AFC Playoff Picture: How the Ravens loss impacts the Steelers and others

Sometimes waiting truly is the hardest part, and that is what fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers felt as they watched the Baltimore Ravens go head-to-head with the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football in Week 14 of NFL action.

Fans of the black and gold were waiting to see the Patriots win, in hopes of there being a game advantage between the Steelers and Ravens with three weeks to play in the regular season, and that is exactly what they got late Monday night as the Patriots won 30-23.

The win changes things in the AFC Playoff Picture, and not just for the Steelers and Ravens. If anything, it makes the picture even more cloudy than it was heading into Week 13.

The Patriots remain the top seed, the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs, barring a huge let down in the final three weeks, will be battling for the No. 2 seed, and after that it is anyone’s guess how things shake out.

In relation to the Steelers, the Ravens loss doesn’t impact them as much as some may believe. It does allow them to lose in Week 15 to the Cincinnati Bengals and still control their own destiny, but anyone who knows anything about this team, and football, knows the Steelers are only thinking about winning the remainder of their games, not having an insurance policy.

Nonetheless, time to update the Playoff Picture heading into Week 15.

AFC Playoff Picture (Week 15)

1. New England Patriots - 11-2 - Remaining Games: at Broncos (8-5), vs. Jets (4-9), at Dolphins (8-5)
2. Kansas City Chiefs - 10-3 - Remaining Games: vs. Titans (7-6), vs. Broncos (8-5), at Chargers (5-8)

3. Pittsburgh Steelers - 8-5 - Remaining Games: at Bengals (5-7-1), vs. Ravens (7-5), vs. Browns (0-13)
6. Denver Broncos - 8-5 - Remaining Games: vs. Patriots (11-2), at Chiefs (10-3), vs. Raiders (10-3)

4. Houston Texans - 7-6 - Remaining Games: vs. Jaguars (2-11), vs. Bengals (5-7-1), at Titans (7-6)
5. Oakland Raiders - 10-3 - Remaining Games: at Chargers (5-8), vs. Colts (6-7), at Broncos (8-5)

In the hunt:

7. Miami Dolphins - 8-5 - Remaining Games: at Jets (4-9), at Bills (6-7), vs. Patriots (11-2)
8. Baltimore Ravens - 7-6 - Remaining Games: vs. Eagles (5-8), at Steelers (8-5), at Bengals (5-7-1)
9. Tennessee Titans - 7-6 - Remaining Games: at Chiefs (10-3), at Jaguars (2-11), vs. Texans (7-6)
10. Indianapolis Colts - 6-7 - Remaining Games: at Vikings (7-6), at Raiders (10-3), vs. Jaguars (2-11)