The Kansas City Chiefs continued their spotless 2024 campaign, downing their longtime rivals, the Raiders, in Las Vegas. The victory extended Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid's flawless record at Allegiant Stadium to 6-0, with Reid remarkably matching the all-time coaching wins record at the venue—surpassing even coaches who've called it their home field.
Despite some uneven moments in their victory, Mahomes delivered a stellar performance, only blemished by an unlucky interception. The Chiefs' defense, following early struggles, proved their value—particularly with an impressive goal-line stand in the third quarter, after Mahomes' pick, that helped turn the tide.
After the eighth week of the 2024-25 NFL season, which teams are currently in a playoff position and which teams are already out of the playoff race?
Let's review the AFC Playoff Standings through eight weeks:
AFC Playoff Standings, Week 9
1. Kansas City Chiefs (7-0)
2. Houston Texans (6-2)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
4. Buffalo Bills (6-2)
5. Denver Broncos (5-3)
6. Baltimore Ravens (5-3)
7. Los Angeles Chargers (4-3)
In the hunt: Indianapolis Colts (4-4), Cincinnati Bengals (3-5), and Miami Dolphins (2-5).
A review of Week 8 in the AFC
The Texans took care of business against Indy to finish off the season sweep. In Jameis Winston's first start in Cleveland, he led the Browns to a shocking win over Baltimore. The Pats managed to beat the Jets in an ugly game between two AFC East bottom-feeders. Green Bay lost Jordan Love early but still found a way past Jacksonville. The Dolphins somehow blew a double-digit lead in the fourth with Tua back, falling to Arizona, and the Lions destroyed Tennessee, putting up 52 points despite only recording 225 offensive yards.
The Eagles straight-up embarrassed the Bengals at home. Buffalo took over against Seattle in the second half and never looked back. The Chargers had no trouble with a banged-up Saints squad. Broncos cruised past Carolina as Bo Nix went off. The Chiefs kept rolling in Vegas with another win in Allegiant Stadium. And Pittsburgh nearly choked away a win against the Giants on Monday night in classic Steelers fashion.
Houston got the win but they're not playing like true Super Bowl contenders yet, while Anthony Richardson is still dealing with growing pains in Indianapolis. The Ravens laid an egg while Jameis Winston brought Cleveland's offense back to life. The Patriots finally won again but the Jets are finished at this point. The Jaguars defense is gonna cost them a playoff trip. The Dolphins' offense looks better with Tua but their playoff hopes are starting to dwindle. The Titans might as well start scouting QBs for next year's draft after another blowout loss.
The Bengals now have little margin for error as they also fall to 0-4 at home. The Bills have emerged as perhaps the AFC's strongest challenger to the Chiefs. The Chargers have solidified themselves as legitimate Wild Card contenders. The Broncos have built momentum heading into the toughest portion of their schedule. The Chiefs' defense continues to establish itself as the NFL's best unit. While the Steelers' record is solid, they haven't quite passed the eye test of a true Super Bowl contender.
An early look at AFC playoff odds
According to Team Rankings, the Chiefs remain the favorites to secure the AFC's #1 seed with a 59.9% chance, slightly down from last week. Following them are the Bills at 19.6%, while the Texans (8.0%), Steelers (7.4%), and Ravens (2.7%) are next.
The Chiefs also remain the AFC leaders in Super Bowl LIX odds with a 17.5% chance to win it all, also slightly down from last week, followed closely by the Bills at 13.5%. The Ravens are next at 5.9%, while the Steelers and Texans are right behind them at 5.2% and 3.8%, respectively.
Kansas City has carved out a commanding lead in the AFC, remaining undefeated while every other team has accumulated at least two losses. Their schedule features showdowns with the only three remaining two-loss teams in the AFC—Buffalo, Houston, and Pittsburgh. Barring any major stumbles, Kansas City appears destined to secure the AFC's top seed and the crucial home-field advantage for their three-peat quest.