Updated AFC Playoff picture, Wild Card standings after Chiefs beat Titans

Let’s check the pulse on the AFC Playoff Picture and Wild Card standings after the Chiefs got past the Titans in overtime on Sunday Night Football. 

Perhaps the biggest game of the week in the AFC was saved for primetime on Sunday night. The Chiefs and Titans met with a ton on the line in regard to the NFL Playoff Picture and the showdown did not disappoint.

The stakes were simple: Kansas City and Tennessee met with sole possession of the No. 2 seed in the AFC on the line.

Kansas City needed a win to stave off losing another key tiebreaker to an AFC opponent as well as keeping some distance between the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West. Tennessee needed a win to continue to prove itself despite playing without A.J. Brown and with a rookie backup quarterback under center.

Buffalo losing to the Jets on Sunday only turned up the heat on Sunday night’s matchup and ratcheted up the importance for whoever ended up winning.

Updated AFC Playoff Picture after Chiefs beat Titans on Sunday Night Football

It was the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes ended up with the victory, despite the Titans playing fantastic football for almost the entire game. Give Tennessee credit, as it went into Kansas City and nearly walked away with a victory with rookie quarterback Malik Willis leading the way.

Willis barely threw the ball in Week 9, completing five passes for less than 100 yards yet the Titans scored 17 points and dragged the Chiefs into overtime.

That being said, when it came time to play Big Boy Football, the Titans shrunk. After the Chiefs marched down the field and kicked a go-ahead field goal, Tennessee’s lack of a passing game reared its ugly head and ended up costing them.

Even with the win, the Chiefs are still a step behind the Bills for the No. 1 seed. Buffalo beat Kansas City earlier this season which decided a crucial tiebreaker in the AFC Playoff Picture. The margin of error for the Bills got narrower on Sunday.

Here’s what the AFC playoff bracket would look like if the playoffs started today:

1. Buffalo Bills (6-2)
2. Kansas City Chiefs (6-2)
3. Tennessee Titans (5-3)
4. Baltimore Ravens (5-3)
5. New York Jets (6-3)
6. Miami Dolphins (6-3)
7. Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)

Based on those standings, here’s what the playoff matchups would look like for the first weekend of action:

• (2) Kansas City Chiefs vs. (7) Cincinnati Bengals
• (3) Tennessee Titans vs. (6) Miami Dolphins
• (4) Baltimore Ravens vs. (5) New York Jets

AFC Wild Card standings after Week 9 early games

For now, here’s what the Wild Card standings look like after Week 9:

5th Seed: New York Jets (6-3)
6th Seed: Miami Dolphins (6-3)
7th Seed: Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)

On The Bubble
Cincinnati Bengals (4-3)
New England Patriots (4-4)
Indianapolis Colts (3-4-1)

In The Hunt
Denver Broncos (3-5)
Las Vegas Raiders (2-5)
Cleveland Browns (2-5)
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6)
Pittsburgh Steelers (2-6)
Houston Texans (1-5-1)

AFC Playoff Picture Tiebreaker Scenarios

With so many teams tied in the standings, a handful of tiebreakers come into play based on various factors related to the schedule.

• Ravens win the tiebreaker over Cincinnati based on head-to-head win percentage.
• Bengals hold the tiebreaker Miami based on head-to-head win percentage.
• Dolphins hold a tiebreaker over New England based on head-to-head win percentage.