AFC NEWS ‘N’ NOTES
FOR USE AS DESIRED  

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION,
AFC-N-16 11/30/04  

CONTACT: STEVE ALIC (212/450-2066)

AFC CLUBS IN RACE FOR PLAYOFFS

Five AFC teams are 8-3 or better with five weeks of play remaining on the NFL schedule. And six others are within one game of .500 or better as the playoff picture continues to develop.

Among the clubs seeking to make up ground and improve their position in a competitive postseason field are the Jacksonville Jaguars (6-5). Jacksonville finished last season 5-11 and has improved under second-year head coach JACK DEL RIO.

"It may take five more wins, may take four, it may take three; who knows what it is going to take?" asks Del Rio, whose team is buoyed by the return of regular starting quarterback BYRON LEFTWICH. Leftwich, in his second season, has blossomed into one of the league’s most exciting young passers and will face the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-1) on Sunday night.

Adds Del Rio, "The cushion for error is reduced and it may in fact be that we have to win from here on out."

Following is the remaining strength of schedule for the 11 AFC teams within one game of .500 or better:

AFC EAST

TEAM NEW ENGLAND (10-1) N.Y. JETS (8-3) BUFFALO (5-6)
OPP. RECORD 19-36 (.345) 36-19 (.655) 21-34 (.381)
WEEK 13 at Cleveland (3-8) Houston (5-6) at Miami (2-9)
WEEK 14 Cincinnati (5-6) at Pittsburgh (10-1) Cleveland (3-8)
WEEK 15 at Miami (2-9) Seattle (6-5) at Cincinnati (5-6)
WEEK 16 at N.Y. Jets (8-3) New England (10-1) at San Francisco (1-10)
WEEK 17 San Francisco (1-10) at St. Louis (5-6) Pittsburgh (10-1)

AFC NORTH
TEAM PITTSBURGH (10-1) BALTIMORE (7-4) CINCINNATI (5-6)
OPP. RECORD 31-24 (.564) 30-25 (.545) 37-18 (.672)
WEEK 13 at Jacksonville (6-5) Cincinnati (5-6) at Baltimore (7-4)
WEEK 14 N.Y. Jets (8-3) N.Y. Giants (5-6) at New England (10-1)
WEEK 15 at N.Y. Giants (5-6) at Indianapolis (8-3) Buffalo (5-6)
WEEK 16 Baltimore (7-4) at Pittsburgh (10-1) N.Y. Giants (5-6)
WEEK 17 at Buffalo (5-6) Miami (2-9) at Philadelphia (10-1)

AFC SOUTH
TEAM INDIANAPOLIS (8-3) JACKSONVILLE (6-5) HOUSTON (5-6)
OPP. RECORD 31-24 (.564) 30-25 (.545) 29-26 (.527)
WEEK 13 Tennessee (4-7) Pittsburgh (10-1) at N.Y. Jets (8-3)
WEEK 14 at Houston (5-6) Chicago (4-7) Indianapolis (8-3)
WEEK 15 Baltimore (7-4) at Green Bay (7-4) at Chicago (4-7)
WEEK 16 San Diego (8-3) Houston (5-6) at Jacksonville (6-5)
WEEK 17 at Denver (7-4) at Oakland (4-7) Cleveland (3-8)

AFC WEST
TEAM SAN DIEGO (8-3) DENVER (7-4)
OPP. RECORD 25-30 (.455) 25-30 (.455)
WEEK 13 Denver (7-4) at San Diego (8-3)
WEEK 14 Tampa Bay (4-7) Miami (2-9)
WEEK 15 at Cleveland (3-8) at Kansas City (3-8)
WEEK 16 at Indianapolis (8-3) at Tennessee (4-7)
WEEK 17 Kansas City (3-8) Indianapolis (8-3)