AFC Playoff Picture: Chiefs retain top seed in the conference

The AFC Playoff picture remains the same following the Week 15 afternoon contests.

The afternoon slate of Week 15 games are in the books, and if you were looking for some fluctuation in the AFC playoff picture, you’re going to be disappointed. Nearly every team in a playoff spot didn’t move up or down.

The Kansas City Chiefs (13-1) were all but certain to clinch the top seed in the AFC prior to their huge game against the New Orleans Saints, and they gave themselves a two game cushion over the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills following their narrow 32-29 win on Sunday.

The rest of the AFC picture

Pittsburgh (11-2) didn’t move up or down on Sunday, as they currently wait to play the rival Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. If they are to defeat the Ryan Finley-led Bengals (which they are heavy favorites to do), they will officially clinch the AFC North title.

The Bills (11-3) spent their Sunday enjoying their 48-19 drubbing of the Denver Broncos, which helped them clinch their first AFC East crown since 1995. Buffalo can leapfrog from the third seed to the second if the Steelers are to lose to the Bengals, because they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. Just last week, the Bills pulled off the 25-16 win over the Steelers.

When it comes to the more tightly contested divisions in the league, look no further than the AFC South. The Tennessee Titans (10-4)  trounced the Detroit Lions 46-25, while the Indianapolis Colts (10-4) held off the Houston Texans 27-20. Even though the two teams split their season series, the Titans hold the division lead due to having a better division record (4-1) over the Colts (3-2).

The Cleveland Browns (10-4) didn’t have to do much against the shorthanded New York Giants, as they held on for a 20-6 win. They may not win the AFC North, but they can inch ever so closer to their first playoff berth since 2002.

As for the coveted seventh-seed, the Miami Dolphins (9-5) held onto their spot after pulling off the 22-12 win over the New England Patriots, but the Baltimore Ravens (9-5) are hot on their tails following their huge 40-14 win over the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars. The Las Vegas Raiders (7-7) are still mathematically in the playoff hunt despite their loss to the Los Angeles Chargers this past Thursday, but can be eliminated by a loss to the Dolphins in Week 16.