Well, that’s one to throw out and never watch again.
The Houston Texans have not only clinched the AFC South, but also the No. 4 seed in the conference playoff race following a 31-2 loss on Christmas Day to the Baltimore Ravens.
Lamar Jackson made history and catapulted Josh Allen in the race for MVP.
Derrick Henry turned back into the Tennessee Titan Tyrant that tortured Houstonians every time he stepped foot inside NRG Stadium.
And the Texans? They just sat and watched. There was nothing even an above-average performance would have changed following a Kamari Lassiter safety against the All-Pro runner.
Houston (9-7) knows its fate. It also knows who likely is headed to the postseason in the AFC based on the outlooks of Week 17’s matchups. The Los Angeles Chargers (9-6) and Denver Broncos (9-6) can clinch a spot in the AFC wild-card hunt with wins on Saturday afternoon.
The Kansas City Chiefs (15-1) have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC, while the Buffalo Bills (12-3) need one more win to secure the No. 2 spot. And the Ravens (11-5) need one more victory to clinch the AFC North and not repeat a Christmas massacre in the wild-card round later next month.
Below is a look at the potential NFL playoff bracket ahead of the rest of Week 17’s battles.
Who is in the NFL playoffs so far?
A total of nine teams have clinched playoff berths thus far. They are listed below by conference.
AFC
- Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)
- Buffalo Bills (12-3)
- Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
- Houston Texans (9-7)
NFC
- Detroit Lions (13-2)
- Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)
- Minnesota Vikings (13-2)
- Green Bay Packers (11-4)
NFL division winners 2024
Only three NFL divisions have been clinched entering Sunday’s Week 16. Below is a look at the division winners thus far:
AFC
- AFC East: Buffalo Bills (12-3)
- AFC North: TBD
- AFC South: Houston Texans (9-7)
- AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)
NFC
- NFC East: TBD
- NFC North: TBD
- NFC South: TBD
- NFC West: TBD
NFL playoff bracket update
AFC bracket
1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1, AFC West winners): BYE
The coveted No. 1 seed is in the Chiefs’ hands after a beatdown on Christmas morning against the Steelers. The AFC championship game had gone through Arrowhead Stadium for a record five consecutive seasons before the Ravens ended that streak in 2023.
Now, make it six with Mahomes at QB1.
2. Buffalo Bills (12-3, AFC East winners) vs. 7. Denver Broncos (9-6, wild card No. 3)
The Bills are the only team to defeat the Chiefs to this point, but a road loss to the Los Angeles Rams knocked them out of first place entering Week 17. If the season ended today, Buffalo would host Bo Nix and a surging Broncos defense in an intriguing first-round matchup.
3. Baltimore Ravens (11-5, AFC North leaders) vs. 6. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6, wild card No. 2)
This is where things get less sticky. The Ravens must win in Week 18 over Cleveland to clinch the division a second time. Should they lose and Pittsburgh win, it could become a head-to-head based on point advantages. Much like with the head-to-heads elsewhere, Los Angeles won twice against Denver, so Jim Harbaugh would get the last laugh over Sean Payton for seeding purposes.
4. Houston Texans (9-7, AFC South winners) vs. 5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6, wild card No. 1)
Some are calling this the “mid-off” since both Houston and Pittsubrgh have looked dreadful down the stretch. Since Week 15, the duo has combined for a 1-5 record and have been outscored by 48 combined points.
Houston would host because it won the AFC South. Nothing more should be expected following yesterday’s implosion at NRG Stadium.