As the NFL barrels toward the postseason, there were multiple results on Sunday that drastically shifted the playoff picture in the AFC. None were more impactful than the Patriots taking down the Dolphins to move back into possession of the final wild-card spot, along with the Jets’ loss to the Seahawks to eliminate New York from contention.
New England had lost four of its past five games before notching a 23–21 home victory over Miami, improving its record to 8–8 on the season. Now, Bill Belichick and the Patriots control their own destiny and can secure a playoff spot with a win next week at Buffalo.
Of course, the rest of the postseason scenarios for the AFC are not quite so simple. Here’s a look at the current playoff picture, and what each of the teams on the bubble need to do next week to get into the field.
