The seven AFC playoff teams are set after Week 18. Let's power rank them as we approach the NFL playoffs. The Wild Card Round is set and the playoff chase will begin next weekend. There are most certainly some teams in the AFC playoffs that some did not think would be there.
And there are a couple that aren't in the playoffs that many people thought would be there. The Denver Broncos being in and the Cincinnati Bengals being out are probably the most shocking scenarios that played out this year in the AFC.
And the seeding does not accurately indicate who the best teams in the AFC playoffs are. We power-ranked them here.
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking all AFC playoff playoff teams after Week 18
7. Houston Texans
The Houston Texans did beat the Tennessee Titans in Week 18 and have now clinched their second 10-7 record in a row, which is impressive. However, many of us can see that this Texans' team is not nearly as solid as they were last year. I would anticipate the Texans being a one-and-done team in the postseason, as they are hosting the Los Angeles Chargers, a team much more stout in the trenches.
The Texans have some offensive line work to do in the coming offseason and will not make any progress in the AFC playoffs until they can field a good OL. Houston is a fine team, I guess, but they are the worst of any other AFC playoff team.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have lost four games in a row and are sliding into the postseason with a 10-7 record after being 10-3 at one point. This was bound to happen with Russell Wilson at the QB position. Wilson can be a capable QB in very few situations, and playing against tough competition in high-stakes environments is just not something he can do anymore.
The Steelers will be one-and-done in the playoffs, but the defense can keep them in their Wild Card game against the Baltimore Ravens to an extent. Pittsburgh is not fooling anyone and are no. 6 in our AFC playoff team power rankings.
5. Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos were going up against a ton of Kansas City Chiefs' backups, but they left no doubt in Week 18 with a 38-0 victory. They are now in the postseason for the first time since 2015. The Broncos are a good team and are playing with house money. There's limited talent on offense outside of Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims Jr.
Sean Payton has done a masterful coaching job and should get a ton of votes for Coach of the Year. Denver might be able to keep their Wild Card matchup close against the Buffalo Bills. They probably won't win that game, but they are going to be extremely active in the coming offseason.
4. Los Angeles Chargers
A team that may not have quite enough roster talent to make a deep run, the Los Angeles Chargers are kind of like the Denver Broncos in that they are playing with house money and are seeing what kind of players they should keep around for the long-term.
The Chargers are the fifth seed in the AFC and will travel to Houston to face the Texans. A very good, not great team, the Chargers come in as the fourth-best team in our AFC power rankings ahead of the playoffs.
3. Kansas City Chiefs
Coming in at no. 3 in our playoff power rankings, the Kansas City Chiefs rested many starters in Week 18 and allowed their backups to get torched by the Denver Broncos' starters. The Chiefs now get to turn their focus to the playoffs, as they have had the no. 1 seed locked up and can begin game-planning.
They do not know their opponent just yet, but the regular season is now behind them, and with how dominant the Chiefs have been for years now, the regular season probably isn't even fun for them anymore if we're being honest.
2. Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens again have the MVP of the NFL if you ask me. Lamar Jackson is playing out of his mind, as you can probably guess, and the Ravens could end up making a deep run. The defense has definitely shored themselves up in recent weeks, and that felt like the missing piece for this team. John Harbaugh is a Super Bowl-winning head coach, and he is no stranger to the postseason.
Like the no. 1 team on this list, the Ravens have to get past the Kansas City Chiefs if they want to represent the AFC in Super Bowl 59. They're better than the Chiefs at the moment, but the playoffs are a different ballgame.
1. Buffalo Bills
It's hard to not look at the Buffalo Bills being the best team in the AFC. They're the most balanced on both sides of the ball and are getting the most efficient year of QB-ing from Josh Allen. The Bills, like many other teams in the AFC, just haven't been able to get past the Kansas City Chiefs in the postseason, and if Buffalo wants to do it this year, they will have to potentially travel to Arrowhead to get it done.
Buffalo has been a top-3 team in the NFL for the entire season, and they end up being ranked no. 1 in our AFC power rankings ahead of the postseason.