The AFC playoff picture got a little clearer with the results of Sunday’s games. If it weren’t clear, the AFC North is decidedly a two-team race, with the Ravens winning 37-13 over the hapless Panthers, and the Browns and Bengals both losing. It’s the same in the AFC East, where the Jets and Patriots are now both 8-2 after close wins over the Texans and Colts, respectively, and the Dolphins fell further from the playoff picture with a 16-0 loss to the Bears.
In the AFC South, the Colts have allowed 50 fewer points than they’ve scored and the Jaguars have allowed 50 more than they’ve scored, but the two teams are now tied atop the division after the Jags beat the Browns. And Kansas City took over the top spot in the AFC West with a 31-13 win over the Cardinals.
No team in the South or West has a better record than 6-4, while the Central has two teams at 7-3 and the North has two at 8-2. So it’s looking more likely that the wild card teams will come from the North and Central, although of course there’s plenty more football left to be played.