Unexpectedly, the route to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas will start there.
The opening game of the AFC playoff doubleheader on Saturday is a wild-card matchup between the Cleveland Browns and the long-shot Houston Texans.
Houston was not expected to make the playoffs, much less win its division and play at home, going into the season; instead, it was more likely to contend for the first overall draft pick. Yet, C.J. Stroud, the team’s rookie quarterback, was a revelation, and DeMeco Ryans, the team’s first-year coach, has his squad well ahead of schedule.
To win the AFC and secure a spot in Super Bowl 58 at Allegiant Stadium, the Texans will still need to overcome significant obstacles.
This is the first in a weekly series where we examine what needs to happen for each AFC team to be the one to make that trip:
Baltimore Ravens (13-4 overall, +130 at Caesars Sportsbook to win the AFC): As a reward for their outstanding season, which saw them dominate the conference and send a strong message to the opposition in the late season by defeating the overwhelming favorite in San Francisco, the Ravens will get a week off. Lamar Jackson, the quarterback, is almost certain to win his second MVP prize and will now try to show that he can succeed in the postseason. Baltimore can relax and watch to see which club advances this weekend based on its lowest seed.
Buffalo Bills (11-6, +250): Buffalo is technically the hottest team in the league, having won five straight to not only make a somewhat surprising run to the playoffs but also to an AFC East crown. Yet the Bills still haven’t looked overly impressive. Josh Allen still turns the ball over a lot even when he’s not alternating spectacular runs and passes with stunningly inaccurate throws and baffling decisions. Buffalo has surged late in the season on the strength of timely big plays on defense and special teams and will be a tough out. The Bills start with an interesting matchup. Usually brutal weather in Buffalo is an advantage, but it may not be so much of an edge against the Steelers. A potential showdown with Kansas City, which has emerged as a true rival, looms in the divisional round.
Kansas City Chiefs (11-6, 5-1): It’s another division title and another playoff appearance for Kansas City, though this isn’t the same old Chiefs. This version has used an outstanding defense to cover for an offense that can’t seem to get out of its own way. There is always a chance the Chiefs could figure it out, however. Any team with Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce is going to be a tough out in the playoffs.
Houston Texans (10-7, 25-1): The AFC South was expected to be Jacksonville’s division to lose, but a combination of the Texans overachieving and the Jaguars collapsing has led Houston a division crown and a seat at the table in the AFC playoffs. Stroud looks like a star and has elevated the play of his teammates, but the lack of postseason experience could be a factor here. The first challenge is a tough one, as Cleveland pass rusher Myles Garrett will look to make life miserable for Stroud.
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