AFC Playoff Picture, Week 7: Can Chiefs control their own destiny?

The Kansas City Chiefs secured their fourth consecutive victory in Week 5 and aimed to continue their winning streak against the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football.

The Chiefs finished Week 5 atop both the AFC West and the AFC Playoff Picture. Although they haven't been playing their best football on offense to start the season, their defense has been incredible. atop both the AFC West as well as the AFC Playoff Picture. They haven't been playing their best football on offense to start the season, but their defense has been incredible.

After five weeks of the NFL season, the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills are the AFC teams that have generated the most buzz. However, neither team has proven themselves in the playoffs, and at least one of them will have to settle for a wild-card spot come January. The Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, and Cincinnati Bengals have all shown promise at times, but each of them has lost multiple games and has a fatal weakness. Despite some inconsistency on offense, the Kansas City Chiefs have only suffered one loss and were the top team in the AFC at the end of Week 5.

Just over a third of the way through the regular season, here is what the AFC Playoff Picture looks like.

AFC Playoff Picture, Week 7

1. Kansas City Chiefs (5-1)

2. Miami Dolphins (5-1)

3. Baltimore Ravens (4-2)

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)

5. Buffalo Bills (4-2)

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)

7. Cleveland Browns (3-2)

In the hunt: Indianapolis Colts (3-3), Houston Texans (3-3), New York Jets (3-3), Las Vegas Raiders (3-3), Cincinnati Bengals (3-3), Los Angeles Chargers (2-3), and Tennessee Titans (2-4).

Weekly AFC Review

Last week in the NFL, the Chiefs won against the Broncos on Thursday night, while the Ravens defeated the Titans in London. Meanwhile, the Jaguars had a comfortable win against the Colts at home. The Raiders emerged victorious against the struggling Patriots, while the Dolphins secured a win despite a slow start against the Panthers. The Bengals managed to beat the Seahawks, but their offense struggled in the second half.

The Browns delivered the 49ers their first loss of the season, while the Jets also handed the Eagles their first defeat after intercepting Jalen Hurts three times. Despite C.J. Stroud's lackluster performance, the Texans managed to win against the Saints. Lastly, the Bills won against the Giants, but the game was much closer than expected. The Chargers lost to the Cowboys on Monday Night Football.

It seems that Kansas City, Miami, Buffalo, and Jacksonville are in a good position to make the playoffs. However, teams like Baltimore, Cleveland, and the LA Chargers may face some challenges due to their consistency issues. Pittsburgh, the New York Jets, and Cincinnati can be competitive if they perform well on offense.

Houston, Indianapolis, and Las Vegas are nice stories but they likely won't be around for the playoff push. Barring any miraculous turnarounds, Denver, New England, and probably Tennessee have all kissed their playoff dreams goodbye.

Based on their recent history of strong finishes to the regular season and deep playoff runs, the Cincinnati Bengals cannot be ruled out as a potential contender. Although their record may not be impressive, they remain formidable in the AFC playoffs. They are likely to make the playoffs and could be just as scary as any team that makes the playoffs. Joe Burrow, their quarterback, appears to be back and should be even healthier after their bye week. Unless they win their remaining 14 games, they are unlikely to secure the #1 seed.

How do the Chiefs look in AFC playoff picture?

TeamRankings.com has the Kansas City Chiefs are the front-runners to clinch the number one seed, with a 40.3% chance. The Miami Dolphins come in second at 21.3%, followed by the Buffalo Bills at 20.1% and the Baltimore Ravens at 6.2%. In addition, the Chiefs are slightly favored to win the Super Bowl LVIII in the AFC with a 15.0% chance, followed closely by the Bills at 14.8%, the Dolphins at 8.0%, and the Ravens at 4.3%.

I don't care how well the Chiefs' offense is playing today. They are the favorites to win the AFC and head to Super Bowl LVIII in January. Although the Dolphins have a strong offense, their defense still has question marks. The Bills struggle with consistency, and the Bengals need to prove they have truly made a comeback. The Ravens, Chargers, and Jaguars are decent teams, but they are not likely to make much noise deep into the playoffs.

The AFC is the Chiefs' conference to lose until someone beats them.