AFC East
New England Patriots - Contender
The New England Patriots are a contender, and the eight-game win streak is proof of it. Drake Maye is playing at an MVP level, and the defense is just a handful. The Pats should be able to win the AFC East this year with ease.
Buffalo Bills - Normal
It's really been a pretty normal year for the Buffalo Bills. They haven't done much of anything that we did not expect, but the Patriots breaking out as complicated things for the franchise. They truly do not feel like a legitimate contender at the moment.
Miami Dolphins - Fun
The Miami Dolphins have been a fun team these past couple of weeks, blowing out the Buffalo Bills and then taking care of the Washington Commanders. The Dolphins might still be no good, but they're at least a little bit of fun.
New York Jets - Rebuilding
The New York Jets swung two major trades at the deadline, getting multiple first-round picks for Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. While no NFL front office might want to openly admit they are building, it's exactly what the Jets are doing.
AFC West
Denver Broncos - Suffocating
The Denver Broncos have a suffocating defense and a late-game expert QB in Bo Nix who has led five game-winning drives already. The Denver Broncos are 9-2 and atop the AFC heading into the Week 12 bye.
Los Angeles Chargers - Brittle
The LA Chargers are 7-4, but they are a brittle team. The offensive line is falling apart, and the team simply doesn't have the depth to deal with all of these injuries. The Chargers should still make the playoffs, but it might be another one-and-done season.
Kansas City Chiefs - Finished
The Kansas City Chiefs might just be finished, and I am sure I will regret typing these words. The Chiefs have lost games to the Broncos, Bills, and Jaguars, so they are losing some key tiebreakers as well.
Las Vegas Raiders - Bad
I think we can all understand this - the Las Vegas Raiders are simply a bad team from top to bottom and could honestly blow things up this coming offseason.