The Kansas City Chiefs have finished as one of the top two seeds in the AFC in each season since 2018. But after a tough stretch that included Sunday’s loss as double-digit favorite against the Las Vegas Raiders, Patrick Mahomes and company have assured themselves that they won’t be finishing at the top of the conference this season.

AFC Standings: Will Anyone Catch The Ravens

The #1 seed is officially down to 3 teams in the AFC:

– Ravens

– Dolphins

– Browns pic.twitter.com/RfS2FtvDjX

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) December 25, 2023

The Baltimore Ravens are currently sitting at the top of the AFC with an 11-3 record through their first 14 games. They have been one of the most consistent teams in the NFL this season, and entered Week 16 with a full game lead over the second-place Miami Dolphins. Unfortunately for Baltimore, Miami was able to pull off a Christmas Day victory against the Cowboys to reach 11 wins, putting even more pressure on the Ravens for their massive showdown with San Francisco on Monday night.

As luck (and the scheduling Gods) would have it, the Dolphins will travel next week to take on the Ravens, and that game could end up being for all the marbles in the conference.

Browns Somehow Still Have A Shot At #1

The Flacco effect is real @AmariCooper9

@Browns pic.twitter.com/5kJFQaKH1N

— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) December 25, 2023

But there is one other team that is somehow still in contention for the #1 spot. The Cleveland Browns have won three in a row and six of their last eight, and are the only 10-5 team in the AFC. They still have a shot at the division crown in the AFC North as well, and those odds will increase heavily if San Francisco is able to come out on top against Baltimore.

There are no other teams in contention, but that doesn’t mean that the rest don’t have plenty to play for. Like the Ravens, the Dolphins have a familiar foe breathing down their neck in the division, as the Buffalo Bills have made a late season run and are currently sitting in the 6th seed. The Colts and Texans have the same record as the Jaguars, meaning that the AFC South will likely come down to the final week, and even the Raiders will have at least one more meaningful game on their schedule.

The Steelers, Bengals, and Broncos are the other teams vying for playoff spots in the AFC.