Taking a look at the AFC playoff picture after Week 10

We are nearly through 10 weeks of the 2025 NFL season, and it is a great time to take a look at the AFC playoff picture. It is rather early, but we have three teams at the top of the AFC with an 8-2 record. The Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, and our Denver Broncos (Is it 2013 again?). After that, you have several teams fighting for a wildcard spot and an AFC North division title that could go to a team that started 1-5.

Oh, and if the playoffs started today (they do not), the Kansas City Chiefs would be out of the playoffs.

It is not how any of us would have predicted the AFC to look like at the beginning of the year, but that is how it stands currently. So, let us go over each playoff-contending team in the AFC and discuss their outlook moving forward.

Division Leaders

1. Indianapolis Colts (8-2): Their magical run continues in a large part due to an MVP-caliber season by running back Jonathan Taylor. He leads the NFL in rushing with 1,139 yards, has 15 rushing touchdowns, and is coming off a game where he rushed for 244 yards on the ground vs. the Falcons. They will go as far as Taylor will carry them.

Daniel Jones hasn’t been as good recently, but his performance is another reason why the Colts sit at the top of the AFC right now. If he and Jones continue to play well, they will be a tough matchup for whoever faces them moving forward.

With that said, they’re heading into their bye week knowing they have a tough stretch of games upcoming. Fresh out of their BYE, they will head to Arrowhead in what figures to be a cold late November game vs. the Chiefs, host the Texans and their tough defense, then have back-to-back road games against the Jaguars and Seahawks. Those four games will be a tough test for the Colts and may ultimately decide if they keep the #1 seed or not.

2. Denver Broncos (8-2): The Broncos, led by their top-ranked defense and 4th quarter heroics of quarterback Bo Nix, have the Broncos as the number 2 seed in the AFC and at the top of the AFC West through 10 weeks of the season. While it may not always be pretty, they have won 7 straight games and set themselves up in a great position to make the playoffs this season.

Where they ultimately finish likely depends on the play of Bo Nix and the Broncos’ offense. Their defense is elite, but at times, the offense has struggled to put points up on the board. If that continues, they may fall in the standings a bit, but if they turn the corner, they’re a true Super Bowl Contender in the AFC.

Looking ahead, they have a key divisional matchup vs. the Chiefs this Sunday. It’ll be at home a chance to put the Chiefs back at .500 at...