Sizing Up the 2023-2024 AFC Playoff Field

A look at who's in, and who the biggest threat to the Chiefs

The NFL season on the AFC side has been bizarre, and the playoff field says a lot about it.

Last season, the top 3 teams in the AFC held records of 12 wins or more. This year, only one team cleared that mark. That’s the first time since 2018 that only one team has eclipsed that mark.

The three teams that had at least 12 win in the AFC (Kansas City, Buffalo, and Cincinnati) all failed to achieve that number this year and underperformed expectations.

Joe Flacco is leading an AFC North team into the playoffs again, but it’s not the Ravens, whose resurgence puts them as the only team that’s won 12 games. A rookie quarterback backdoored into the AFC South title.

That’s the put the Chiefs in a situation where they are unlikely to host the AFC Championship Game for the first time in Patrick Mahomes career. Never say never, but it’ll be an uphill battle for that feat to happen. With that, it’ll also be a significant challenge for this team to repeat as champions.

Here's a look at the AFC field the Chiefs will be fighting with as they defend their title.