AFC playoff picture: Bengals, Broncos, Chiefs still have much to play for

The Steelers were 6-5 and their season was on the brink after they lost in Seattle nearly a month ago.

-PASS DEFENSE: B-minus. Four interceptions look good on the stat sheet, but QB Matt Cassel’s interception – in which CB Darrelle Revis picked off a pass as Cassel was flagged for intentional grounding – might have been the most inept in history. So if all three teams win their final two games, the Jets are out. There are solid reasons for that, mostly because of an offense that has scored 30 points or more in six consecutive games.

Such a week 16 scenario would leave the Chiefs, Steelers and Jets at 10-5. A lot of guys who are not household names are stepping up and making plays for us. “We are bailing each other out and we are picking each other up”.

In a way, the Broncos playoff season starts now. They could also miss out on the postseason entirely (4 percent chance). “We’ve grown some”, Bowles said. “We’ve got a divisional opponent this week at their place, so that’s going to be our focus – (that’s) after we enjoy this for one night”. “We have to keep living week in and week out in the manner in which we’re doing”.

“If the football gods deem that we are worthy, and somehow we win these last two games, maybe we will, maybe we won’t (get into the playoffs), but you can’t worry about it because you can’t control it”.

Best-case scenario for the weekend: The Jets win and they get help from the Broncos or Steelers or Kansas City Chiefs.

Like they did to the Browns in Week 10, the Steelers should bully the Ravens in their second meeting, because after all, Pittsburgh is not only healthy at the right time of year, it’s also seemingly peaking.

Denver is 10-4, but has lost two straight and has an unsettled quarterback situation. “Once we did get on the same page you could see how we operated and how much more effective we were”.

-PASSING OFFENSE: A. Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown continued their assault on the team’s record books. A hole still exists in my heart from the disappointing Bronco playoff loss suffered to the Ravens in 2013; today, however, the Ravens will be my second-favorite team! However, they have to like their chances of going 2-0 and expecting some help, as Pittsburgh has two friendly road dates in Baltimore and Cleveland to finish the season.

In that scenario you’d have a Steelers-Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium. That personnel group was created to stop the run, and it did for the most part. He subsequently missed a 45-yard attempt.

In the early slate of games heading into Week 15, the Green Bay Packers clinched a spot in the postseason and both Washington and the Houston Texans took control over their respective divisions.

-PASS DEFENSE: C. Let’s break this one down into two halves.

Many members of Steelers Nation were certainly scrambling for their blood pressure medication in the first half, and because of the exhilarating nature of the comeback, the lion’s share of those fans were reaching for their favorite celebratory beverage afterward. Considering the Raiders travel to Kansas City the final week of the season, I hope the black-and-silver continue their winning ways because I want them to be very confident when they visit Arrowhead! Logan Ryan and Duron Harmon led the secondary, with Ryan intercepting Tannehill in the second quarter and Harmon in the fourth. Obviously, he can’t follow the same script. This game is huge.