Updated AFC Playoff Picture after Week 9: Chiefs put Dolphins in their place, more

Coming up on Week 10, the NFL seasonal standings have started to crystalize... We still have plenty of games to go before the regular season is all said and done, but with teams now having played seven or eight games each, there's enough of a sample to start glancing at the playoff picture and drawing some conclusions, albeit early ones.

High placement in the playoff picture this early should not get teams overly excited. Similarly, teams on the bubble or even toward the bottom can't give up just yet.

That's even more true in the AFC, where the best and worst record are separated by just four games in the loss column. The last team into the playoffs (if the season were to end today) and the worst record is separated by three.

AFC Playoff Picture starts to get a bit clearer in Week 9

If the regular season were to end today, here's how things would look (after the Germany and early slate of Sunday afternoon games):

1. Kansas City Chiefs: 7-2
2. Baltimore Ravens: 7-2
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: 6-2
4. Miami Dolphins: 6-3
5. Pittsburgh Steelers: 5-3
6. Cleveland Browns: 5-3
7. Buffalo Bills: 5-3

Left here is the Bills and Bengals. If the Bills are to win their game on Sunday night, they'll take the lead in the AFC East and launch themselves into the fourth spot, relegating the Bengals down to the Wild Card spot.

The Chiefs and Jaguars both have just two losses, but Kansas City has an additional win with the Jags on a bye this week.

AFC Wild Card standings after Week 9

Teams in tough divisions may look here to find their ticket into the postseason. The three Wild Card spots in each conference wind up being of interest because the race toward them is often more condensed and competitive as the year winds down.

Here's how things look as of now, the top three teams slated to make it into the postseason:

1. Pittsburgh Steelers: 5-3
2. Cleveland Browns: 5-3
3. Buffalo Bills: 5-3
4. New York Jets: 4-3
5. Cincinnati Bengals: 4-3
6. Houston Texans: 3-4
7. Los Angeles Chargers: 3-4

This could change a lot. As mentioned, the Bills could bump up and relegate the Dolphins to the Wild Card group. The Steelers feel like they're hanging on by a thread, but still kicking to their credit, and one could see the Bengals making a massive leap up the board by the end of the year with Joe Burrow's calf reportedly now fully healed.

Meanwhile, the Jets sneaking into the Wild Card would keep their hopes alive that Aaron Rodgers can make a shocking and triumphant return off an Achilles' tear.

There is plenty yet to find out this season, but the playoff picture is starting to clarify, yet, questions abound.

That's why we play the games.