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The NFL Playoff picture continues to take shape as Week 16 of the 2021 NFL season quickly approaches. The AFC has been extremely competitive this season, with 13 of the 16 teams having a .500 record or better. Nothing in the conference has been clinched yet, and the number one seed is still up for grabs. Here are five teams battling for the top spot in the AFC playoff standings.
AFC teams battling for the top seed in the NFL playoffs
#5 - Cincinnati Bengals (8-6)
All four teams in the AFC North are still battling for the division title, but the Cincinnati Bengals currently lead the way. If they win the remainder of their games, they will be division champions and punch their ticket to the playoffs. They trail the Kansas City Chiefs by just two games in the conference standings, but they can cut the deficit in half, if they defeat them in their Week 17 match up.
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#4 - Buffalo Bills (8-6)
The Buffalo Bills control their own destiny in the AFC East division. If they win the remainder of their games, they are the division champions and in the playoffs. They currently trail the New England Patriots by one game, but they play them in Week 16 and would own the division tiebreakers if they were to win.
They would also own a head-to-head tiebreaker with the Chiefs, if it ever came down to that situation. The Bills still have an outside shot at the top seed in the AFC playoffs, but only if they win their final three games.
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Teams battling for the top seed in the AFC playoffs
Here are the teams still contending for the top spot in the AFC Playoffs entering Week 16 of the 2021 NFL season.
#3 - Tennessee Titans (9-5)
Despite losing three of their last four games prior to Week 16, the Tennessee Titans are still ranked third in the AFC playoff standings and are tied for the second-best record in the conference. Their path to the top seed in the AFC playoffs is fairly simple. The Titans would need to win the remainder of their games, while the Patriots and Chiefs would each need to lose one more time.
#2 - New England Patriots (9-5)
Like the Buffalo Bills, the New England Patriots also control their own destiny in the AFC East division. This is only possible because they face off in Week 16, with the winner taking over control of the division lead and greatly increasing their outlook for the AFC playoff picture.
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The Patriots also currently hold the best conference record in the AFC. This means that they would own the tiebreaker with the Chiefs, if the two teams finished with the same record. The Patriots will also own all multi-way tiebreakers, if they win the remainder of their games.
#1 - Kansas City Chiefs (10-4)
The Kansas City Chiefs are in the driver's seat for the top seed in the AFC playoffs. They currently own the top record in the conference all alone. This means, if they win the remainder of their own games, they will be the number one seed, regardless of what any of the other teams do. They have won their last seven consecutive games, the longest active winning streak in the NFL.
