There are two things we can be assured of: it’s the beginning of a new decade and the final week of the NFL regular season.

What we can’ be assured of is what teams will make the AFC playoffs; and the AFC playoff scenarios have seemingly endless possibilities.

What we do know is that four teams have clinched an AFC playoff spot: the Colts, Patriots, Bengals and Chargers. Six other teams are vying for the final two AFC playoff spots: the Jets, Ravens, Steelers, Texans, Jaguars and Dolphins.

Here are the AFC playoff scenarios for week 16 of the NFL football season:

Indianapolis Colts (14-0)
Clinched the AFC South and homefield advantage throughout the AFC playoffs

San Diego Chargers
Clinched the AFC South and first round bye

Cincinnati Bengals (10-5)
Clinched the AFC North

New England Patriots (10-5)
Clinched the AFC East

New York Jets (8-7)
Clinch a playoff spot with a win

Baltimore Ravens (8-7)
Clinch a playoff spot with a win

Denver Broncos (8-7)
Clinch a playoff spot with:
win and New York loss or tie and Baltimore loss or tie OR
win and New York loss or tie and Pittsburgh loss or tie OR
win and New York loss or tie and Houston win OR
win and Baltimore loss or tie and Pittsburgh loss or tie OR
win and Baltimore loss or tie and Houston win OR
Pittsburgh loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss and Jacksonville loss OR
Pittsburgh loss and Baltimore loss and Jacksonville loss and New York loss OR
Pittsburgh loss and Houston loss and Jacksonville loss and New York loss OR
New York loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss and Jacksonville loss or tie

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7)
Clinch a playoff spot with:
win and Houston loss or tie and New York loss or tie Or
win and Houston lossor tie and Baltimore loss or tie OR
win and New York loss or tie and Baltimore loss or tie and Denver loss or tie

Houston Texans (8-7)
Clinch a playoff spot with:
win and New York loss or tie and Baltimore loss or tie OR
win and New York loss or tie and Denver loss or tie OR
win and Baltimore loss or tie and Denver loss or tie

Jacksonville Jaguars (7-8)
Clinch a playoff spot with:
win and Pittsburgh loss and Baltimore loss and Denver loss and Houston loss OR
win and Pittsburgh loss and Baltimore loss and Denver loss and New York loss OR
win and Pittsburgh loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss and New York loss OR
win and Pittsburgh loss and Denver loss and Houston loss and New York loss OR
win and New York loss and Denver loss and Houston loss and Baltimore loss

Miami Dolphins
Clinch a playoff spot with:
win and New York loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss and Jacskonville loss or tie

Additional Note: To make things even more complicated: New York, Baltimore,Denver, Pittsburgh and Houston can also make the playoffs if they tie in combination with various other results. But Jacksonville and Miami cannot make the playoff with a tie.

It will be interesting watching the NFL analysts go through these scenarios over and over as the day goes bye. But one thing we can be assured of, the AFC playoff scenarios will be cast in stone by 9:00 pm ET tomorrow night.

sources: nfl.com, espn.com foxsports, New York Daily News

New York Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards has guaranteed a Jet win Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals in week 16 of the NFL season. If he’s right the Jets secure a berth in the AFC Playoffs with a wild card selection and the fifth seed.

“We won’t lose this game”, said Edwards to reporters on Wednesday. “We want it too bad. You can just talk to the guys and get a feel. You can listen to (coach Rex Ryan’s) conviction when he talks to us”. Braylon goes on, “Guys are serious about winning this game. Guys aren’t talking about New Year’s Eve. Guys aren’t talking about family. All guys are talking about is the playoffs…”

Edwards comments may be arrogant but it brings up a dilemma for the Bengals coach Marvin Lewis. If the Bengals beat the Jets they will face either the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the AFC playoffs. If the Bengals lose, they face the Jets at home in week 17.

Think about it, if you were coach Lewis who would you rather face: the Jets QB Mark Sanchez, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger or Ravens QB Joe Flacco and linebacker Ray Lewis?

The comments made by Braylon Edwards are sure to fire up the Bengals, but it will certainly do the same to his Jet teammates. Comments like this made by players are usually frowned upon, but Rex Ryan has been known to encourage trash talking by his players.

We’ll have to wait for Sunday, January 3, 2010, the first and last game NFL football game at Giants stadium, to see if Edwards words are golden.

Its week 15 of the NFL season and the AFC playoff picture remains wide open. Twelve teams are still in contention for the six AFC playoff spots available.

The AFC playoff picture is lead by the undefeated Indianapolis Colts (14-0) who are vying for a perfect NFL season record. They are followed by the Chargers (11-3), Patriots (9-5), Bengals (9-5), Ravens (8-6) and Broncos (8-6). Six other AFC teams (Dolphins, Jets, Jaguars, Titans, Texans and Steelers) are still alive with 7-7 records but their fate is dependent on the outcome of other AFC teams.

Here is the AFC Playoff picture going into Week 15 of the NFL season:

Indianapolis Colts (14-0)

• Clinched the AFC South and homefield advantage throughout the AFC playoffs

San Diego Chargers (11-3)

• Clinched AFC West
• Clinches a first round bye with:
  win or tie OR
  New England loss or tie

New England Patriots (9-5)

• Clinches AFC East Division title with:
  win or tie OR
  Miami loss or tie

Cincinnati Bengals (9-5)

• Clinches AFC North Division title with:
  win OR
  tie and Baltimore loss or tie OR
  Baltimore loss

• Clinches a playoff spot with:
  tie OR
  Jacksonville loss or tie and Jets lose or tie and Houston-Miami tie

Baltimore Ravens (8-6)

• Clinches a playoff spot with:
  win and Jacksonville loss or tie and Jets loss or tie OR
  win and Jacksonville loss or tie and Denver loss OR
  win and Miami loss or tie and Jets loss or tie and Denver loss OR
  tie and Jets loss and Jacksonville loss and Tennessee loss or tie and Houston-Miami tie

Denver Broncos (8-6)

• Clinches a playoff spot with:
  win and Jacksonville loss or tie and Miami loss or tie and Jets loss or tie and Pittsburgh loss or tie

There are just too many AFC playoff picture possibilities for those teams with a 7-7 record. Week 15 of the NFL season will help unravel the complex AFC playoff picture.

sources: NY Daily News, nfl.com,espn.com