KC Chiefs weren’t hurt or helped in playoff picture during bye week

The KC Chiefs didn’t move up or down in the playoff standings during their bye week, still sitting at No. 2.

Normally being the No. 2 team in the playoffs would be reason to celebrate, but with the playoffs expanding this year, only the No. 1 team gets a bye. That’s why it’s so important for the Kansas City Chiefs to get that coveted No. 1 seed if possible.

Even if the Chiefs didn’t move at all in the standings, there was movement by other teams. Let’s take a look at the playoff picture after Week 10:

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-0) – BYE
2. Kansas City Chiefs (8-1)
3. Buffalo Bills (7-3)
4. Indianapolis Colts (6-3)
5. Las Vegas Raiders (6-3)
6. Miami Dolphins (6-3)
7. Baltimore Ravens (6-3)

In the hunt: Tennessee Titans (6-3), Cleveland Browns (6-3)

If the season ended today, the Chiefs would host the Ravens in the Wild Card round, which would be a really fun game. The Chiefs are 3-0 against Baltimore since Lamar Jackson took over and the Ravens have struggled immensely in the playoffs under Jackson. This wouldn’t be a surefire Chiefs win, but fans would have to be feeling pretty good about this match-up considering the history between these two teams in recent years.

The other match-ups in the Wild Card round would be Bills vs Dolphins and Colts vs Raiders, both really intriguing match-ups. The Colts’ thrashing of the Titans on Thursday Night Football last week propelled them into the AFC South driver’s seat and now the Titans aren’t even in the playoff picture.

While it’d be better for Kansas City to leapfrog Pittsburgh into the No. 1 spot, hosting the Ravens in the first round wouldn’t be the end of the world for Chiefs fans. Still, let’s get into the No. 1 seed so the Chiefs can rest their starters for at least a week.

Here’s how the NFC playoff picture looks after Week 10.

1. Green Bay Packers (7-2) – BYE
2. New Orleans Saints (7-2)
3. Arizona Cardinals (6-3)
4. Philadelphia Eagles (3-5-1)
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-3)
6. Los Angeles Rams (6-3)
7. Seattle Seahawks (6-3)

In the hunt: Chicago Bears (5-5)

The NFC side of things looks a little more set with the only team competing to be a Wild Card contender being the 5-5 Bears who just lost their quarterback to injury. The teams may move up or down in the standings, but right now, these are probably the seven teams we see in the playoffs on the NFC side of things. Second place in the NFC West should get the NFC East team’s home game.

The Kansas City Chiefs have some tough games coming up, including this weekend’s game against the Raiders. While the Chiefs will be motivated to beat Vegas after suffering their only loss of 2020 to them in Week 5, if the Raiders win this one, not only do they sweep KC for the first time since 2012, but they’d move just one game behind the Chiefs in the AFC West race.

The Raiders might very well be a playoff team when it’s all said and done and they have a chance to prove they’re for real by beating the defending champions this week. We’re all used to seeing the Raiders melt down in the second half of the season, but that might not happen this time. They look really good through 10 weeks of NFL action.

How do you feel about these current playoff standings?