The 2022 NFL playoff picture is slowly but surely coming into focus. Week 18 of the 2022 season is certain to be loaded with action and the playoffs are on the line for a number of franchises. There are AFC playoff scenarios all throughout the weekend with the fun getting started on Saturday night.
Of course, the most important topic at hand right now in the NFL and all of sports, really, is the situation with Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field during the Bills-Bengals matchup on Monday night and was taken to the ICU after receiving treatment on the field. Thankfully, since Monday night, the updates regarding Hamlin’s status have been positive, slowly but surely. Hamlin remains in critical condition, and it’s hard to fathom how the Buffalo Bills — contenders all year to have the top record in the AFC and NFL in general — could go out and play a game anytime soon.
Yet it sounds like that’s what’s going to happen as the Bills will return to work on Wednesday with meetings and a walkthrough. Although everyone’s primary concern lies with the status of Hamlin, it appears as though games will be played as scheduled, save for the suspended Bills-Bengals game which the NFL hasn’t given any word on other than the game won’t be resumed.
So for now, we look at the AFC playoff scenarios without adding to the win, loss, or tie column for either the Bengals or Bills.
AFC playoff scenarios heading into Week 18: Current Standings
1. Kansas City Chiefs (13-3)
2. Buffalo Bills (12-3)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (11-4)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8)
5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)
6. Baltimore Ravens (10-6)
7. New England Patriots (8-8)
AFC playoff scenarios in Week 18: Predicting outcomes
Utilizing our Week 18 NFL picks and predictions, let’s see what could unfold with the teams currently “in the hunt” in the AFC.
- Chiefs beat Raiders
- Bills beat Patriots
- Bengals beat Ravens
- Jaguars beat Titans
- Chargers lose to Broncos
- Steelers beat Browns
- Jets beat Dolphins
This is a lot to consider right now, of course, but this would give us a playoff grouping of:
(1) Kansas City Chiefs: BYE
(2) Buffalo Bills vs. (7) Pittsburgh Steelers
(3) Cincinnati Bengals vs. (6) Baltimore Ravens
(4) Jacksonville Jaguars vs. (5) Los Angeles Chargers
AFC playoff scenarios for Week 18: An unlikely series of events
Let’s say things get a little crazy here in Week 18…
- Raiders beat Chiefs
- Patriots beat Bills
- Bengals beat Ravens
- Titans beat Jaguars
- Steelers beat Browns
- Broncos beat Chargers
- Jets beat Dolphins
Should this happen, the 2022 playoffs on the AFC side would look like this:
(1) Buffalo Bills: BYE
(2) Kansas City Chiefs vs. (7) New England Patriots
(3) Cincinnati Bengals vs. (6) Baltimore Ravens
(4) Tennessee Titans vs. (5) Los Angeles Chargers
AFC Playoff scenarios for Week 18: Best-case scenario for football fans?
What does everyone want in the NFL playoffs? Drama. Star power. What’s the best-case scenario for that in terms of playoff scenarios in Week 18?
- Chiefs beat Raiders
- Bills beat Patriots
- Ravens beat Bengals
- Jaguars beat Titans
- Steelers beat Browns
- Broncos beat Chargers
- Jets beat Dolphins
It’s a toss-up at this point whether you’d really prefer to see the Patriots or Steelers in the playoffs right now. Neither team is going to bring the fireworks offensively but both teams have been exciting in their own ways throughout the season.
This scenario would give us:
(1) Kansas City Chiefs (BYE)
(2) Buffalo Bills vs. (7) Pittsburgh Steelers
(3) Cincinnati Bengals vs (6) Los Angeles Chargers
(4) Jacksonville Jaguars vs. (5) Baltimore Ravens
In this scenario, you’re getting a rematch between Buffalo and Pittsburgh which ended with a 38-3 blowout in favor of Buffalo early in the season (take that for what it’s worth at this point). The reason this is an ideal scenario, though, is because it gives you potentially the best two rounds of quarterback matchups.
Buffalo vs. Pittsburgh is an upstart Kenny Pickett against Josh Allen. Cincinnati vs. Los Angeles is a battle of two of the best QBs in the league from the 2020 NFL Draft class, Burrow vs. Herbert. Then you’ve got Trevor Lawrence making his playoff debut against potentially Lamar Jackson.
Depending on how those matchups turned out, you could be looking at Lawrence vs. Mahomes or Jackson vs. Mahomes in round two as well as the potential of a third Herbert vs. Mahomes duel.
One way or another, in terms of the scenarios we’re looking at with the AFC going into Week 18 there are some question marks based on what the league decides about the Bengals-Bills game. With that being said, there are exciting games to be played and outstanding QB matchups.