The road to the playoffs in the AFC

Six teams in each conference – four division winners and two wild cards – make the playoffs. The two division winners with the best records in each conference earn first-round byes.

The Patriots currently occupy the No. 2 spot in the race for playoff spots in the AFC. They currently hold the tiebreaker over Houston by virtue of their Week 1 victory over the Texans in Foxborough. They also hold the tiebreaker over Kansas City thanks to a Week 6 win, so should the teams finished tied the Patriots would have the edge. While the Chargers are also tied at 8-3, they currently sit in second place behind the Chiefs in the AFC West and would therefore be a wild card if the playoffs began today.

Here's a look at the current postseason picture in the AFC:

Team   * *Record Div.       AFC      Remaining schedule

Chiefs    9-2         3-0         7-1        at Oak., Bal., LAC, at Sea., Oak.

Patriots  8-3         3-0         6-2        Min., at Mia., at Pit., Buf., NYJ

Texans   8-3         3-1         6-2        Cle., Ind., at NYJ, at Phi., Jax.

Steelers  7-3-1     3-1-1     4-3-1 LAC, at Oak., NE, at NO, Cin.

Chargers 8-3         2-2         5-2        at Pit., Cin., at KC, Bal., at Den.

Ravens 6-5         2-3         6-3        at Atl., at KC, TB, at LAC, Cle.

In the hunt

Colts       6-5         2-1         5-4         at Jax., at Hou., Dal., NYG, at Ten.

Dolphins 5-6         2-1         4-4         Buf., NE, at Min., Jax., at Buf.

Bengals  5-6         1-3         3-4         Den., at LAC, Oak., at Cle., at Pit.   

Broncos 5-6         2-2         3-5         at Cin., at SF, Cle., at Oak., LAC

Titans     5-6         2-2         3-6         NYJ, Jax., at NYG, Was., Ind.

Browns  4-6-1     2-1-1     3-4-1      at Hou., Car., at Den., Cin., at Bal.