The Buffalo Bills lost to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday but the lead they had built in the AFC playoff race means they stay exactly where they were. Buffalo is the five seed in the AFC, just as they were entering the day.
The Baltimore Ravens won, sending them past Buffalo in the overall AFC ranking. Elsewhere at the top, the Kansas City Chiefs lost but still lead the AFC West at 6-4. Buffalo is tied with Houston at 5-3, but the Texans have a better conference record right now. The biggest news was when the Indianapolis Colts lost, leaving them a game back of Buffalo for the five seed.
Further down the list, the Pittsburgh Steelers are making a run without Ben Roethlisberger and have won four straight. The Tennessee Titans evened their record at 5-5 win a win over Kansas City and on Thursday night, the Oakland Raiders beat the Los Angeles Chargers and Oakland is now 5-4.
It all adds up to a much tighter race in the AFC. Here are the full standings.
Full AFC Standings
1. New England Patriots (8-1)
2. Baltimore Ravens (7-2)
3. Houston Texan (6-3, 5-1 AFC)
4. Buffalo Bills (6-3, 4-2 AFC)
5. Kansas City Chiefs (6-4)
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4, 4-2 AFC)
7. Oakland Raiders (5-4, 3-2 AFC)
8. Indianapolis Colts (5-4, 4-4 AFC)
9. Tennessee Titans (5-5)
10. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-5)
11. Los Angeles Chargers (4-6)
12. Denver Broncos (3-6, head-to-head win over CLE)
13. Cleveland Browns (3-6, head-to-head loss to DEN)
14. Miami Dolphins (2-7, head-to-head win over NYJ)
15. New York Jets (2-7, head-to-head loss to MIA)
16. Cincinnati Bengal (0-9)
AFC Playoff Standings
1. New England Patriots (8-1)
2. Baltimore Ravens (7-2)
3. Houston Texan (6-3, 5-1 AFC)
4. Kansas City Chiefs (6-4)
5. Buffalo Bills (6-3, 4-2 AFC)
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4, 4-2 AFC)
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7. Oakland Raiders (5-4, 3-2 AFC)
8. Indianapolis Colts (5-4, 4-4 AFC)
9. Tennessee Titans (5-5)
10. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-5)
11. Los Angeles Chargers (4-6)
12. Denver Broncos (3-6, head-to-head win over CLE)
13. Cleveland Browns (3-6, head-to-head loss to DEN)
14. Miami Dolphins (2-7, head-to-head win over NYJ)
15. New York Jets (2-7, head-to-head loss to MIA)
16. Cincinnati Bengal (0-9)
Buffalo is two games back of the New England Patriots in the AFC East. They no longer control their own destiny for the division crown.
In the Wild Card race, they are a game up on three teams in sixth place and are in a strong position with a good AFC record to this point.