Great game, but what does Chiefs’ spirited loss mean in the NFL playoff picture? This.

The race for the top seed in the AFC playoffs got a little tighter with the Chiefs’ loss to the Rams in a wild Monday Night Football game.

The Rams’ 54-51 triumph dropped the Chiefs to 9-2 — still the best record in the conference. If the playoffs started today, the Chiefs would be the AFC’s top seed.

The good news for the Chiefs: Because the loss was to an NFC team, it won’t have a direct impact on tiebreakers. The Chiefs continue to own the best record against AFC opponents at 7-1.

But the loss means the Chiefs’ lead as the AFC’s top dog slips slightly. The Pittsburgh Steelers, who stand 7-2-1, would be the second seed.

Although the Chiefs are two victories better in the standings than the New England Patriots (7-3), the Pats hold the tiebreaker because of their victory over Kansas City on Oct. 14. If the teams tie at season’s end, New England has the seeding advantage.

The Chiefs got some help on Sunday when the Los Angeles Chargers fell to the Denver Broncos. With Monday’s outcome, the Chiefs maintain a one-game lead in the loss column over the Chargers (7-3). Those teams meet on Dec. 13, a Thursday night.

The Chiefs have played one more game than every other AFC team. Their bye week occurs this weekend. Their remaining schedule includes two teams that would be in the playoffs if the season ended today — the Chargers and Ravens — and a playoff-contending team in the Seattle Seahawks.

The Steelers’ 1-2-1 start, including a home loss to the Chiefs, put them in an early hole. But they’ve been climbing since with six straight victories. They came from behind to win at Jacksonville on Sunday, but their schedule may be the most difficult of the AFC contenders, with games remaining against the Chargers, Patriots and Saints.

The Patriots and Texans are division leaders with 7-3 records. New England has a two-game lead in the AFC East and two games remaining against teams ­— the Steelers and Vikings — that would be in the playoffs if the season ended today.

The Texans are on a roll. They followed an 0-3 start with seven straight victories and look like the class of the AFC South. According to Elias, the Texans are the second team in NFL history to rip off seven straight victories after losing their first three.

As for wild card teams, the Chargers, despite Sunday’s loss, are in good shape. They’re two games ahead of five teams with 5-5 records. Among that group entering Monday, the Baltimore Ravens would be the sixth seed based on tiebreakers.

Blair Kerkhoff

Blair Kerkhoff covers the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals and college sports for The Star.

This story was originally published November 19, 2018 at 11:51 PM.