AFC Playoff Standings and Week 9 Analysis: Broncos Eye No. 1 Seed

Denver Broncos Control AFC Destinies During Bye Week

The Denver Broncos improved to 7-2 on the season following a comeback victory over the Carolina Panthers, earning the AFC West lead as they enter their bye week.

Denver can claim the No. 1 seed in the conference if the Buffalo Bills lose their Monday Night Football matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. The Broncos sit behind the 6-1 Bills in the AFC standings, with a meeting scheduled between the two teams on Christmas that could decide who comes away with the number one seed in the AFC.

AFC Playoff Standings After Week 9

The top tier of the conference remains tight as the season reaches its midway point. The Buffalo Bills hold the top spot pending their game against Minnesota, while the Denver Broncos sit closely behind at 7-2.

Team	Record
Buffalo Bills	6-1
Denver Broncos	7-2
Jacksonville Jaguars	6-2
Pittsburgh Steelers	6-2
Kansas City Chiefs	6-2
Cincinnati Bengals	6-2
New England Patriots	5-4

Behind the leading group, the Jacksonville Jaguars advanced to 6-2 with a Thursday night victory over the Baltimore Ravens. The Pittsburgh Steelers held onto the AFC North lead during their bye week, while the Cincinnati Bengals secured a win in Madrid, Spain, against the Atlanta Falcons to stay hot in the division race.

Injuries and Schedule Advantage for Denver

The bye week arrives at an opportune moment for a banged-up Denver roster that played a challenging early-season schedule. The team will use the time off to heal before facing a second-half slate that appears favorable on paper.

If the Broncos maintain their momentum after the break, they control their path toward both the division title and the conference’s top postseason seed.

Chiefs Defeat Jets as AFC West Standings Shift

The Kansas City Chiefs ended a losing streak by defeating the New York Jets, though quarterback Patrick Mahomes briefly exited with a throwing elbow scare before returning. The Chiefs remain right behind Denver in the AFC West standings.

Further down the standings, the New England Patriots dropped to 5-4 following a blowout loss to the Green Bay Packers. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns fell deeper into a free-fall, the Las Vegas Raiders dropped another contest, and the Baltimore Ravens will look to stay in the conversation with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback.