AFC Playoff Picture: Identifying the 3 Biggest Bubble Teams

The AFC playoff picture is fairly set at this point. The Houston Texans (10-3) are in, the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots are all also 10-3 and their spots are almost secured. Meanwhile the New York Jets (8-5) have a leg up for the final wild card spot, while the Denver Broncos (8-5) lead the AFC West by a game.

The Broncos and Jets are really the only vulnerable teams, but they could have luck on their side, as the AFC's top three bubble teams all face obstacles in catching them. 

Here is a look at the AFC's bubble teams and what they need to happen in order to reach the postseason.

Tennessee Titans (7-6)

The Tennessee Titans currently sit at 7-6 and are on the outside looking in on the AFC playoff picture. With the New York Jets (8-5) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) occupying the wild card spots at the moment, things aren't looking too rosy for the Titans.

They are currently riding a three game winning streak and today Tennessee will be in Indianapolis to take on the 0-13 Colts, so that should leave them at 8-6 with a home date against the Jacksonville Jaguars next week and a road test against the Houston Texans to finish the year.

With running back Chris Johnson rounding into form, it wouldn't shock me if the Titans finish the season 10-6. But they will need some help if they want to reach the postseason, as the Jets have a relatively easy road as well.

First and foremost, the Titans need to take care of their own business. If they win their last three games, they have a real shot to sneak into the postseason.

Cincinnati Bengals (7-6)

Like the Titans, the Cincinnati Bengals are 7-6 and need help to reach the postseason. Today they travel to face the 2-11 St. Louis Rams, and next week they have a home date with the 6-7 Arizona Cardinals.

Obviously both of those are winnable games, but the Bengals also close the season with a tough home test against the 10-3 Baltimore Ravens.

What Andy Dalton and the Bengals have done this season has been impressive, but Cincinnati has lost four of its last five games since racing to a 6-2 start. Turning things around on a dime and expecting a playoff berth after some really uneven performances might be too much to ask.

While I don't think they will reach the postseason this year, a 9-7 finish for Dalton and company would really set them up with some nice momentum for next season and beyond.

At this point I really think Cincinnati would need a miracle to reach the playoffs.

Oakland Raiders (7-6)

When the Oakland Raiders acquired quarterback Carson Palmer at the trade deadline this season, the team's goal was obviously to reach the playoffs this year. While the Raiders still have a chance to do that, things aren't looking great after back-to-back losses to the Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers.

Today the 7-6 Raiders face the 8-5 Detroit Lions, then travel to Kansas City (5-8) next week before welcoming the San Diego Chargers (6-7) to Oakland to finish the season. None of those games will be easy and automatically expecting a win in any of them would be foolish.

The only way the Raiders will reach the postseason is if the 8-5 Denver Broncos and Tim Tebow absolutely collapse down the stretch and essentially hand Oakland the AFC West title. While that is possible, the Raiders simply need to play better than they have over the past few weeks.

Like the other teams on this list, the Raiders need some serious help if they hope to reach the postseason.