NFL Power Rankings Enter Week 12: Can Bills or Steelers Take No. 1 Seed From Chiefs?

On By Littum

The Kansas City Chiefs did not lose this season until November 17th. And that one loss set them back in a three-way race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs.

The Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers each have just two losses, one behind Kansas City, and Buffalo has won the tiebreaker between them. Buffalo and Pittsburgh also arguably have easier roads than Kansas City the rest of the way.

Kansas City has four games remaining against teams that are .500 or better (Steelers, Chargers, Texans, Broncos). The Bills have three (Lions, 49ers, Rams) as do the Steelers (Chiefs, Eagles, Ravens). According to TankathonThe Bills have the weakest remaining schedule among the three with their opponents holding a .444 winning percentage after Sunday’s games. The Steelers have the hardest at .493 and the Chiefs are in the middle at .477. A Christmas Day game when the Chiefs play the Steelers could be a big factor in determining the AFC’s bye and home field advantage through the playoffs.

Josh Allen and the Bills changed the outlook of the race for the AFC's No. 1 seed by beating the Chiefs. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)Josh Allen and the Bills changed the outlook of the race for the AFC's No. 1 seed by beating the Chiefs. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Josh Allen and the Bills changed the outlook of the race for the AFC’s No. 1 seed by beating the Chiefs. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

The Chiefs are still the favorite to get the No. 1 seed, and they proved last season that they can win a Super Bowl without a bye, but it’s more wide open after the Bills held on to beat them Sunday. How it shakes out could ultimately determine whether the Chiefs can win a third straight Super Bowl.

Here are the power rankings after Week 11 of the NFL season: