AFC standings: How obscure NFL playoff picture looks with no Chiefs, Ravens, Bengals originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Six weeks into the NFL season and the AFC playoff picture is much different than what most people projected.
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The Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals have all gotten off to slow starts for various reasons, allowing other teams to get head starts in their divisions. Teams like the Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots have all found their way to the top of the playoff picture in the early going.
It would not be a surprise if the Chiefs, Ravens and Bengals all make runs at the playoffs and shake up the standings once again. But until then, the surprise teams all have a chance to make some noise in the postseason.
Here’s a breakdown of where the AFC playoff picture currently stands.
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AFC standings
Entering Week 7, the AFC standings include surprise teams at the top and five teams with no more than one win at the bottom.
Rank
Team
Record
1.
Indianapolis Colts
5-1
2.
Pittsburgh Steelers
4-1
3.
Los Angeles Chargers
4-2
4.
New England Patriots
4-2
5.
Buffalo Bills
4-2
6.
Jacksonville Jaguars
4-2
7.
Denver Broncos
4-2
8.
Kansas City Chiefs
3-3
9.
Houston Texans
2-3
10.
Cincinnati Bengals
2-4
11.
Las Vegas Raiders
2-4
12.
Baltimore Ravens
1-5
13.
Miami Dolphins
1-5
14.
Cleveland Browns
1-5
15.
Tennessee Titans
1-5
16.
New York Jets
0-6
MORE:Â NFL power rankings for Week 7
NFL playoff picture
The current NFL playoff picture is not what most expected. While the four teams leading the NFC division are not a surprise, none of the AFC division leaders were the favorites to win their divisions before the season began.
AFC playoff picture
AFC South: Indianapolis Colts (5-1)
AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1)
AFC West: Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)
AFC East: New England Patriots (4-2)
Wild Card: Buffalo Bills (4-2), Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2), Denver Broncos (4-2)
If the Colts, Steelers, Chargers, and Patriots all look familiar together, that’s because those four teams were among the NFL’s powers almost 20 years ago.
As of now, the Chiefs, Ravens and Bengals are all on the outside looking in.
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NFC playoff picture
NFC South: Tampa Buccaneers (5-1)
NFC North: Green Bay Packers (3-1-1)
NFC West: San Francisco 49ers (4-2)
NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)
Wild Card: Seattle Seahawks (4-2), Detroit Lions (4-2), Los Angeles Rams (4-2)
The NFC playoff picture was much more expected, as it includes five teams that made the playoffs last year, along with the 49ers and Seahawks, two teams that many believed would be in this position.
MORE:Â Why the Titans fired Brian Callahan after just two seasons
AFC preseason odds
Here’s a look at what the AFC odds were before the season, according to BetMGM.
Los Angeles Chargers: 28-1
Pittsburgh Steelers: 40-1
Jacksonville Jaguars: 80-1
New England Patriots: 80-1
Indianapolis Colts: 100-1
MORE:Â How Bills’ loss puts Patriots atop division for first time in four years
History of AFC champions
The AFC was established for the 1970 season when the AFL and NFL merged into one conference. The first AFC Championship game was played in 1971, with the winner moving on to play in the fifth edition of the Super Bowl.
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In the history of the AFC, only four teams have failed to win the conference. This is a look at how often each team has won the AFC.
Team
AFC Championship wins
Years
New England Patriots
11
1985, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018
Pittsburgh Steelers
8
1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1995, 2005, 2008, 2010
Denver Broncos
8
1977, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1997, 1998, 2013, 2015
Kansas City Chiefs
5
2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024
Miami Dolphins
5
1971, 1972, 1973, 1982, 1984
Oakland/Los Angeles/ Las Vegas Raiders
4
1976, 1980, 1983, 2002
Buffalo Bills
4
1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
Baltimore/ Indianapolis Colts
3
1970, 2006, 2009
Cincinnati Bengals
3
1981, 1988, 2021
Baltimore Ravens
2
2000, 2012
Tennessee Titans
1
1999
San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers
1
1994
New York Jets
0
N/A
Jacksonville Jaguars
0
N/A
Cleveland Browns
0
N/A
Houston Texans
0
N/A
MORE:Â Where Aaron Rodgers-Joe Flacco Week 7 battle ranks among oldest QB matchups in NFL history