AFC playoff picture Week 14: KC Chiefs move up in playoff seeding

The Kansas City Chiefs have moved up one spot in the AFC playoff standings and are tied for the best record in the AFC as the race for number one seed gets continues to get hotter and hotter.

The Chiefs (9-4) are now the three seed in the AFC thanks to their dominant 48-9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, and their six-game winning streak has seen them close the gap to be tied for the best record in the conference.

The New England Patriots (9-4) remain as the number one seed despite having the week off, while Tennessee (9-4) holds its ground as the two seed after their 20-0 win over Jacksonville.

Baltimore (8-5) drops one spot in the playoff race to fourth after their loss to Cleveland (7-6). The Ravens lost Lamar Jackson early and at one point trailed 24-3, but a second-half comeback fell just short with the Browns holding on for a 24-22 victory. Despite the loss, the Ravens remain in first place in the AFC North, while the win for Cleveland sees them move up to eighth in the playoff standings.

The Kansas City Chiefs moved up in the seeding in this week’s AFC Playoff Picture.

Cincinnati (7-6) had a chance to move into first place in the North with a win over the 49ers, but instead, their 23-26 overtime loss means they’ve temporarily fallen out of the playoff race altogether, with the Bengals now sitting in ninth.

The L.A. Chargers (8-5) remain the best of the Wild Card teams, holding the fifth seed after their comfortable 37-21 win over the New York Giants. L.A.’s win sets up a monumental clash on Thursday night. The Chargers will face off against the Chiefs with the winner taking the top spot in the AFC West.

The Indianapolis Colts (7-6) weren’t even playing this weekend but were still the biggest movers in the playoff race, jumping up from ninth to sixth in the standings. Meanwhile, Buffalo (7-5) holds the seventh and final AFC playoff spot despite falling to Tampa Bay 33-27 in overtime. The Bills were at risk of dropping out of the playoff picture altogether, but losses by Cincinnati and Pittsburgh (6-6-1) see them hold on to the seven seed.

Denver (7-6) bounced back from their Week 13 loss to the Chiefs to keep their playoff hopes alive after they hammered Detroit 38-10. The Broncos are 10th in the playoff standings, while Pittsburgh sits in 11th after their loss to Minnesota on Thursday night.

The AFC Playoff Picture after Week 13: (*Division winner)

1.     New England Patriots (9-4)*
2.     Tennessee Titans (9-4)*
3.     Kansas City Chiefs (9-4)*
4.     Baltimore Ravens (8-5)*
5.     Los Angeles Chargers (8-5)
6.     Indianapolis Colts (7-6)
7.     Buffalo Bills (7-6)
8.     Cleveland Browns (7-6)
9.     Cincinnati Bengals (7-6)
10.  Denver Broncos (7-6)
11.  Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6-1)