AFC playoff picture: Here’s what has to happen for the Bengals to make it

Last Updated 1 week by Amnon J. Jobi | Amnon Front Page

The Cincinnati Bengals did what they needed to do in the last five games of the season, going from a statistical 3% chance to make the playoffs up to 30% by some measures. But now they need some help.

The Bengals took care of its last controllable, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Steel City, in primetime Saturday night, 19-17. It was a gutsy, sloppy win, and it sets up a possible playoff berth.

Here’s what needs to happen for the Bengals to make the 7th and final playoff spot in the AFC:

The Kansas City Chiefs need to BEAT the Denver Broncos (4:25 p.m. Sunday)

The New York Jets need to BEAT OR TIE the Miami Dolphins (4:25 p.m. Sunday)

We’ll update both games here on this article as the results unfold.

The Broncos sit at 9-7, having dropped its head-to-head matchup with the Bengals last week in what was also a thrilling game the Bengals eeked out. That head-to-head loss is the reason the Bengals would make the playoffs if the Broncos lose to the Chiefs in Week 18, even though both team’s records would be 9-8. They are set to play a Chiefs team that has already announced it is sitting its starters, having locked up the number 1 seed in the AFC. That game will come down to how motivated the Chiefs backups are to spoil a division-rival’s shot at the playoffs vs. how motivated they might be to avoid playing the red-hot Bengals in the playoffs. Either way, the Broncos will surely show up to play with their playoff lives on the line.

The Dolphins-Jets game is a bit more of a toss-up. The Dolphins have been up and down this year at 8-8, while the Jets have been one of the worst teams in the league. If the Dolphins win, and both they and the Bengals finish 9-8, the Dolphins hold the tie-breaker over the Bengals because of its AFC record: The Dolphins would be 7-5 in games against the AFC with the win over New York. The Bengals ended the season at 6-6.

So to recap: Broncos win, Bengals OUT.

Dolphins win, Bengals OUT.

Broncos lose, Dolphins lose or tie, Bengals IN.

If the Bengals do get in, they would play a Wild Card round game in Buffalo against Josh Allen and the Number 2-seed Bills.