There has been only minimal movement at the top of the AFC and NFC in recent weeks with both Seattle and Kansas City holding firm. That could change this week and the Chiefs could potentially drop all the way to the No. 5 seed.
NFL playoff picture 2013: Chiefs, Broncos set to battle for AFC supremacy
The Chiefs are once again atop the AFC, but they will need to win this week if they are going to stay there.
Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Spor
Kansas City will travel to Denver to face the Broncos with the winner holding the AFC West lead and the rights to the No. 1 seed in the AFC while the loser will be the No. 5 seed in the first wild card spot. That may not last long, however, with the two teams set to face each other again in Week 13, this time in Kansas City. Those two games could go a long way to deciding the AFC West and the top of the AFC.
Here’s a look at how the playoffs stand through Week 10.
NFC Playoff Race
NFC Playoff standings:
No. 1 Seattle Seahawks (9-1)
No. 2 New Orleans Saints (7-2)
No. 3 Detroit Lions (6-3)
No. 4 Dallas Cowboys (5-5)
No. 5 Carolina Panthers (6-3)
No. 6 San Francisco 49ers (6-3)
Contenders: Arizona (5-4), Chicago (5-4), Green Bay (5-4), Philadelphia (5-5)
Seattle made it five straight wins with a 33-10 win at Atlanta. The Seahawks continue to sit on top of the NFC and now have a 2.5-game lead over San Francisco in the NFC West. New Orleans kept pace with Seattle, blowing out the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. The biggest move atop the NFC came in the NFC North where Detroit took over sole possession of the division lead with its win against Chicago. With the Packers also losing, Detroit has a full game advantage.
Carolina improved to 6-3 with a 10-9 win at San Francisco and jumped the 49ers in the wild card standings in the process. Both teams are 6-3 and remain in the hunt for their respective division titles. San Francisco plays New Orleans this week in what could be a huge game for playoff seeding.
Several teams remain on the cusp of contention. Arizona is just one game back in the wild card race, despite playing in the difficult NFC West. Chicago and Green Bay are both one game back in both the NFC North and the wild card. Philadelphia is tied with Dallas for the NFC East lead, but the Cowboys currently hold the tiebreaker based on a head-to-head win earlier in the season. The two teams will play again in Week 17. Even at 3-6, New York and Washington are not out of the NFC East race.
AFC Playoff Race
AFC Playoff standings:
No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs (9-0)
No. 2 New England Patriots (7-2)
No. 3 Indianapolis Colts (6-3)
No. 4 Cincinnati Bengals (6-4)
No. 5 Denver Broncos (8-1)
No. 6 New York Jets (5-4)
Contenders: Miami (4-5), Tennessee (4-5), Cleveland (4-5), Baltimore (4-5), San Diego (4-5)
The Chiefs were off on a bye in Week 10 and remain atop the AFC for now. They will face the Broncos this week in Denver and the winner will be the No. 1 seed in the AFC while the loser will be the No. 5 seed. If Denver wins, it will tie the Chiefs atop the AFC West, but will overtake the Chiefs based on the head-to-head tiebreaker. The teams will play again in Week 13.
New England was also on a bye and the Patriots took over sole possession of the No. 2 seed without even playing. The Colts’ blowout home loss to St. Louis dropped them to 6-3 and behind the Patriots. Cincinnati is currently the No. 4 seed after losing to Miami.
The New York Jets aren’t likely to catch either Denver or Kansas City for the No. 5 seed, but the Jets are in firm control of the sixth and final playoff spot. At 5-4, the Jets have a full game lead over the other wild card contenders. Miami had a chance to tie New York at 5-4, but lost to the previously winless Bucs on Monday Night Football.
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