The countdown begins as the NFL calendar turns to December.
The Indianapolis Colts are the first NFL team to secure a playoff berth and the rest of the league has five weeks to do so. Twelve teams in the AFC are within one game of .500 or better.
Among the teams seeking to strengthen their position in a tight AFC playoff race are the Baltimore Ravens (6-5), who are preparing this week for a showdown against the Green Bay Packers (7-4) on Monday Night Football. Baltimore head coach JOHN HARBAUGH, who led the Ravens to the AFC Championship Game a year ago, is cognizant of what is at stake as the calendar turns to December.
"It's really a long season in this league," says Harbaugh. "Maybe it's not a marathon, maybe it is a sprint. Maybe it's one sprint after another that you've got to line up and run every single week. We've got another one this week against the Packers, and it's going to be just as meaningful, just as important as the last one. We want to be the very best team we can be -- the most aggressive, the most physical team that we can be at all times. Hopefully in December, we're the best team that we've been all year. But the most important football is going to be played in December, that's for sure."
Following is the remaining strength of schedule for the 12 AFC teams within one game of .500 or better:
| AFC East | |||
| Patriots (7-4) | Dolphins (5-6) | Jets (6-6) | |
| Opponent Record | 24-31 (.436) | 29-26 (.527) | 30-25 (.545) |
| Week 13 | at Miami (5-6) | Patriots (7-4) | |
| Week 14 | Panthers (4-7) | at Jaguars (6-5) | at Bucs (1-10) |
| Week 15 | at Bills (4-7) | at Titans (5-6) | Atlanta (6-5) |
| Week 16 | Jaguars (6-5) | Texans (5-6) | at Colts (11-0) |
| Week 17 | at Texans (5-6) | Steelers (6-5) | Bengals (8-3) |
| AFC North | |||
| Bengals (8-3) | Ravens (6-5) | Steelers (6-5) | |
| Opponent Record | 28-27 (.509) | 22-33 (.400) | 22-33 (.400) |
| Week 13 | Lions (2-9) | at Packers (7-4) | Raiders (3-8) |
| Week 14 | at Vikings (10-1) | Lions (2-9) | at Browns (1-10) |
| Week 15 | at Chargers (8-3) | Bears (4-7) | Packers (7-4) |
| Week 16 | Chiefs (3-8) | at Steelers (6-5) | Ravens (6-5) |
| Week 17 | at Jets (6-6) | at Raiders (3-8) | at Miami (5-6) |
| AFC South | ||||
| Colts (11-0) | Jaguars (6-5) | Titans (5-6) | Texans (5-6) | |
| Opponent Record | 27-28 (.491) | 29-26 (.527) | 29-26 (.527) | 23-32 (.418) |
| Week 13 | Titans (5-6) | Texans (5-6) | at Colts (11-0) | at Jaguars (6-5) |
| Week 14 | Denver (7-4) | Miami (5-6) | Rams (1-10) | Seattle (4-7) |
| Week 15 | at Jaguars (6-5) | Colts (11-0) | Miami (5-6) | at Rams (1-10) |
| Week 16 | Jets (6-6) | at Patriots (7-4) | Chargers (8-3) | at Miami (5-6) |
| Week 17 | at Bills (4-8) | at Browns (1-10) | at Seattle (4-7) | Patriots (7-4) |
| AFC West | ||
| Chargers (8-3) | Broncos (7-4) | |
| Opponent Record | 25-30 (.455) | 27-28 (.491) |
| Week 13 | at Browns (1-10) | at Chiefs (3-8) |
| Week 14 | at Dallas (8-3) | at Colts (11-0) |
| Week 15 | Bengals (8-3) | Raiders (3-8) |
| Week 16 | at Titans (5-6) | at Eagles (7-4) |
| Week 17 | Redskins (3-8) | Chiefs (3-8) |
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