Because the NFL heads into the ultimate stretch of the season, many gamers, coaches and executives are beneath intense scrutiny.
Forward of Week 14, Yardbarker NFL writers determine these within the AFC with essentially the most at stake on every workforce.
AFC East
BUFFALO BILLS (10-2) | QB Josh Allen | In Week 13 towards the San Francisco 49ers, he grew to become the first quarterback to score a rushing, receiving and passing touchdown in a sport. Now he is the heavy favourite to develop into the NFL’s MVP, per ESPN Bet. Holding off Eagles operating again Saquon Barkley gained’t be simple, and with the No. 1 seed within the AFC nonetheless up for grabs, he’ll should be in high type for Buffalo’s last 5 video games.
MIAMI DOLPHINS (5-7) | WR Tyreek Hill | Hill is on tempo to fall in need of 1,000 yards receiving for the primary time since 2019 and likewise stands to lose $500K if the Dolphins miss the playoffs. According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Hill’s contract incorporates a clause that might pay him as much as $500,000 for a playoff look, however according to ESPN, the workforce has simply an 11% probability of constructing the postseason.
NEW YORK JETS (3-9) | QB Aaron Rodgers | The Jets have misplaced eight of their previous 9 video games with Rodgers as their beginning quarterback, not what the workforce hoped for when it gave Inexperienced Bay a number of draft picks to get him in 2023. After all, it’s not all his fault, as Rodgers was quick to point out after a loss to Seattle on Sunday. However he should play higher for a workforce that has already fired its head coach (Robert Saleh) and GM (Joe Douglas) this season.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-10) | Head coach Jerod Mayo | Changing future Corridor of Famer Invoice Belichick is not simple, but when first-year New England HC Mayo can get the workforce three wins of their final 4 video games, he’ll be off to a greater begin than his predecessor. A 12 months earlier than main the Patriots to a Tremendous Bowl victory in 2001, Belichick went 5-11 in his first season with New England, a quantity Mayo would like to beat in 2024. — Bruce Ewing
AFC West
DENVER BRONCOS (8-5) | WR Courtland Sutton | Sutton — who ranks ninth within the league in receiving yards (846 in 13 video games) — might earn a large payday if he retains producing incredible numbers for the remainder of the season. He’s beneath contract via 2025, and Spotrac estimates his market worth is a three-year deal price $19.6M yearly.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-1) | QB Patrick Mahomes | Mahomes has the Chiefs able to hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the third time in 4 seasons. If he wins one other Tremendous Bowl, he’ll be a part of Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw and Tom Brady as the one QBs with 4 or extra Tremendous Bowl rings.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (2-10) | Head coach Antonio Pierce | After Vegas’ disastrous Week 13 loss to Okay.C., Sports activities Illustrated and “Thursday Night time Soccer” insider Albert Breer said, “There’s quite a lot of buzz league-wide that Antonio Pierce might be one-and-done as a head coach.” Pierce wants the Raiders to point out indicators of enchancment or he might need to replace his résumé quickly.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (8-4) | Edge-rusher Joey Bosa | Bosa has the workforce’s second-largest cap hit in 2025 ($36.47M), so he should recapture his Professional Bowl type to keep away from changing into a reduce candidate. Via his first 9 video games, he solely has three sacks and 15 tackles. — Clark Dalton
AFC North
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (9-3) | Head coach Mike Tomlin | The Steelers are persistently aggressive beneath Tomlin — he has by no means had a shedding season in 18 years as Pittsburgh HC — however he hasn’t gained a playoff sport because the 2016 season. This workforce has proven it has the flexibility to make a run within the AFC, however will Tomlin fall quick within the postseason once more?
BALTIMORE RAVENS (8-5) | Kicker Justin Tucker | What on the planet occurred to Tucker? The longer term Corridor of Famer has missed 4 of his previous eight field-goal makes an attempt, and he’s now not the all-time chief in field-goal proportion. (Kansas Metropolis’s Harrison Butker has edged him 89.212% to 89.032%.) If Tucker continues on this path, retirement might be nearer than we anticipated.
CINCINNATI BENGALS (4-8) | Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo | Anarumo’s protection ranked sixth within the NFL in factors allowed simply two seasons in the past, however the Bengals rank 31st in scoring defense (28.3 PPG) this season and have given up at the least 34 factors in 4 of their previous 5 video games. QB Joe Burrow is taking part in nicely sufficient to steer the Bengals to the playoffs, so Anarumo will likely be blamed in the event that they don’t make it there. Per ESPN, Cincinnati’s possibilities of making the postseason are slim (2 %).
CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-9) | GM Andrew Berry | Berry and proprietor Jimmy Haslam have been chargeable for buying and selling for Deshaun Watson and giving him a five-year, $230M absolutely assured contract. The youngest GM within the NFL (37) has an enormous offseason of essential choices forward of him, particularly at QB, the place Watson has struggled and Jameis Winston hasn’t proved he’s a long-term resolution. — Jack Dougherty
AFC South
HOUSTON TEXANS (8-5) | Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik | A sizzling identify on the teaching circuit final 12 months, Slowik has had a troublesome season with Houston’s mediocre offense, which ranks twelfth in scoring (23.7 PPG) and 17th in yards (335.2 yards per game).
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (6-7) | QB Anthony Richardson | Already benched as soon as, Richardson might use a powerful finish to the season to safe the beginning job in 2025. Since returning to the beginning lineup in Week 11, Richardson is 43-of-82 (52.4 %) for 553 yards (6.7 yards per try), six whole touchdowns (three passing, three dashing) and three turnovers.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (2-10) | GM Trent Baalke | The Jaguars are on monitor to obtain the No. 1 choose within the 2025 NFL Draft and might be available in the market for a head coach. Having already survived the City Meyer debacle in 2021, Baalke is squarely on the recent seat. Will Jacksonville need to give him one other swing at getting it proper?
TENNESSEE TITANS (3-9) | QB Will Levis | Tennessee’s second-year quarterback has been a chaos agent this season, making a number of expensive errors which have misplaced the Titans a number of video games. Until he stabilizes over the following 5 weeks, Tennessee would possibly search a substitute in 2025 for a QB who’s 2-7 as a starter this season with 12 TD passes and 9 interceptions. — Eric Smithling
