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

The Pittsburgh Steelers came back with less than 2:00 minutes in the fourth quarter to beat the Arizona Cardinals by the score of 27-23 in Super Bowl XLIII. Ben Roethlisberger connected with Santonio Holmes, the Super Bowl MVP, on a 7 yard TD pass to secure the win. 

The Arizona Cardinals owned the fourth quarter, up until the 2:00 minute warning, taking the lead on a touchdown pass from Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald with 2:47 seconds left to play to give the Cardinals a lead of 23-20.

The other big highlight for the Pittsburgh Steelers was a 100 yard interception return by linebacker James Harrison with 18 seconds left in the second quarter with the Arizona Cardinals on the Pittsburgh Steeler 2 yard line.  With no timeouts left, and the score Pittsburgh 10 and Arizona 7, the Cardinal quarterback, Kurt Warner, threw a pass across the middle.  But Harrison, seeing that Warner was going to pass, backed up and stepped in front of the Arizona Cardinal receiver.   That began a 100 yard romp to the End zone that ended the first half scoring with the Steelers ahead 17 to 7. It was the longest play in Superbowl history.

But again, the first 13 minutes of the fourth quarter belonged to the Arizona Cardinals.  QB Kurt Warner hooked up with Wide Receiver Larry Fitzgerald for a one yard TD pass with 7:41 left to play. The Steeler took the next kickoff and turned it right back to the Cardinals.  The Cardinals got the punt and started their drive on their own 25 yard line.  A critical 15 yard penalty by Pittsburgh Steeler defensive back Taylor cost the Steelers 15 yards but the Cardinals could not finish the drive and ended up punting the ball away.

On the punt, the Cardinals downed the ball on the Steelers 3 yard line.  After a holding penalty on the Steelers and a loss on the run, the Steelers were facing a third and 11 from the 1 yard line.  Then a holding penalty on the Steelers in the endzone resulted in a Safety to make the score 20-16.

Then after the punt back to Arizona, Kurt Warner hooked up with Larry Fitzgerald for a touchdown pass to give the Cardinals a 23-20 lead.

Then Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh offense drove down the field and scored on a 7 yard Touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes.
Scoring Recap
1st Quarter
FG Jeff Reed, 18 yd field goal , 09:50. Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards in 5:15  Pittsburgh 3, Arizona 0

2nd Quarter
TD Gary Russell, 1 yd run (Jeff Reed kick is good), 14:09. Drive: 11 plays, 69 yards in 7:12  Pittsburgh 10, Arizona 0
TD Ben Patrick, 1 yd pass from Kurt Warner (Neil Rackers kick is good), 08:43. Drive: 9 plays, 83 yards in 5:27 Pittsburgh 10, Arizona 7
TD James Harrison, 100 yd interception return (Jeff Reed kick is good), 00:18.  Pittsburgh 17, Arizona 7

3rd Quarter
FG Jeff Reed, 21 yd field goal , 02:16. Drive: 16 plays, 79 yards in 8:39 Pittsburgh 20, Arizona 7

4th Quarter
TD Larry Fitzgerald, 1 yd pass from Kurt Warner (Neil Rackers kick is good), 07:41. Drive: 8 plays, 87 yards in 3:57 Pittsburgh 20, Arizona 14
 S Penalty on J.Hartwig enforced in end zone for a Safety, 03:04. Pittsburgh 20, Arizona 16
TD Larry Fitzgerald, 64 yd pass from Kurt Warner (Neil Rackers kick is good), 02:47. Drive: 2 plays, 64 yards in 0:21 Pittsburgh 20, Arizona 23
TD Santonio Holmes, 6 yd pass from Ben Roethlisberger , 00:42. Drive: 8 plays, 78 yards in 2:02 Pittsburgh 27, Arizona 23

The AFC Championship game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens is will be a low scoring affair with the Pittsburgh Steelers ending up on top.  Here are the 3 reasons why:

1. The Steelers number one ranked defense will dominate and keep the Ravens from scoring even one touchdown. 
2. Experienced QB versus the rookie. The Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger has the experience. He has won before in an AFC Championship Game and he has a Superbowl ring.  The Ravens Joe Flacco will be overwelmed by the tenacious “D” of the Steelers
3. Steelers are at Home.

GAME INFO

Date: Sunday, January 18, 2009
Time: 6:30 PM EST
Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pa.
TV: CBS
Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms

THE SPREAD
The Pittsburgh Steelers are favored by 6 points.  The Over/Under is 34 points
GAME TRENDS
Top Trends
PITTSBURGH is 77-48 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1992.
PITTSBURGH is 38-18 ATS as a home favorite of 3.5 to 7 points since 1992.
PITTSBURGH is 38-22 ATS in all games where the total is 35 or less since 1992.
BALTIMORE is 14-4 ATS in all games this season.
BALTIMORE is 14-4 ATS in all lined games this season.
BALTIMORE is 8-2 ATS in road games this season.
BALTIMORE is 8-2 ATS in road lined games this season.
BALTIMORE is 11-3 ATS against conference opponents this season.
BALTIMORE is 12-3 ATS in games played on a grass field this season.
 
 
Head-to-Head Series History
BALTIMORE is 4-2 against the spread versus PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons 
PITTSBURGH is 3-3 straight up against BALTIMORE over the last 3 seasons 
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons 
 

GAME PREDICTION
Pittsburgh Steelers 17  Baltimore Ravens 3

The Ravens offensive line will not be able to provide QB Joe Flacco enough time to throw or be able to help their running game.  Big Ben Roethlisberger will do enough to get the Steelers in the endzone and win in a low scoring contest.

sources: nfl.com, espn.com, thespread.com, fox.com