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

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