AFC standings, Week 4: Bills, Chiefs lead charge for conference supremacy

The NFL season is underway, and the Kansas City Chiefs have begun their bid for a third consecutive championship with a strong start.

During Sunday Night Football, the Chiefs narrowly defeated the Atlanta Falcons, thanks to a crucial 4th down stop by Nick Bolton and the defense. Despite a shaky start, the Chiefs' defense rallied in the second half, holding a talented Falcons offense to only 17 points.

After three weeks of play, which teams have emerged with winning records, and which ones find themselves in an early-season hole?

AFC West standings, Week 4

1. Chiefs (3-0)

2. Chargers (2-1)

3. Raiders (1-2)

4. Broncos (1-2)

AFC East standings, Week 4

1. Bills (3-0)

2. Jets (2-1)

3. Dolphins (1-2)

4. Patriots (1-2)

AFC North standings, Week 4

1. Steelers (3-0)

2. Browns (1-2)

3. Ravens (1-2)

4. Bengals (0-3)

AFC South standings, Week 4

1. Texans (2-1)

2. Colts (1-2)

3. Titans (0-3)

4. Jaguars (0-3)

A review of Week 3 in the AFC

On Thursday Night Football, the Jets' defense stifled the Patriots in a dominant victory on primetime. The Steelers topped the Chargers as the latter lost several key players to injury. The Titans were crushed at home by the Packers as Will Levis continues to be a net negative.

The Texans came down back to Earth as they were blown out in Minnesota. The Colts earned their first win of the season against the Bears at home. The Broncos picked up their first win of the season as they crushed the Bucs. The Browns fell to 1-2 with a home loss to the Giants.

The Dolphins fell short to the Seahawks in Seattle. The Raiders were humiliated at home by Andy Dalton and the Panthers. The Ravens held off the Cowboys' late comeback attempt to earn their first win. The Chiefs downed the Falcons on Sunday Night Football. The Bills thrashed the Bills on the first game of the Monday Night Football doubleheader. Jayden Daniels torched the Bengals as Cincinnati was upset and fell to 0-3.

Aaron Rodgers looks like he's back to being an elite quarterback, while Drake Maye could make his first career start for the Patriots in the coming weeks. The Steelers appear to be for real, while the Chargers' injuries may cause them to struggle in the coming weeks.

Despite the victory, Anthony Richardson still isn't playing well for the Colts. The Texans have more issues than many thought they did heading into the season. If Bo Nix can continue to play well, the Broncos might be a pain to deal with, but not a true threat. It's official that Deshaun Watson is no longer a starting-caliber quarterback in the NFL.

The Dolphins are finished unless Tua Tagovailoa can return to the field. Antonio Pierce appears to be in over his head in Las Vegas. The Ravens run game dominated but their defense was very flawed late in the game. Although the Chiefs emerged victorious, Patrick Mahomes had another lackluster performance.

The Bills are playing exceptionally well, but they've shown a pattern of starting strong before faltering and ultimately losing to the Chiefs in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Doug Pederson faces mounting pressure as the Jaguars' head coach with the team's 0-3 start. The Bengals face critical issues, particularly on defense, as their 0-3 start raises serious concerns about the team's performance.

An early look at AFC playoff positioning

According to Team Rankings, the Bills are now the favorites to land the AFC's #1 seed at 41.3%. The Chiefs are behind them at 25.9%, and the Steelers follow them at 13.0%. The Jets are at 6.1%, the Chargers at 4.5%, the Texans at 3.7%, and the Ravens at 2.7%.

The Bills are also the AFC frontrunners to win Super Bowl LIX with a 20.8% chance, while the Chiefs stand at 11.9%. Rounding out the top contenders are the Steelers (5.1%), Ravens (3.6%), Jets (3.5%), Chargers (2.7%), and Texans (2.5%).

While the Chiefs haven't been at their best in the first three weeks, their 3-0 record speaks volumes. Early in the season, winning matters more than style points. Come late December, as Kansas City vies for the top seed, fans will focus on the win-loss column rather than September's performance details. Each regular season game carries equal weight, regardless of when it's played.

Although the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes have room for improvement, starting 3-0 undoubtedly puts them in a better position than 2-1 or 1-2.