Columnist Sal DeFilippo: In AFC, it’s anyone’s guess at playoff contenders

Sal DeFilippo

Friday, Dec. 20, 2002 | 10:24 a.m.

Sal DeFilippo's pro football picks column appears Friday. Reach him at sal@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4076.

With two weeks to go in the regular season, I know this much about the AFC playoff picture:

Six teams will make the postseason. Cincinnati is not one of them.

Of course, I knew that much 15 weeks ago. But amazingly, no team has managed to so much as secure a playoff berth, much less a division title. Considering the expansion this season to four four-team divisions, that seems odd.

Here's how cluttered the conference is: Thirteen of its 16 teams are at .500 or better, yet nobody is better than 9-5.

In fact, only one team -- Pittsburgh -- can clinch its division title without help from another team. Tennessee can lock up at least a wild-card spot with a victory as well.

From there, everyone is dependent on someone else to do something.

Indianapolis, for example, can clinch a postseason berth if it wins and:

Miami loses or ties; New England loses or ties; or Denver loses or ties.

Also, Indianapolis can clinch a berth in the playoffs if the Colts lose and:

New England loses, Denver loses and Miami wins or ties; Baltimore loses or ties, San Diego loses, Denver loses and Miami wins or ties; or San Diego loses, New England loses, Oakland loses and Miami wins or ties.

As if that's not enough, Indianapolis also could conceivably clinch a playoff spot if it has been determined that after this week's games the Colts will own the strength of victory tiebreaker over teams they are tied with.

Got all that? I thought so. Maybe that's why Cincinnati starts 1-13 every other year. Who needs the hassle of trying to figure that stuff out?

For the latest celebrity football picks, see: http://www.vegas.com/gaming/picks/index.html