AFC Week 13 overreactions: Bengals reclaim elite status after beating Chiefs (again)
Mackenzie Salmon ‘overreacts’ to the biggest AFC storylines from Week 13 NFL action.
USA TODAY
Here’s how the NFL playoff picture looks with Week 13’s Sunday afternoon games complete:
AFC
1. Buffalo Bills (9-3), AFC East leaders: Pretty good Sunday when, from the comfort of the couch – in the wake of Thursday’s victory at New England – you not only reclaim the divisional lead but also shift back onto the inside track for a first-round bye and home-field advantage. Remaining schedule: vs. Jets, vs. Dolphins, at Bears, at Bengals, vs. Patriots
2. Kansas City Chiefs (9-3), AFC West leaders: Their continued inability to slay the Bengals knocks them from the conference’s catbird seat. And the Week 6 loss to the Bills would currently mean the road to the AFC crown goes through Western New York and not K.C. Remaining schedule: at Broncos, at Texans, vs. Seahawks, vs. Broncos, at Raiders
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3. Baltimore Ravens (8-4), AFC North leaders: They’re technically atop the division, by virtue of a tiebreaker, but QB Lamar Jackson’s knee injury renders that a very precarious perch. Remaining schedule: at Steelers, at Browns, vs. Falcons, vs. Steelers, at Bengals
4. Tennessee Titans (7-5), AFC South leaders: Ugly loss Sunday at Philadelphia … but they’ve got some cushion in the conference’s worst division. Remaining schedule: vs. Jaguars, at Chargers, vs. Texans, vs. Cowboys, at Jaguars
5. Cincinnati Bengals (8-4), wild card No. 1: A third straight defeat of K.C. confirms them as a legit threat for back-to-back AFC titles. And Jackson’s injury further opens the door to bypass Baltimore, which beat Cincy in Week 5, atop the AFC North. Remaining schedule: vs. Browns, at Buccaneers, at Patriots, vs. Bills, vs. Ravens
6. Miami Dolphins (8-4), wild card No. 2: A costly loss at San Francisco knocked them from first place in the AFC East all the way to sixth in the conference. And that Week 4 loss at Cincinnati, when QB Tua Tagovailoa was regrettably knocked out, keeps Miami behind the Bengals. Remaining schedule: at Chargers, at Bills, vs. Packers, at Patriots, vs. Jets
7. New York Jets (7-5), wild card No. 3: Heartbreaking loss at Minnesota on Sunday, but their closest pursuers failed to make up ground. Remaining schedule: at Bills, vs. Lions, vs. Jaguars, at Seahawks, at Dolphins
8. New England Patriots (6-6), out of playoff field: A season sweep of the Jets would be key if they can catch New York. A superior record in AFC games keeps them ahead of the Bolts at present. Remaining schedule: at Cardinals, at Raiders, vs. Bengals, vs. Dolphins, at Bills
9. Los Angeles Chargers (6-6), out of playoff field: After suffering a lethal Week 18 loss in Las Vegas last season, the Bolts defeat in Sin City on Sunday may merely be crippling. Remaining schedule: vs. Dolphins, vs. Titans, at Colts, vs. Rams, at Broncos
10. Las Vegas Raiders (5-7), out of playoff field: Look who’s returned to the fringe of relevance by virtue of a three-game winning streak. Remaining schedule: at Rams, vs. Patriots, at Steelers, vs. 49ers, at Chiefs
11. Cleveland Browns (5-7), out of playoff field: QB Deshaun Watson may be back, but Sunday’s performance, at Houston no less, suggests that could be a near-term drawback for a team that probably can’t afford another defeat. Remaining schedule: at Bengals, vs. Ravens, vs. Saints, at Commanders, at Steelers
12. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-7), out of playoff field: Postseason still looks like a long shot but winning three of four makes it more likely they’ll ward off coach Mike Tomlin’s first losing season. Remaining schedule: vs. Ravens, at Panthers, vs. Raiders, at Ravens, vs. Browns
NFC
1. Philadelphia Eagles (11-1), NFC East leaders: They inched closer to making a postseason return official by mashing Tennessee on Sunday. Philly’s Week 2 rout of Minnesota effectively gives the Eagles a two-game edge in the race for the NFC’s top seed. Remaining schedule: at Giants, at Bears, at Cowboys, vs. Saints, vs. Giants
2. Minnesota Vikings (10-2), NFC North leaders: They just about wrapped up the division with Sunday’s defeat of the Jets. The Vikes can clinch it by beating Detroit next week and remain a viable threat for home-field advantage. Remaining schedule: at Lions, vs. Colts, vs. Giants, at Packers, at Bears
3. San Francisco 49ers (8-4), NFC West leaders: The first-place Niners’ 4-0 division record is a major asset. Will it be enough to survive the season-ending foot injury to QB Jimmy Garoppolo? Remaining schedule: vs. Buccaneers, at Seahawks, vs. Commanders, at Raiders, vs. Cardinals
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6), NFC South leaders: Atlanta’s loss means Tom Brady and Co. will remain in first place no matter what happens against New Orleans on Monday night. Remaining schedule: vs. Saints, at 49ers, vs. Bengals, at Cardinals, vs. Panthers, at Falcons
5. Dallas Cowboys (9-3), wild card No. 1: Doesn’t hurt getting a late-season serving of the lowly AFC South, including Sunday night’s dissection of Indianapolis. Remaining schedule: vs. Texans, at Jaguars, vs. Eagles, at Titans, at Commanders
6. New York Giants (7-4-1), wild card No. 2: They could have done worse than tie, but that doesn’t change the fact Big Blue has one win in its last five outings. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, at Commanders, at Vikings, vs. Colts, at Eagles
7. Seattle Seahawks (7-5), wild card No. 3: Squeaking past the depleted Rams, in conjunction with Washington’s tie, puts them back in the final playoff post … and with only one more regular-season trip out of Seattle. Remaining schedule: vs. Panthers, vs. 49ers, at Chiefs, vs. Jets, vs. Rams
8. Washington Commanders (7-5-1), out of playoff field: Despite Sunday’s tie, they’ve still won six of eight. Still, that draw allowed Seattle to creep ahead on percentage points in the chase for the final wild card. Remaining schedule: Bye, vs. Giants, at 49ers, vs. Browns, vs. Cowboys
9. Detroit Lions (5-7), out of playoff field: No margin for error remains for a long shot run at NFC North throne, but they remain in second place in division with a shot at their first playoff visit in six years. Remaining schedule: vs. Vikings, at Jets, at Panthers, vs. Bears, at Packers
10. Green Bay Packers (5-8), out of playoff field: They’re now the league’s all-time winningest franchise after notching victory No. 787 at Chicago, but it’s going to take some doing to craft a fourth consecutive postseason trip. Remaining schedule: Bye, vs. Rams, at Dolphins, vs. Vikings, vs. Lions
11. Atlanta Falcons (5-8), out of playoff field: Sunday’s loss to Pittsburgh gave the Bucs breathing room in a tight (but awful) NFC North. An inferior record in common games keeps them back of the Pack for now. Remaining schedule: Bye, at Saints, at Ravens, vs. Cardinals, vs. Buccaneers
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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis.