Who to root for: AFC Playoff Primer

Looking at the Chiefs' biggest contenders for the AFC's #1 seed

Every Kansas City Chiefs fan reading this knows that the team controls its destiny for the AFC’s #1 seed, as well as its all-important bye week. By simply winning out, the Chiefs would hold the line against one of the most competitive AFC playoff races in recent history and put the team in the driver’s seat to host its fifth straight AFC Championship game — extending their own NFL record.

With that said, any team can win on any given Sunday (and sometimes Saturday), so it’s far from a guarantee that the Chiefs will win out. If the Chiefs did drop a game through the end of the season, the #1 seed could be put in jeopardy. With that said, today’s post will take a look at the other AFC contenders, the games they have remaining, and who Chiefs fans can have a rooting interest in for the rest of the season.

Buffalo Bills (7-3) - Remaining: @DET, @NE, NYJ, MIA, @CHI, @CIN, NE

The Bills are the Chiefs’ biggest worry to finish out the season due to the head-to-head tiebreaker tilting in Buffalo’s direction. Should the Chiefs and Buffalo finish alone atop the AFC’s standings, Patrick Mahomes would be playing on Wild Card Weekend. However, this team doesn’t have an easy out. Only two teams — Detroit and Chicago — hold losing records. The Bills also have four tight divisional games left on the schedule, and a matchup against a surging Cincinnati squad that could very well shake up the AFC’s top seedings in Week 17. If Buffalo drops a divisional game — and potentially that Week 17 matchup against the Bengals — the Chiefs could have a comfortable lead over one of the AFC’s best teams. Highlight games: MIA, @CIN

Miami Dolphins (7-3) - Remaining: HOU, @SF, @LAC, @BUF, GB, @NE, NYJ

The Dolphins currently hold the #2 seed in the AFC due to a better record against common opponents, and have a better divisional record than the Bills. With that said, the Dolphins face a potentially difficult slate to close out their NFL season. After a “gimmie” game against the Texans, the Dolphins face three teams that — if playing up to their potential — could create serious complications to finishing out the year undefeated. The 49ers and the Bills games could be enough to derail the Dolphins quest to the #1 seed, but a good performance from the Chargers or Packers may give the Chiefs significant elbow room atop the AFC. Highlight games: @SF, @BUF

Baltimore Ravens (7-3) - Remaining: JAX, DEN, @PIT, @CLE, ATL, PIT, @CIN

The Ravens have not played especially efficient football as of late. The team squeaked out a 13-3 victory over the lowly Carolina Panthers, and have let a bad Cleveland Browns and underperforming Tampa Bay Buccaneers team hang around in close victories. However, the Ravens might have the easiest remaining schedule of any of the teams on this list. Baltimore plays exactly one team with a winning record — Cincinnati in Week 18 — in the entirety of their remaining games. Of all the teams to worry about, the Ravens rank pretty low in the minds of most Chiefs fans, but might be the biggest threat to the #1 seed. If the Steelers can somehow figure out how to move the ball on offense, they might snipe a game from this Ravens squad. Otherwise, the hopes of them dropping another game might have to come from a bad Baltimore performance. Highlight games: @PIT, @CIN

Tennessee Titans (7-3) - Remaining: CIN, @PHI, JAX, @LAC, HOU, DAL, @JAX

After the Chiefs beat the Titans in Week 9, Tennessee has felt like a bit of an afterthought in the AFC race — but they’re right in the thick of things once again. However, they have a tough path to close out the season with matchups against Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and Dallas still on their plates. The AFC South isn’t much to write home about — and three games against that division should get the Titans to double digit wins — but the rest of their remaining schedule will either prove them to be a legitimate contender in the AFC or an also-ran in a bad division. Highlight games: CIN, @PHI, DAL

Cincinnati Bengals (6-4) - Remaining: @TEN, KC, CLE, @TB, @NE, BUF, BAL

There are three 6-4 teams still in the mix in the AFC, but this Bengals squad is the only one with a real chance to make noise atop the conference (New England and New York Jets should cannibalize each other in a tough division). Cincinnati has a murderers row of opponents to finish the season, with the Cleveland Browns as the only team below .500 remaining. As they’ve already spotted the Chiefs two games — and the above teams one — Cincinnati will have to practically run the table to have any shot at the #1 seed. Upon doing so, they would take down four of the top five teams in the AFC, jumbling up the playoff picture even further. This ends up being an extremely pivotal opponent for the Chiefs bye-week hopes, as they need to beat the Bengals and hope that they take wins off of every other team remaining on the schedule. Highlight games: Everything BUT the Browns

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The Chiefs are sitting in a good spot with the injury-ridden Los Angeles Rams, Bengals, Broncos (x2), Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks, and Las Vegas Raiders remaining. It’s likely that Andy Reid’s squad will be favored in every game through the end of the season — a few of them by double digits. That doesn’t mean the Chiefs have an easy out, but looking around the AFC’s other contenders, there are multiple matchups that could really throw the balance of power in the Chiefs favor to close out the year.

If the Chiefs handle business, the bye-week is completely in their control. However, it’s good to know that the rest of the AFC faces steep competition to close out the year — and could give Kansas City some breathing room at the top.

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