With the Chiefs losing on Sunday, they fell out of a tie for the top spot in the AFC West. But that wasn’t all that happened. It also means for the first time this season, the Raiders are in control of their own destiny.
They won’t need any other team to lose in order to help them get a top seed and a first round bye. Not that winning out is a small task, but their fate is in their hands. That fate will begin tonight when they face the Houston Texans in Mexico City.
Should they win tonight, they would improve to 8-2 and remain in line for a top seed in the conference. Should the Raiders lose, they would fall to 5th in the playoff standings, swapping places with the Chiefs and in line for a Wild Card.
With six weeks still remaining after today, the playoff picture will undoubtedly change quite a bit by the end of the season. Regardless, with five of six AFC teams at seven wins, we can officially begin discussing playoffs.
Pretty good feeling, isn’t it?
Here’s what the standings look after Sunday in Week 11:
AFC
- Patriots (8-2, AFC East)
- Raiders (7-2, AFC West)
- Texans (6-3, AFC South)
- Ravens (5-5, AFC North)
- Chiefs (7-3, Wild Card)
- Broncos (7-3, Wild Card)
NFC
- Cowboys (9-1, NFC East)
- Seahawks (7-2-1, NFC West)
- Lions (6-4, NFC North)
- Falcons (6-4, NFC South)
- Giants (7-3, Wild Card)
- Washington (5-3-1, Wild Card)
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