AFC playoff picture: Chiefs making noise with key games coming against Bills, Raiders

The Kansas City Chiefs are very much in the NFL playoff picture. The Chiefs are 4-5 on the season but they are just one game out of a playoff spot. AND they hold the tiebreaker over one team in the AFC Wild Card spot (Steelers) and will play the other team in that spot in two weeks (Bills).

The Chiefs have now won three in a row and the second half of their schedule eases up. It's not easy but it is easier than the first half. Teams like the Chargers and Ravens may have two wins but they're still dangerous enough teams that you're not marking that up as a guaranteed winner.

If it seems like the Chiefs have a realistic shot at the playoffs, you're right. They do. Five Thirty Eight has the Chiefs with a 57 percent chance of making the playoffs. 57 percent! What a win in Denver that was...

Hello there 57 percent chance of Chiefs playoffs (H/T @Super_G_Chiefs) https://t.co/55HNoISbds pic.twitter.com/gBFtVGbV0Q

— Arrowhead Pride (@ArrowheadPride) November 16, 2015

It would take a hell of a fall from the Broncos and a hell of a run by the Chiefs to make the AFC West interesting. The Broncos, who are 7-2 and hold a three game lead over the Chiefs, are likely going to be winning the division.

The Wild Card, however, is very much in play. Here's how the AFC playoff picture stacks up after Week 10:

Week 10 AFC playoff standings

(Overall record, AFC record)

1. Patriots (9-0, 6-0)

2. Bengals (8-0, 7-0)

3. Broncos (7-2, 4-2)

4. Colts (4-5, 4-3)

5. Steelers (6-4, 3-4)

6. Bills (5-4, 5-3)

The first four teams listed are the winners of each division. Don't expect the Chiefs to be one of those teams. The fifth and sixth seeds are the Wild Card seeds. The tiebreakers for Wild Card teams are head to head, AFC games and then common opponents. What's nice for the Chiefs is that they have played and beaten the Steelers, will play the Bills and will play the Raiders twice. They control quite a bit of their own destiny.

In the hunt

7. Jets (5-4, 4-3)

8. Chiefs (4-5, 3-2)

9. Raiders (4-5, 4-3)

10. Dolphins (4-5, 2-5)

11. Texans (3-5, 2-3)

The Jets end the season in Dallas (with Tony Romo), against the Patriots and then in Buffalo. The Raiders play the Packers, Broncos and then the Chiefs twice. Miami's AFC record is so bad that the Chiefs would likely win a tiebreaker over them. Meanwhile, the Chiefs remaining schedule....

Chiefs remaining schedule

Week 11: @ San Diego Chargers (Nov. 22, 3:25 p.m., CBS)
Week 12: Buffalo Bills (Nov. 29, 12 p.m., CBS)
Week 13: @ Oakland Raiders (Dec. 6, 3:05 p.m., CBS)
Week 14: San Diego Chargers (Dec. 13, 12 p.m, CBS)
Week 15: @ Baltimore Ravens (Dec. 20, 12 p.m., CBS)
Week 16: Cleveland Browns (Dec. 27, 12 p.m., CBS)
Week 17: Oakland Raiders (Jan. 3, 12 p.m., CBS)