Recent off their Week 16 video games final Saturday, each the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and the Pitsburgh Steelers are again in motion on Christmas Day.
And this vacation conflict between two of the highest groups within the AFC has enormous playoff implications for either side.
Here’s what it at stake for each the Chiefs and the Steelers once they meet in Pittsburgh on Christmas Day.
Chiefs playoff image
Issues are pretty easy for the 14-1 Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
With a win Wednesday over the Steelers (or perhaps a tie), the Chiefs would clinch the highest spot within the AFC for the playoffs. Meaning each a first-round bye, in addition to home-field benefit all through the postseason. Whereas final 12 months the Chiefs confirmed they may go on the highway to win within the playoffs, having each recreation within the pleasant confines of GEHA Area at Arrowhead Stadium is a giant benefit.
In addition to per week off to relaxation and put together.
Nevertheless, even with a loss to the Steelers the Chiefs can nonetheless clinch the No. 1 seed within the AFC in Week 17. A Chiefs loss would nonetheless see Kansas Metropolis clinch the highest seed if the Buffalo Payments lose or tie in opposition to the New York Jets on Sunday.
Steelers playoff image
Issues are a bit extra sophisticated for the Steelers. Whereas Pittsburgh entered Week 16 with an opportunity to clinch an AFC North title, their loss to the Ravens not solely noticed Baltimore clinch a playoff spot of their very own, however stored the Ravens alive within the AFC North race.
Each groups have matching 10-5 data, which suggests the division can’t be clinched in Week 17 by both Baltimore or Pittsburgh. Ought to they each win out, they’d end with matching 12-5 data, and the Steelers would win the division because of tiebreakers. They break up their season sequence, they’re tied within the division, and in widespread video games, and the following tiebreaker is convention document.
On this situation Pittsburgh finishes the 12 months with a 9-3 document in AFC play, whereas the Ravens end at 8-4.
Whereas the Steelers at present have that tiebreaker benefit, in addition they have the harder schedule. They end with the Chiefs in Week 17, and the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18. As for Baltimore, they play the Houston Texans on Christmas Day, and the Cleveland Browns of their season finale.
Tiebreaker implications
Pittsburgh can not catch the Chiefs for the highest spot within the AFC, so there are not any tiebreaker implications on this recreation between the 2 groups.
The key tiebreaker implication comes within the AFC North as outlined above. In the intervening time the Steelers have a greater AFC document than the Ravens, however that might change if the Steelers lose to the Chiefs, and the Ravens beat the Texans.
