National Football League

Bills, Bengals, Titans, Colts leading AFC playoff picture

Updated Dec. 27, 2021 3:26 p.m. ET

As Week 16 comes to a close and with just two weeks left in the NFL season, the AFC playoff race is still a wild affair.

Here's how it all breaks down after Sunday's action.

Buffalo Bills-New England Patriots

Josh Allen and the Bills went on the road and dropped the Patriots 33-21 on Sunday in Foxborough, and both teams are now 9-6 on the season.

With the victory, Buffalo takes over first place in the AFC East because it holds the tiebreaker over New England based on division record (the Bills are 4-1, while the Pats are 3-2).

Allen tossed three touchdowns on his way to putting up 314 yards on the day, and Isaiah McKenzie was the unexpected star of the Bills' offense, turning 11 receptions into 125 yards and one score for Buffalo.

On the other side, rookie QB Mac Jones struggled, completing less than half of his passes (43.75%) for 145 yards, two interceptions and a fumble. The Patriots have lost two straight since beating the Bills on Dec. 6 in Buffalo.

What's next? The Patriots host Jacksonville next Sunday before finishing up at Miami on Jan. 9. The Bills have a favorable schedule, finishing with home games against the Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets. Win those games, and Buffalo clinches a second straight division crown, something it hasn't done since 1990-91.

Baltimore Ravens-Cincinnati Bengals

The Ravens and Bengals both entered Week 16 at 8-6, with Cincinnati having topped Baltimore earlier this season. Once again, the Bengals came out on top Sunday, defeating the Ravens 41-21 — eerily similar to their 41-17 defeat in Week 7 — and taking sole possession of first in the AFC North.

Joe Burrow threw for a jaw-dropping 525 yards — the third-most passing yards in NFL history and most by a player in Bengals franchise history — and four TDs.

Rookie receiver Ja'Marr Chase and sophomore wideout Tee Higgins both topped 100 yards. Chase picked up 125 yards on just seven receptions, while Higgins racked up 194 yards and two scores on 12 catches.

On the other side, Lamar Jackson and backup QB Tyler Huntley were both inactive after being placed on the Ravens' reserve/COVID-19 list, leaving Baltimore without a seasoned signal-caller for Sunday’s showdown. Still, newly signed Josh Johnson — who appeared in three games earlier this season for the New York Jets — was able to get a little something going, throwing for 304 yards and two TDs, though it wasn't enough.

What's next? The Ravens (8-7) have back-to-back home games to close out the season. Up first are the 11-4 Los Angeles Rams next Sunday, followed by a matchup with rival Pittsburgh. Despite the loss Sunday, which dropped the Ravens to 1-4 in the division and 5-6 in conference, Baltimore has a chance at an AFC playoff spot if it wins out.

The Bengals (9-6) lead the division by one game, but also face difficult upcoming matchups. Cincinnati hosts the Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday before wrapping things up at Cleveland in the new year. The Bengals need to win just one of their final two games to clinch the AFC North.

Kansas City Chiefs-Pittsburgh Steelers

The top-seeded Chiefs (now 11-4) dominated the now 7-7-1 Steelers 36-10 in Sunday's afternoon slate. Patrick Mahomes hadn't played without Travis Kelce — who remains on the Chiefs' reserve/COVID-19 list after not clearing protocols Sunday morning — since his first NFL start (2017). Nonetheless, Mahomes finished the day 23-for-30 for 258 yards and three touchdowns.

With the victory, the Chiefs clinched a playoff spot — after the Los Angeles Chargers fell to the Houston Texans in the early window Sunday — and their sixth consecutive AFC West title. The victory extended the Chiefs' winning streak to eight games.

What's next? The Chiefs maintained the top spot in the AFC with two games to play, after the Tennessee Titans (10-5) pulled within a half-game in Week 16. The Titans would overtake the Chiefs should the two teams finish tied, as Tennessee beat K.C. in their lone meeting earlier this season.

The Chiefs close the season with road games against the Bengals and Denver Broncos. The Steelers host the Browns next week and close things out on the road against the Ravens.

AFC South

Earlier in Week 16, the Titans dropped the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 on Thursday Night Football, followed by the Indianapolis Colts upsetting the Arizona Cardinals 22-16 on Christmas Day.

The Titans' 10-4 record is good for first place in the AFC South, and the return of star receiver A.J. Brown is cause for optimism. While Tennessee is still down Derrick Henry, who suffered a foot fracture, Brown was able to provide a spark, racking up 145 yards and one touchdown in Thursday's matchup.

Ryan Tannehill was incredibly efficient on the day, going 22-for-29 (75.9%) for 209 yards and a touchdown.

The Colts improved to 9-6 on the season after stunning the Cardinals in the desert. Indianapolis sits just one game back in the AFC South and is riding the dominant play of running back Jonathan Taylor, who picked up 108 yards on Saturday. With Taylor finding a groove and Carson Wentz playing at a high level — 225 passing yards and two TDs — the Colts find themselves on a three-game winning streak heading into Week 17.

What's next? A win next week against the Las Vegas Raiders would clinch a playoff berth for the Colts, and the Titans' Thursday night comeback victory over the 49ers moved them up one spot in the AFC standings. The Titans can clinch by winning one of their next two games against the Dolphins and Texans.