From top to bottom, AFC is competitive
Only one other time has this many teams had 11 wins
So often, uneasy is the head that wears the crown. Yet the Kansas City Chiefs followed up their first Super Bowl title in half a century by posting the NFL’S best record at 14-2, earning the AFC’S only first-round bye in the expanded playoff format.
While the Chiefs get another week’s rest, the six other AFC playoff teams get going this weekend.
For just the second time since the 1970 league merger, every team in the AFC playoffs has at least 11 wins. It also happened in 1980.
1. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (14-2)
■ AP Pro32 Ranking: No. 1.
■ Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 54, 31-20 over the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 2, 2020, at Miami.
■ Last year: No. 2 seed, beat Houston 51-31 in divisional round, beat Tennessee 35-24 in AFC championship to reach the Super Bowl, where they overcame a 20-10 fourthquarter deficit.
■ This year: Sixth consecutive trip to the playoffs and fifth consecutive AFC West title.
■ Quotable: “We always rise up and play better in the big games. I’m not sure whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I know I’m going to get the best effort possible out of everybody on this team. I’m excited for it. I know what this team can do.” — QB Patrick Mahomes.
2. BUFFALO BILLS (13-3)
■ AP Pro32 Ranking: No. 3.
■ Last Lombardi: No Lombardis in four Super Bowl appearances.
■ Last year: No. 5 seed, squandered 16-0 third-quarter lead in 22-19 overtime loss at Houston in a wild-card playoff.
■ This year: Third trip to the playoffs in four seasons under coach Sean Mcdermott after snapping a 17-year playoff drought in 2017. First AFC East title since 1995.
■ Quotable: “We’re nobody’s little brother, we’re not nobody’s little cousin, little dog, no. We are here. You’re going to respect us. You’re going to play us hard. You’re going to circle us on your schedule, and we’re going to give you the hardest 60 minutes of football you’ve ever seen.” — LT Dion Dawkins.
3. PITSBURGH STEELERS (12-4).
■ AP Pro32 Ranking: No. 6.
■ Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 43, 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Feb. 1, 2009, at Tampa, Florida.
■ Last year: 8-8. Missed playoffs.
■ This year: Ninth playoff appearance in coach Mike Tomlin’s 14 seasons. First AFC North title since 2017.
■ Quotable: “The only thing I really have left is the Super Bowl and that experience of what it would be like for the team, the city, the fans. That would be amazing to get that done. I would love to see it, would love to be a part of it.”— G David Decastro.
4. TENNESSEE TITANS (11-5)
■ AP Pro32 Ranking: No. 9.
■ Last Lombardi: None in one appearance.
■ Last year: No. 6 seed, won AFC wild card at New England 20-13, won divisional game at Baltimore 28-12, lost AFC championship 35-24 at Kansas City.
■ This year: Second consecutive trip to the playoffs. First AFC South title since 2008.
■ Quotable: “It’s something we set out this year to do is to go win the division, and we were able to do that. We’ll enjoy that. We’ll enjoy being able to play a playoff game at home and have a big opportunity this week to go get another win.”—qb Ryan Tannehill.
5. BALTIMORE RAVENS (11-5)
■ AP Pro32 Ranking: No. 7.
■ Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 47, 34-31 over the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 1, 2013.
■ Last year: No. 1 seed for first time in franchise history, lost divisional home game to Tennessee 28-12.
■ This year: Third consecutive trip to the AFC playoffs.
AFC PREVIEW
■ Quotable: “I do love the team. I love the players and the coaches. I love what we’ve been through — the adversity even, (and) the challenges — because it forges you and it makes you who you are. So, that’s exciting, man. You’re living in the moment, and it’s an exciting thing to be in the playoffs in the National Football League. I know we all feel the same way about it.” — coach John Harbaugh.
6. CLEVELAND BROWNS (11-5)
■ AP Pro32 Ranking: No. 12.
■ Last Lombardi: None. The Browns are one of four NFL teams (Lions, Jaguars, Texans) who have never played in the Super Bowl, although the Lions and Browns won championships before the AFL-NFL merger.
■ Last year: 6-10. Missed playoffs.
■ This year: First trip to the playoffs since 2002.
■ Quotable: “The team at every corner has taken on these challenges. We have had weeks where we do not practice very much, and we have had weeks where we were without players or without a coach. It speaks to the team’s resilience that they are going to get the job done no matter what.”— coach Kevin Stefanski.
7. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (11-5)
■ AP Pro32 Ranking: No. 10.
■ Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 41, beat the Chicago Bears 29-17 on Feb. 4, 2007, at Miami.
■ Last year: 7-9. Missed playoffs.
■ This year: First trip to the playoffs since 2018.
■ Quotable: “We believe we have a team that is good enough to win it all. That has to start by getting into playoffs. Now that we’re here, that’s our belief. I feel like our running game is ascending at the right time going into this time of year. I believe our run defense will continue to shine and we feel really good with where we are as a football team.”— coach Frank Reich.