How will the AFC West shake out?

Everyone in the division is 6-6 except the 3-9 Broncos. Kansas City was 5-0 at one point. The Chargers were 0-4. And Oakland has been up and down all season. Now, they meet in the middle with the free-falling Chiefs still holding the tiebreakers. That could change quickly. Kansas City hosts Oakland on Sunday and the Chargers next week. Los Angeles hosts Washington on Sunday. The only team to start 0-4 and make the playoffs: the 1992 Chargers.

Can the Jets stay in it another week?

The Jets made life more miserable for the Chiefs while improving to 5-7. In the AFC, there's still a pulse for losing teams. The Jets should get to 6-7 even though they have to travel to Denver. The Broncos have long ago given up. But, unfortunately for the Jets, their final three games are at the Saints, home vs. the Chargers and at the Patriots. And all three teams should still have incentive to win.

Can Jaguars handle step up in pressure?

It's one thing to open December with a 20-point win over the Colts. It's another to follow it with a win over a Seattle team hitting its stride. That's what the upstart Jaguars face as they try to win a fourth straight home game for the first time in seven years. Seattle, meanwhile, has won four straight road games. Jacksonville's top-ranked scoring defense has allowed only 11.3 points per game while going 5-1 since Week 7.

Can Eagles avoid two-game slide?

The Eagles won nine straight and everything was darn near perfect. Then they lost at Seattle. And now they have another road game at the Rams. If Philly loses, it's no longer the team that started 10-1. It's the young team that's 0-2 in December and 1-3 against teams that have a winning record. The headliners, of course, are second-year QBs Carson Wentz and Jared Goff. But the bigger battle is for a first-round bye.

Can Steelers keep heat on Patriots?

With the Patriots locked in as usual and playing the Dolphins, the pressure is on Pittsburgh to take care of Baltimore at home. In what's really a two-team race in the AFC, the Steelers (10-2) need to keep pace with the Patriots (10-2) and then beat them at home in Week 15 so they can gain home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Steelers won at Baltimore earlier this season.

Mark Craig