Breaking down the AFC Wild Card race

Who still has a shot, part 3

• Denver Broncos (5-6)

Just two weeks ago, the Denver Broncos were 3-6. With the Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers on their schedule over the next two weeks, many thought they’d drop to 3-8. Well, here they are two weeks later with upset victories over both the Chargers and Steelers. Those two wins have put them back in the AFC Wild Card race.

Denver held the Chargers to 22 points, while holding the Steelers to 17. Those are teams averaging 27.9 and 28.7 points per game! Although they lost to the 8-3 Houston Texans the week before their two upset wins, they held them to 19 points.

This defense might be playing their best football at the right time. The defense playing at a high level, combined with their remaining schedule, may get the Broncos into the playoffs. Their last five games are against the 5-6 Cincinnati Bengals, 2-9 San Francisco 49ers, 4-6-1 Cleveland Browns, 2-9 Oakland Raiders and the 8-3 Los Angeles Chargers.

If they can beat their next four opponents, they’ll feel confident heading into their last game against the Chargers, who they recently beat. If they can win out, the Broncos would end the season 10-6. 10 wins should get them in.

• Tennessee Titans (5-6)

Tennessee could have really used a win over the Houston Texans in their last game. That would have made things in the AFC South very interesting. Unfortunately for the Titans, they weren’t able to hold on to that early lead they jumped out to.

Now being 5-6, they have their work cut out for them in the AFC Wild Card race. Not only are they behind the 8-3 Houston Texans in their division, but they’re also behind the 6-5 Indianapolis Colts. That almost gives them no chance of winning the division. That means they’ll have to beat out the Ravens, Colts, Dolphins, Bengals and Broncos for a playoff spot.

It’s a good thing their next three games are against the New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Giants, all who have losing records. After that though, they finish the season against two teams who currently have winning records, the Washington Redskins and Indianapolis Colts.

We’re not sure what we’ll get from Colt McCoy and the Redskins for the rest of the season. If they can somehow win their next four games, they’d move to 9-6. If that’s the case, they could be playing the Colts in a very important game to end the season.

I personally don’t think it will come down to that for the Titans. They’ve been too inconsistent for my liking for me to choose them as a team to win out. I predict they’ll finish the season 8-8.

• Cleveland Browns (4-6-1)

Do I really think the Cleveland Browns have a shot in the AFC Wild Card race? No. However, I couldn’t leave them off after how they’ve played recently.

Since Hue Jackson has been fired, the Cleveland Browns are 2-1, the only loss coming against the 9-2 Kansas City Chiefs. Over those three games, rookie QB Baker Mayfield has completed 75.7% of his passes for 771 yards, nine TDs and just one INT. Those numbers are far better than what he did when Hue Jackson was around.

If Baker Mayfield can continue that kind of play the rest of the season, the Browns at least have decent chance at winning games. It will be tough for them to make the playoffs, as they still have to face the 8-3 Houston Texans, 6-5 Carolina Panthers, 5-6 Denver Broncos, 5-6 Cincinnati Bengals and 6-5 Baltimore Ravens.

I think they get two wins at best out of those five games, but it will be interesting to see how the Browns can progress to end the year.

AFC playoff standing prediction

1. Kansas City Chiefs (13-3)
2. New England Patriots (12-4)
3. Houston Texans (12-4)
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5-1)
5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)
6. Baltimore Ravens (9-7)
7. Indianapolis Colts (9-7)
8. Denver Broncos (9-7)
9. Tennessee Titans (8-8)
10. Miami Dolphins (7-9)
11. Cleveland Browns (6-9-1)
12. Cincinnati Bengals (6-10)
13. Buffalo Bills (6-10)
14. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)
15. New York Jets (3-13)
16. Oakland Raiders (3-13)