AFC Playoff Standings, Week 18
1. *-Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)
2. z-Buffalo Bills (13-3)
3. x-Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
4. z-Houston Texans (9-7)
5. x-Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
6. x-Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)
7. Denver Broncos (9-7)
*= Clinched #1 seed, z= Clinched division title, x= Clinched playoff spot
In the hunt: Miami Dolphins (8-8) and Cincinnati Bengals (8-8).
The Chiefs played the role of the Grinch on Christmas, crushing the Steelers' holiday spirits and securing the #1 seed. The Ravens overwhelmed the Texans to reclaim the AFC North lead. Meanwhile, the Chargers made easy work of the Patriots, punching their first playoff ticket since 2022. The Bengals kept their postseason hopes alive with a thrilling victory over the Broncos. Down in Duval, the Jaguars' win over the Titans effectively ended their chances of landing the #1 pick.
The Bills steamrolled the Jets in a commanding performance, securing their hold on the AFC's second seed. The Giants dealt the fatal blow to the Colts' postseason hopes. The Raiders found their stride for the second straight game, downing the Saints. Meanwhile, the Dolphins kept their playoff hopes alive by beating the Browns.
A look at the AFC playoff odds
The race for #1 seed is over as the Chiefs clinched it with their Christmas Day victory over the Steelers.
According to Team Rankings, the Chiefs are once again the favorites in the AFC to win Super Bowl LIX at 16.3%. The Bills are second at 13.7%. Following Buffalo is the Ravens at 10.8%, while the Chargers (2.1%), Steelers (1.6%), Texans (1.3%), Broncos (0.6%), and Bengals (0.3%) fall in line behind them.
Week 17 was the Chiefs' most complete performance in recent memory. The defense excelled, forcing two turnovers, while the offense was efficient, averaging 6.7 yards per play. Despite their strong showing, it seemed they still left some points on the board.
With their playoff position secured, the Chiefs are expected to rest their starters in Week 18 against Denver. This extended rest will give Chris Jones nearly a month to recover from his calf injury, allow Travis Kelce additional time to return to playoff form and provide two weeks of rest for all other players dealing with injuries.
Having an extra week off, along with bypassing the Wild Card Round, provides the Chiefs an opportunity to self-scout and make improvements. This extended break allows them to evaluate their optimal offensive line configuration and determine the most effective rotations for both their secondary and defensive line.
Since there's another week for playoff seeding to be determined, it's a little too early to speculate on who their first playoff opponent will be, but we do know it'll be someone from the #4 to the #7 seed range.