Kansas City Chiefs (10-1), AFC West leaders: The Bills’ head-to-head tiebreaker advantage still means K.C. can’t afford to backslide at all – especially as the champs will be back in action on Black Friday against Las Vegas. The Chiefs can lock up a berth this weekend with a win or tie thanks to Miami’s loss on Thanksgiving. Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, vs. Chargers, at Browns, vs. Texans, at Steelers, at Broncos
2. Buffalo Bills (9-2), AFC East leaders: Coming out of their break, they’ll draw a battered San Francisco squad at home – possibly in the midst of lake effect weather – as they seek a sixth consecutive victory. A fifth consecutive division title is practically a foregone conclusion (a win Sunday night does the trick), and Pittsburgh’s Week 12 loss only solidified the Bills’ standing near the top of the conference. And, with that potentially pivotal tiebreaker against the Chiefs in hand, the Bills could soon steer the road to Super Bowl 59 through Western New York. Remaining schedule: vs. 49ers, at Rams, at Lions, vs. Patriots, vs. Jets, at Patriots
1. Kansas City Chiefs (10-1), AFC West leaders: The Bills’ head-to-head tiebreaker advantage still means K.C. can’t afford to backslide at all – especially as the champs will be back in action on Black Friday against Las Vegas. The Chiefs can lock up a berth this weekend with a win or tie thanks to Miami’s loss on Thanksgiving. Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, vs. Chargers, at Browns, vs. Texans, at Steelers, at Broncos
2. Buffalo Bills (9-2), AFC East leaders: Coming out of their break, they’ll draw a battered San Francisco squad at home – possibly in the midst of lake effect weather – as they seek a sixth consecutive victory. A fifth consecutive division title is practically a foregone conclusion (a win Sunday night does the trick), and Pittsburgh’s Week 12 loss only solidified the Bills’ standing near the top of the conference. And, with that potentially pivotal tiebreaker against the Chiefs in hand, the Bills could soon steer the road to Super Bowl 59 through Western New York. Remaining schedule: vs. 49ers, at Rams, at Lions, vs. Patriots, vs. Jets, at Patriots
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3), AFC North leaders: A win at Cleveland last week would have vaulted them ahead of the Bills and into the No. 2 seed. Instead, the Steelers suffered a damaging loss – and to a divisional opponent (Cleveland) no less – that could greatly hinder their ability to compete for home-field advantage. Remaining schedule: at Bengals, vs. Browns, at Eagles, at Ravens, vs. Chiefs, vs. Bengals
4. Houston Texans (7-5), AFC South leaders: Losers of four of six after falling at home to lowly Tennessee on Sunday, it’s starting to appear like they might back onto the throne of a bad division and be one-and-done once postseason starts. Remaining schedule: at Jaguars, BYE, vs. Dolphins, at Chiefs, vs. Ravens, at Titans
5. Baltimore Ravens (8-4), wild card No. 1: Good as they (usually) are – including Monday night’s fairly convincing defeat of the Chargers in “Harbaugh Bowl III” – losses to the wrong teams could well mean no home playoff games this season. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, BYE, at Giants, vs. Steelers, at Texans, vs. Browns
6. Los Angeles Chargers (7-4), wild card No. 2: They’re starting to look like the NFL’s Hoosiers, better competition amplifying their flaws – say, perhaps, a somewhat overrated defense, youngsters still not quite ready for prime time (WR Quentin Johnston) and a run game now without injured RB J.K. Dobbins for a period of time. Still, these Bolts have a lot of Charger-ing to do in order to drop out of the field. Remaining schedule: at Falcons, at Chiefs, vs. Buccaneers, vs. Broncos, at Patriots, at Raiders
