The NFL playoff picture cleared up on Sunday, with the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, and Cincinnati Bengals getting in.
The Baltimore Ravens are now in the playoffs. This came after the San Diego Chargers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. However, the Chiefs and the Houston Texans are out--despite winning.
The fifth spot in the AFC playoffs will be determined during the Cincinnati Bengals-Pittsburgh Steelers game on Sunday night.
The New England Patriots will have the first overall seed, while the Denver Broncos--should they win against the Oakland Raiders--will have the second seed. The Indianapolis Colts will have the third seed.
1. New England Patriots (12-4) - Get a bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs
2. Denver Broncos (12-4) Get a bye and get home-field
3. Indianapolis Colts (11-5) - Play next week
4. Cincinnati Bengals (10-4-1) - Play next week
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5) - Play next week.
6. Baltimore Ravens (10-6) - Play the winner of the Bengals-Steelers game.
AP update: Ravens beat Browns 20-10 to earn playoff berth
BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens took care of business and got the help they needed to snare a wild-card card berth in the AFC playoffs.
Baltimore earned a spot in the postseason Sunday, rallying to defeat the Cleveland Browns 20-10 while getting an assist halfway across the country.
Down 10-3 in the fourth quarter, the Ravens kicked a field goal and then took the lead on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to Torrey Smith with 7:33 left.
Flacco’s 2-yard TD throw to Kamar Aiken with 3:44 remaining clinched it.
To reach the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years, Baltimore (10-6) needed to beat the Browns (7-9) and have San Diego lose in Kansas City.
That is precisely what happened.
The first part of that equation seemed easy enough, given that the Browns had lost four straight, were starting rookie quarterback Connor Shaw and had dropped 12 of their past 13 against Baltimore.
The Ravens prevailed, and the Chiefs completed Baltimore’s dream scenario with a 19-7 win.
For three quarters, the Ravens struggled offensively — just as they did one week earlier in a 25-13 loss in Houston. As the game wore on, the home fans showed their dissatisfaction by booing before yet another Baltimore punt.
But Flacco went 8 for 9 for 161 yards and two touchdowns during a 17-point fourth quarter. He finished 22 for 36 for 312 yards, and the two TD passes gave him a career-high 27 for the season.
Justin Forsett had 119 yards rushing for the Ravens, who will open on the road next weekend.
With quarterbacks Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel out with injuries, Shaw made his NFL debut for Cleveland. The Browns were also without suspended wide receiver Josh Gordon, and they placed cornerback Justin Gilbert on the inactive list after the rookie reportedly showed up late for a team meeting.
But someone forgot to inform Cleveland it had no business hanging with a team playing with a postseason berth on the line.
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