The Chiefs have overtaken the Steelers for AFC’s No. 1 seed. Here’s how it shapes up
The road to the Super Bowl has returned to Kansas City.
For now.
The Chiefs moved into the No. 1 seed in the AFC after the Bills defeated the Steelers on Sunday night. With the Steelers’ second straight loss, the Chiefs (12-1) have vaulted into the top spot.
With three to go. The Chiefs, who beat the Dolphins earlier Sunday, play in New Orleans next week before closing out the season with home games against the Falcons and Chargers.
The Steelers (11-2) travel to play the Bengals, return home to face the Colts and then travel to see the Browns.
Every other team in the AFC has at least three losses, making their climb to the No. 1 seed improbable.
Under a new playoff format this season that admits seven teams per conference, only the top seed is awarded a first-round bye, amplifying its importance. That team, of course, also gets homefield advantage until the Super Bowl, which is in Tampa Bay this season.
The Steelers held the tiebreaker over the Chiefs when the two teams were tied entering the week, but that also became more interesting Sunday. The initial tiebreaker is head-to-head, and the teams do not play this season. The second tiebreaker is record within the conference. With the Steelers losing to the Bills, each team one loss in the conference. (The Chiefs’ lone defeat is to the Raiders.)
Why is that relevant? Well, it could offer the Chiefs some breathing room as they travel to an NFC city this week to play the Saints. If both teams have identical conference records, the tiebreaker moves on to record against common opponents, and the Chiefs defeated the Bills earlier this season.
The Chiefs, on the other hand, are undefeated against teams that Pittsburgh has played this season.