There was a major shakeup in the AFC standings this week with the Kansas City Chiefs dropping from the No. 1 seed to the No. 5 seed after losing to the Denver Broncos. The two teams have identical 9-1 records, but the Broncos currently hold the tiebreaker advantage based on their head-to-head win.
NFL playoff standings: Broncos take control of AFC with win over Chiefs
Heading into Week 12 of the NFL Season, the AFC playoff picture is starting to unfold. Watch this video so get a quick rundown of the standings and the key games coming up.
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The good news for the Chiefs is they won’t have to wait long for a shot to earn the No. 1 seed back. Denver will travel to Kansas City in Week 13, with the winner of that game having the inside track to the AFC West and the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
The Chiefs weren't the only team to fall from one of the top two spots. The New England Patriots dropped from the No. 2 seed to No. 3 after losing on Monday night. New England and the Indianapolis Colts are both 7-3, with Indianapolis currently holding the advantage thanks to a better conference record. The Cincinnati Bengals are just a half game behind the Patriots and Colts, setting up the possibility of a three-team race for the No. 2 seed and a first round bye.
There is also a tight race for the final wild card spot in the AFC. The New York Jets and Miami Dolphins sit at 5-5, with New York currently holding the tiebreaker. Six other teams are just a game behind New York and Miami with Buffalo 1.5 games back. Only the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars appear to be out of the playoff running in the AFC.
