The Jacksonville Jaguars’ path to the playoffs was boiled down to one scenario Saturday night.
After the Pittsburgh Steelers got a 17-10 win against the Baltimore Ravens, who were resting many of their starters, the Jaguars cannot earn a wild card berth. Jacksonville’s only path to the postseason was to win Sunday against the Tennessee Titans and secure the AFC South.
They didn’t pull it off. Instead, the Jaguars were bounced from the playoff field with a 28-20 loss in Nashville. After finishing November with an 8-3 record, the Jaguars won just one of their last six games to fumble away the division title to the Houston Texans.
With the 2023 regular season now down to just one more game, here’s how the standings look across the AFC:
AFC South
- (y) Houston Texans: 10-7
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
- Indianapolis Colts: 9-8
- Tennessee Titans: 6-11
(y – clinched division title)
The Jaguars relinquished their spot atop the division when the Texans beat the Colts on Saturday night. Then they failed to take it back when they lost to the Titans.
AFC East
- (x) Miami Dolphins: 11-5
- (x) Buffalo Bills: 10-6
- New York Jets: 7-10
- New England Patriots: 4-13
(x – clinched playoff berth)
The Bills already have one win against the Dolphins, so if they win Sunday night, they’ll take the division title and the No. 2 seed in the AFC. If Buffalo loses, it’d steal sneak in as a wild card.
AFC North
- (zy) Baltimore Ravens: 13-4
- (x) Cleveland Browns: 11-6
- (x) Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7
- Cincinnati Bengals: 9-8
(z – clinched No. 1 seed)
(y – clinched division title)
(x – clinched playoff berth)
The Ravens had nothing to play for Saturday and the Browns are locked into the No. 5 seed. But after the Steelers’ got a win in Baltimore, they were handed a playoff berth by the Jaguars’ loss.
AFC West
- (y) Kansas City Chiefs: 11-6
- Las Vegas Raiders: 8-9
- Denver Broncos: 8-9
- Los Angeles Chargers: 5-12
(y – clinched division title)
The Chiefs will be the No. 3 seed and every other team was eliminated before Week 18 began.
AFC Playoff Picture
- (xyz) Baltimore Ravens: 13-4
- (x) Miami Dolphins: 11-5
- (xy) Kansas City Chiefs: 11-6
- (y) Houston Texans: 10-7
- (x) Cleveland Browns: 11-6
- (x) Buffalo Bills: 10-6
- (x) Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7
(x – clinched playoff berth)
(y – clinched division title)
(z – clinched No. 1 seed)
The playoff field is set, although the order could still change. The Bills will either climb to No. 2 or fall to No. 7. It’s either No. 2 or No. 6 for the Dolphins.
