With just an NFC matchup to go in the NFL’s Week 8 schedule, it’s a good time to look at the updated AFC playoff picture after the Kansas City Chiefs’ season-altering loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday afternoon.
AFC Standings
Going into Week 9
1. Buffalo Bills (6-1) — AFC East leader
2. Denver Broncos (6-2) — AFC West leader
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) — AFC North leader
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) — AFC South leader
As of now, the Bills are in the driver’s seat to earning a postseason bye and making the conference’s
road to Super Bowl LXI go through New Highmark Stadium. The Chiefs’ matchup with Buffalo on Thanksgiving night could be Kansas City’s final chance to stay alive for the No.1 seed.
Jacksonville currently sits as the lowest seed among the division leaders because of an early bye week, but the Jaguars lead the NFL in point differential (+85) and look like the most complete team in the conference right now.
Denver’s 3-1 record in the AFC so far gives them a current leg up over Pittsburgh (3-2).
5. Kansas City Chiefs (5-2)
6. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)
7. New England Patriots (5-3)
The Patriots currently hold the tiebreaker over another 5-3 AFC playoff contender — the Cleveland Browns — due to a 5-1 record against conference opponents compared to Cleveland’s 3-3 mark.
The Chiefs are also 5-1 against AFC teams so far, giving them a leg up on the Bengals, who are 4-2 in-conference.
Cincinnati lost its first head-to-head matchup with division-leading Pittsburgh, but the rematch is in a couple of weeks and could vault the Bengals into the top-4 seeds.
8. Cleveland Browns (5-3)
9. Las Vegas Raiders (4-4)
10. Baltimore Ravens (4-4)
The remaining AFC teams with records at or above .500 could make things interesting any given Sunday, but don’t feel as threatening as the seven teams currently in the playoff picture.
The Chiefs will still play the Bills, the Bengals, and the Patriots this season.
