AFC playoff picture: Chiefs, Steelers pace field

The AFC playoff picture is coming together beautifully. For starters, there are at least four teams you can pencil into the field right now, and two divisions that are all but officially over.

However, the race for the second wild card spot is a complete free-for-all, with a good four teams fighting to get in. At the top of the picture, things are much more static with a trio of familiar contenders battling fror position.

Here’s how the AFC playoff picture looks as we enter Week 11:

1. Kansas City Chiefs (9-1)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2-1)
3. New England Patriots (7-3)
4. Houston Texans (6-3)
5. Los Angeles Chargers (7-2)
6. Tennessee Titans (5-4)
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7. Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)
8. Miami Dolphins (5-5)
9. Baltimore Ravens (4-5)
10. Indianapolis Colts (4-5)

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This week, there should be a bit of a shakeup at the cut-off. The Titans are on the road taking on the Colts, who despite being four spots out of the picture, are only one game behind Tennessee. Incredibly, if the Colts can get their fourth straight win, they will vault ahead of the Titans and into a tie with the Dolphins, who are enjoying their bye week down in South Beach.

Conversely, a win for Tennessee would jut about finish Andrew Luck and Co. The Titans are playing good football with two wins in six days over the Dallas Cowboys on the road and the New England Patriots at Nissan Stadium.

Another key game features a pair of AFC North rivals with the Bengals and Ravens squaring off in Charm City. Baltimore is coming off its bye week and while nobody knows whether Joe Flacco, Robert Griffin III or Lamar Jackson will be lining up under center come Sunday afternoon, the Ravens have to be victorious or face another season without the playoffs.

If the Bengals find a path to 6-4, they start to move towards a playoff spot with a schedule that helps out the cause. Cincinnati still has a pair of games left against the Cleveland Browns along with a date taking on the Oakland Raiders. Considering those should be three wins, a victory over Baltimore and a season sweep would do wonders towards getting into the postseason.

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Finally, a few division leaders are slated to be tested. The Houston Texans are going on the road to take on another 6-3 team in the Washington Redskins, who surprisingly have a two-game lead in the NFC East. The Redskins are trying to end a six-game Houston winning streak, which famously began when Colts coach Frank Reich refused to accept a tie back in Week 4.

Then there are the Chiefs, who are taking on the only other team with a 9-1 mark in the Los Angeles Rams. The game was moved from Mexico City back to Los Angeles due to field conditions, giving the Monday night tilt added drama. This could well be the game of the year.