It’s a four-team race for AFC’s top seed. Here is strength of schedule for each contender
With four weeks to play in the 2022 season, the NFL playoff picture remains as fuzzy as a politician’s memory.
In the AFC, nine teams are vying for the seven postseason spots, with battles looming for the first and seventh seeds in the playoff field.
The Patriots, 7-6, currently hold the seventh seed, but they have that spot by virtue of a tiebreaker with the Jets and Chargers. Both have a 7-6 record as well.
Buffalo holds the top spot in the AFC with a 10-3 record. The Bills hold a tiebreaker on the Chiefs, who also have a 10-3 record. One game back are two teams from the AFC North: the Ravens and Bengals. Each has a 9-4 record.
The good news for the Chiefs is their remaining strength of schedule, which ranks 32nd in the NFL, according to Eat Drink Sleep Football. The Bills’ have the 11th-most difficult slate of games to finish the season.
Here is a closer look at the four teams in the hunt for the first seed in the AFC playoff field. The forecast for being the top seed is from Playoff Status.
Buffalo Bills
Record: 10-3
Conference record: 7-2
Remaining schedule: Miami (12/17); at Chicago (12/24); at Cincinnati (1/2); Patriots (TBD)
Strength of schedule ranking: 11th
Chance of being No. 1 seed (from Playoff Status): 44%
Chiefs
Record: 10-3
Conference record: 6-3
Remaining schedule: at Texans (12/18); Seattle (12/24); Denver (1/1); at Las Vegas (TBD)
Strength of schedule ranking: 32nd
Chance of being No. 1 seed (from Playoff Status): 45%
Baltimore Ravens
Record: 9-4
Conference record: 6-3
Remaining schedule: at Cleveland (12/17); Atlanta (12/24); Pittsburgh (1/1); at Cincinnati (TBD)
Strength of schedule ranking: 20th
Chance of being No. 1 seed (from Playoff Status): 3%
Cincinnati Bengals
Record: 9-4
Conference record: 6-3
Remaining schedule: at Tampa Bay (12/18); at New England (12/24); vs. Buffalo (1/2); Baltimore (TBD)
Strength of schedule ranking: 3rd (tied)
Chance of being No. 1 seed (from Playoff Status): 7%
This story was originally published December 13, 2022 at 9:39 AM.
