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The Buffalo Bills loss to the New England Patriots means that the Kansas City Chiefs are now the No. 6 team in the NFL playoff picture. It means nothing right now of course because the playoffs don't start today but it's a nice feeling for the Chiefs who started 1-5 and now sit at 5-5 after winning four straight.
IF the playoffs started today, the Chiefs would be visiting the ... Denver Broncos. Indeed, a matchup of the January 1998 playoff game where Tony Gonzalez was in bounds the Broncos won, 14-10. The Chiefs split with the Broncos including a 16-point victory in Denver for the Chiefs.
The Chiefs are much more likely to earn a Wild Card berth, rather than winning the division. Denver is up three games in the division with just six games to play. Don't count on winning the AFC West. The Wild Card though, that's very possible. In fact, it's likely to happen.
.@chiefs now have a 73% chance of making playoffs, according to FPI They are projected to play the easiest remaining schedule in the #NFL
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 23, 2015
In the NFL playoffs, the first and second seeds would receive a bye. On Wild Card weekend, the No. 3 seed would host the No. 6 seed while the No. 4 seed would host the No. 5 seed. The Chiefs best bet would probably be the No. 5 seed where they can play whoever the AFC South trots out. Of all the scenarios, playing the Colts / Texans / whoever wins the AFC South sounds the most appealing. There is, however, some history with the Colts....
AFC Playoff Picture, Week 11
1. New England Patriots (10-0)
2. Cincinnati Bengals (8-2, 7-1 in AFC)
3. Denver Broncos (8-2, 4-2 in AFC)
4. Indianapolis Colts (5-5, head-to-head win over HOU)
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4)
6. Kansas City Chiefs (5-5, 4-2 AFC)
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7. Houston Texans (5-5, 4-3 AFC, head-to-head losses to IND & KC, win over NYJ)
8. Buffalo Bills (5-5, 5-4 in AFC, head-to-head win over NYJ)
9. New York Jets (5-5, 4-4 AFC, head-to-head loss to HOU)
11. Oakland Raiders (4-6, 4-3 AFC)
12. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-6, 4-4 AFC, head-to-head win over MIA)
10. Miami Dolphins (4-6, 2-5 AFC, head-to-head loss to JAX)
13. Baltimore Ravens (3-7)
14. Cleveland Browns (2-8, 2-6 AFC)
15. San Diego Chargers (2-8, 1-5 AFC)
15. Tennessee Titans (2-8, 0-6 AFC)
H/T Buffalo Rumblings for the playoff picture update
Chiefs remaining schedule
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)