Fans have gotten used to the same teams dominating the AFC in recent years. Obviously, the Kansas City Chiefs established a dynasty by going to five out of six Super Bowls in a row. Their greatest competition in recent years has been the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills. It now seems unlikely that any of those teams will even win their respective divisions.
Instead, dominant forces from a decade ago, like the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots, are back to their winning ways. It has all led to unfamiliar territory when it comes to the AFC playoff picture. So, how do the standings in the AFC stack up after Week 11?
AFC standings
- Denver Broncos, 9-2, AFC West
- New England Patriots, 9-2, AFC East
- Indianapolis Colts, 8-2, AFC South
- Pittsburgh Steelers, 6-4, AFC North
- Buffalo Bills, 7-3, AFC East
- Los Angeles Chargers, 7-4, AFC West
- Jacksonville Jaguars, 6-4, AFC South
- Houston Texans, 5-5, AFC South
- Kansas City Chiefs, 5-5, AFC West
- Baltimore Ravens, 5-5, AFC North
- Miami Dolphins, 4-7, AFC East
- Cincinnati Bengals, 3-7, AFC North
- Las Vegas Raiders, 2-8, AFC West
- New York Jets, 2-8, AFC East
- Cleveland Browns, 2-8, AFC North
- Tennessee Titans, 1-9, AFC South
AFC Division leaders
The Chiefs have long run the AFC West, but that changed when the Broncos beat them in Week 11. Denver has arguably the best defense in the NFL, which is fueled by their elite pass rush. The team is currently on pace to break the single-season sack record. While streaky offensively overall, Denver also thrives on offense in late-game situations.
The Patriots invested more money in free agents than any other team in the offseason. They've reaped the reward, as New England also has nine wins. It is their premier draft pick, Drake Maye, who really leads this team, though. The second-year quarterback is having an MVP-caliber season.
Headlined by Jonathan Taylor, the Indianapolis Colts lead the NFL in yards per game (396.9). Indianapolis is all-in on a championship push, evidenced by the fact that they made the biggest trade deadline move this year when they sent two first-round picks for Sauce Gardner.
The worst division in the AFC this year is the AFC North, a division that has historically been pretty good. Aaron Rodgers fractured his non-throwing wrist during Week 11. It won't require surgery, but it is far from ideal, considering Rodgers is 41 years old.
AFC playoff Wild Card teams
The Bills are led by Josh Allen. The reigning MVP is leading one of the best offenses in the NFL. The Bills are perhaps the most likely Wild Card team to surpass the division leader ahead of them in the standings. The Los Angeles Chargers started the season off hot, but injuries have gotten the best of them, and it will take a lot to stay in a Wild Card spot with a lot of talent right on their tail.
Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater, the team's starting offensive tackles, are out, as are running backs Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris. The Jacksonville Jaguars currently hold the seventh and final Wild Card spot. The team is a little bit streaky, but they do have some impressive wins, including a victory over the Chiefs. Their most recent win came in blowout fashion over the Chargers.
In the hunt
Most notably not in the playoff picture as it stands is the 5-5 Chiefs. Nobody is counting Patrick Mahomes and company out yet, but they can't afford to continue losing games. They have a difficult matchup ahead, too, as the Colts are next up on the schedule. The Chiefs aren't even the first team on the outside looking in of the playoff picture, though.
That honor belongs to the Houston Texans. Houston's defense is elite, but the offense has underwhelmed, and C.J. Stroud will now miss another game with a concussion. The Baltimore Ravens are in the hunt, too. Their season seemed lost when they struggled without Lamar Jackson, but now they are on a four-game winning streak that has kept hope alive.
The Miami Dolphins still have a little hope at 4-7, too, thanks to back-to-back victories. Just weeks ago, it was widely assumed that Mike McDaniel would be fired, but he has lit a fire under his players. They have a ways to go and will need some luck to truly contend for a playoff spot, though.
Outside looking in
The Cincinnati Bengals, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, and Tennessee Titans have just one more win combined than the AFC-leading Broncos have themselves. The Bengals recently lost Ja'Marr Chase to a suspension after he spat on Jalen Ramsey, but there is a glimmer of hope with Joe Burrow close to returning to the fold.
Burrow's presence will likely be too little too late, especially considering regardless of how many points the team scores, their defense is so bad that they tend to give up even more. The Jets just made a switch at quarterback, as Tyrod Taylor will take over for Justin Fields. Shedeur Sanders could also be starting this week for the Browns. Dillon Gabriel was the Browns' 41st starting quarterback this century, but he was knocked out of Cleveland's Week 11 matchup.
Sanders was once viewed as a potential number one pick. He, of course, fell to the fifth round in arguably the craziest draft-day fall ever, whereas Cam Ward did end up going number one. Ward and the Titans have been massive disappointments so far, though.
