defeats.� Though the schedule won�t permit it, the arithmetic says that every one of those teams, excluding the Steelers, could end 9-7.�
Leaving the theoretical, what we saw Monday Night was a real, live execution.� The defending champs are done; Tennessee put a beating on their O-line and did just enough on offense to win out.� The Pat dink, so promising in the summer months, has withered now, what with winter is setting in.
As for the Titans, well, they�ll go about as far as modern pharmacology will allow Steve McNair to carry them.� McNair isn�t the most talented QB in history but, surely, he�s one of the toughest.� He had shoulder surgery last year and he has the kind of toe problem that finished Toothless Jack and has hobbled Eddie George.� McNair has bad ribs too and, from what the MNF duo said last night, we can infer that he gets a pre-game shot so heavy that he�d be feeling the labor pains of a she-goat delivering a ram in Uzbekistan with about the same urgency he might gather from his ribcage, should some rusher break the pocket to put him down.��
Tennessee is 9-5 and 7-3 in the AFC; they own the head-to-head against the Steelers.� The Titans finish on the road against Jacksonville and Houston; closing on the road isn�t good but their coming opponents are two of three teams already eliminated.� The Titans have earned our respect; mark them down at 11-5.
I think the Pats are done; they are 8-6 and will face the Jets at home before closing in Miami.� A couple weeks ago, the Jets played the Raider dink well for a time; with the Pats on short rest, the NYJ will effectively vent their Bear-born frustrations next week in New England.� The Fins have more than enough on both sides of the ball; I figure the Pats to close 8-8.
Miami is 9-5, tied with the Steelers at 7-4 in conference.� While I believe they�ll win in the finale, they�ve got a tough row in Minneapolis this weekend.� In Week 11, the Vikes beat GB; subsequently, they were within a TD against the Pats, Falcons and Pack before beating the Saints at the end Sunday.� The Vikings are turnover prone but, if they hold on, they can whip the Fins.� We�ve got that hope anyway; presuming Miami has only partially shaken their long-time December blues, maybe they close 1-1 from here to end 10-6 and 8-4.
The Raiders are the front-runners in the West; they�re 9-5 and 7-3 in the AFC and will close at home against Denver and KC.� Oakland is old; they dropped (3) at the end last year and, this season, their secondary is beat up.� Still, the Raiders might have enough; after all, they did beat Denver in Denver and, as for KC, well, if Priest can�t go, the Chiefs are done too. ��Anything can happen but, obviously, if the Raiders end 11-5, they�ll push the Steelers out of bye-contention.
If Denver is Oakland�s spoiler, they�ll be the Steelers� savior.� Like Pittsburgh, Denver has impressive stats but not enough wins.� �They�re at Oakland before closing with the Cards; if they can end tied with the Raiders at 10-6, Denver be the wild card as they can�t now do better than 6-6 in the AFC.
San Diego is 8-6 too; they�re at KC before closing at home against Seattle.� Like the Vikings, Seattle has played somewhat better recently and Holmgren will have the S�Hawks playing for his job.� The Bolts are 2-4 in the 2nd half; I think they�ll finish 8-8 as in this scenario would the Chiefs.
Like Oakland, Indianapolis is closing at home too.� They have the NYG next week with the Jaguars in the tunnel.� They could win both, they should win one or the other but, if Tennessee wins out, the Colts can only be a wildcard.�
Cleveland is at Baltimore this weekend; the winner might still be in it for a wildcard too but their fate in the AFC North depends entirely on the Steelers @ Tampa on MNF.� Cleveland hosts Atlanta in the finale and, as we know, the Ravens will be in town for game 16.
No contending team needs a bye more than the Steelers, as they had their regular season vacation in Week 3.� Four teams are 9-5; obviously, those teams share the driver�s seat. �For the Steelers to get Seed #1, all four would have to drop a game while Pittsburgh won out.� That�s not likely; a more realistic, if best case, option is #2; in that, so long as both Miami and Oakland go down once, it doesn�t matter what the AFC South does.�
One reality:
Tennessee ������ 11-5
Pittsburgh� ������ 10-5-1
Oakland���������� 10-6, (beaten by Denver at home).
Miami�������������� 10-6
Wildcards, say:
Indianapolis ���� 11-5
Denver ����������� 10-6���� �