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December is around the corner and that means football turns it up a notch as games matter much more, especially in the AFC. Teams will get knocked out of the playoffs and out of the hunt each week.
In Week 13, essential games become more evident as the playoff picture starts to round into shape. Here's a look at the three most important games to watch this weekend regarding playoff implications.
The best AFC games to tune in for this weekend
#1 - New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills: Monday, December 6, 8:15 PM ET
The most crucial game of the weekend is the last game for Week 13. Monday Night Football features the New England Patriots playing the Buffalo Bills for first place in the AFC East. Mac Jones will be taking on Josh Allen in a game with massive implications for the division and the NFL.
For most of the last two decades, the Patriots have ruled the AFC East. Last season, after the Patriots lost Tom Brady, the team seeded power to the Buffalo Bills. The new kids on the block will now face the Patriots in what could be a preview of the balance of power in the AFC East.
If the Patriots win, they will likely have reestablished themselves as the creme of the division yet again. Meanwhile, if the Bills win, it could prove that Mac Jones, for all the good he has done, is potentially not the second coming of Tom Brady and the Patriots dynasty. The stakes don't get much higher than this in the AFC.
#2 - Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs: Sunday, December 5, 8:20 PM ET
Last weekend, the Denver Broncos blew out the Los Angeles Chargers to set up a battle for first place in the AFC West. The Chiefs, meanwhile, are coming off a bye. With the AFC West at stake, who will emerge victorious? As a bonus, the game will be featured on Sunday Night Football for the entire country to watch.
If the Broncos win, they'll take first place in the AFC West in December for the first time since the Peyton Manning era. If the Chiefs win, they may have given themselves a two-game lead over the rest of the division, putting the division firmly in the Chiefs' hands. Barring a meltdown, the Chiefs would win the division again if they get a two-game lead this late in the year.
#3 - Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: Sunday, December 5, 4:25 PM ET
This game is more about the AFC-leading Baltimore Ravens than the 5-5-1 Pittsburgh Steelers. However, a defeat for the Steelers could see them fall even further out of the hunt and put themselves on life support. If the Ravens lose, they could potentially be setting up the Patriots to take the lead in the AFC.
Will the Steelers upset the Ravens and give the rest of the league a chance to catch up? With the playoffs at stake, both teams will turn it up a notch.
