The AFC Playoff Picture just took a massive turn, as the Denver Broncos, the no. 1 seed, took a brutal loss in Week 16, but literally every other team in the playoff picture won, so this could be a very interesting race down the stretch in this conference.
For the most part, the NFC Playoff Picture isn't going to have any more curveballs, but the AFC is wide open for the taking. Now that the current AFC playoff teams have wrapped up their Week 16 games, we can take a peak at the current playoff picture.
Let's do that and get into the current matchups that we'd see if the results held.
Updated AFC Playoff Picture following intense action in Week 16
Bye: (1) Denver Broncos
Even though the Denver Broncos endured the worst-possible scenario in Week 16 with a loss but all other AFC Playoff teams winning, the team still sits atop the AFC and would earn the first-round bye and homefield advantage. With the recent defensive struggles, that first-round bye would come in handy for the 12-3 Broncos.
(7) Houston Texans @ (2) New England Patriots
The Houston Texans could play spoiler here in the Wild Card Round if they were to head to New England to play the Patriots. The Pats have been a great story this year, but they are playing with house money a bit, and Houston has been a regular in the postseason with many of the same players these past two seasons. This could be a game where the seeding really does not matter.
(6) Buffalo Bills @ (3) Jacksonville Jaguars
The Buffalo Bills would have their hands full with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they could get it done. The Jags are peaking at the right time, and QB Trevor Lawrence has really been heating up recently. Buffalo has had some defensive concerns in 2025, but you'd really have to give them the nod in this one given their playoff history. They have advanced to the Divisional Round, at least, each year since the 2020 season.
(5) Los Angeles Chargers @ (4) Pittsburgh Steelers
The Los Angeles Chargers would struggle in Pittsburgh against the Steelers in the Wild Card Round, but LA would bring in the QB and coaching advantage, so they could be enough to tilt the game in their favor. Neither LA nor Pittsburgh is good enough to make a deep run, but one of these teams would be able to say they won a postseason game in 2025.