Following two wild divisional wins, the Raiders sit at the 11th seed in the AFC with postseason hopes still alive after taking down the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs, 20-14.
According to the New York Times' Upshot playoff simulator, the Raiders' playoff odds jumped from 1 percent last week to 14 percent after Monday's victory. A win over the Colts in Week 17 would boost that number to a 35 percent chance to make the playoffs. As it stands, the Raiders have a mathematical shot at getting the fourth, sixth or seventh seed.
Every game from here on out is pivotal for the Raiders. If they lose to either the Colts or Broncos, they're essentially done with any postseason hopes.
Believe it or not, there's even still a way for the Raiders to win the AFC West division title. If the Raiders win their last two games and the Chiefs lose their last two (vs. Bengals, at Chargers), the Silver and Black would be on top. That's a big if, but anything can happen in the NFL.
The more likely projected scenario is for the Raiders to vie for a wild-card spot. Even if they win out, there's a lot that comes into play as the Colts, Texans, Steelers, Bengals (all 8-7) and Broncos (7-8) are jostling for a spot in the playoffs as well. The Colts currently hold the final wild-card spot due to tiebreakers over the other 8-7 teams. A Raiders win over the Colts plus a Chiefs win over the Bengals and Jaguars win over the Panthers in Week 17 would boost the Raiders' wild-card odds to 38 percent.
Take a look at the full AFC standings below:
Current AFC Standings | Upcoming Games | Playoff Odds (per New York Times simulator) |
---|---|---|
1. Baltimore Ravens (12-3)* | vs. Miami Dolphins, vs. Pittsburgh Steelers | 100% |
2. Miami Dolphins (11-4)* | at Baltimore Ravens, vs. Buffalo Bills | 100% |
3. Kansas City Chiefs (9-6) | vs. Cincinnati Bengals, at Los Angeles Chargers | 98% |
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7) | vs. Carolina Panthers, at Tennessee Titans | 74% |
5. Cleveland Browns (10-5) | vs. New York Jets, at Cincinnati Bengals | 99% |
6. Buffalo Bills (9-6) | vs. New England Patriots, at Miami Dolphins | 89% |
7. Indianapolis Colts (8-7) | vs. Las Vegas Raiders, vs. Houston Texans | 55% |
8. Houston Texans (8-7) | vs. Tennessee Titans, at Indianapolis Colts | 33% |
9. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7) | at Seattle Seahawks, at Baltimore Ravens | 13% |
10. Cincinnati Bengals (8-7) | at Kansas City Chiefs, vs. Cleveland Browns | 18% |
11. Las Vegas Raiders (7-8) | at Indianapolis Colts, vs. Denver Broncos | 14% |
12. Denver Broncos (7-8) | vs. Los Angeles Chargers, at Las Vegas Raiders | 6% |
13. New York Jets (6-9) – eliminated from playoffs | at Cleveland Browns, at New England Patriots | 0% |
14. Tennessee Titans (5-10) – eliminated from playoffs | at Houston Texans, vs Jacksonville Jaguars | 0% |
15. Los Angeles Chargers (5-10) – eliminated from playoffs | at Denver Broncos, vs. Kansas City Chiefs | 0% |
16. New England Patriots (4-11) – eliminated from playoffs | at Buffalo Bills, vs. New York Jets | 0% |
*clinched playoff
View the best photos from the Raiders' Week 16 victory against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.