NFL playoff picture 2016: Raiders take back top spot from Patriots in AFC

Because the NFL is confusing and generally indecisive, the AFC has a new first place team, despite last week’s top team winning on Sunday.

Both the Raiders and Patriots improved to 10-2 this weekend, but the only tiebreaker that currently separates the two is best record in common games. Oakland earned the edge on Sunday with a 38-24 victory over the Bills, who split their season series with New England.

The scenario seemed avoidable when Buffalo took 24-9 lead in the third quarter. Then the Raiders rattled off four straight touchdowns in fewer than 12 minutes of game time for an impressive win — if only because of what’s next on their schedule.

Oakland will travel to Kansas City (9-3) for a Thursday Night Football showdown with a Chiefs team that has won seven of their last eight games. Kansas City is looking for a season sweep that would not only put it ahead of Oakland in the standings, but push New England back into the top seed regardless if the Patriots win or lose next week. Kansas City would move into the No. 2 spot with a victory.

The Chiefs made their case as the best team in the AFC West this week with a 29-28 victory in Atlanta (7-5) that came down to a failed two-point conversion by the Falcons.

But that’s next week’s problem for both Oakland and New England.

The Patriots handled the Rams (4-8) with ease this week in their first game since Rob Gronkowski went on IR. Their performance in a 24-10 victory bodes well for the Pats heading into the final few weeks of the season where they’ll face the Ravens, Broncos, Jets, and Dolphins. Of those teams, only the Jets have a losing record.

Even with Houston (6-6) falling 21-13 at Green Bay, the Texans remain the fourth seed this week. But the Titans and Colts, who defeated the Jets on Monday Night Football, are also 6-6 and right there in the AFC South race.

The biggest change this week has to do with the Ravens (7-5) defeating Miami (7-5) in Baltimore, 38-6 — and that’s where the real fun begins.

The Dolphins’ loss knocks them out of a postseason spot, for the time being, and puts the Broncos (8-4) back in as the sixth seed. The first three out right now are Miami, Pittsburgh (7-5) and Tennessee (6-6). The Titans, who were on a bye this week, can jump back in with a win and a Houston loss next week.

In a very weak AFC South, and with Houston traveling to Indianapolis next week, it’s not too unlikely to imagine.

Just outside: Miami Dolphins (7-5), Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5), Indianapolis Colts (6-6), Tennessee Titans (6-6), Buffalo Bills (6-6)