2. New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are currently tied for the longest winning streak in the NFL at eight straight games, and they've got a date with the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend to get it to nine. Out of all the contenders in the AFC, the Patriots have had one of the "easiest" schedules up to this point, and they've got one of the easier remaining schedules going forward.
But that doesn't matter. You play who's in front of you, and the results are what they are. The Patriots are well-coached under Mike Vrabel, which is no surprise at all. Drake Maye has taken a huge step forward this season, which also isn't a surprise whatsoever. The Patriots are one of the best teams in the NFL and a dangerous threat.
It'll be interesting to see if they have to face off against Joe Burrow in their last game before the bye week. They have a chance to be the first NFL team to reach 10 wins, which is wild considering how far this team had fallen post-Tom Brady.
1. Denver Broncos
It's time to acknowledge that the Denver Broncos are probably back, folks. The Broncos are on a much-deserved bye this week, but they had won seven straight games in 39 days before beating Kansas City in Week 11, a much-needed bit of proof that the dynasty could be over for Kansas City.
Back in the 2023 offseason, when the Broncos traded for Sean Payton, a lot of folks were wondering why any coach would want to come to the AFC West with Mahomes and Herbert in the division, much less to a team that made a huge mistake trading for Russell Wilson. Sean Payton has not only turned the culture around in Denver, but he's done his part to build a team to take down Kansas City.
The Broncos have won three of their last four games against the Chiefs, and should have won four in a row. They've won eight games in a row this season and have one of the most dominant defenses in the league.