What does the rest of the AFC look like behind the Chiefs?

The Kansas City Chiefs continued their flawless 2024 season by defeating their long-time rival, the Raiders, in Las Vegas. The victory extended Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid's unblemished record at Allegiant Stadium to 6-0, with Reid remarkably matching the all-time coaching wins record at the venue and even surpassing coaches who called it their home stadium.

Despite some uneven moments in their win, Mahomes delivered an outstanding performance marred only by an unfortunate interception. The Chiefs' defense proved its worth after early struggles – particularly with an impressive goal-line stand in the third quarter, following Mahomes' pick, that helped turn the tide.

Which teams are currently in a playoff position after Week 8 of the 2024-25 NFL season and which teams have already been eliminated from the playoff race?

Let's look at the AFC playoff rankings over eight weeks:

On the hunt: Indianapolis Colts (4-4), Cincinnati Bengals (3-5) and Miami Dolphins (2-5).

The Texans took care of business against Indy and ended the season. In Jameis Winston's first start in Cleveland, he led the Browns to a shocking victory over Baltimore. The Pats managed to beat the Jets in an ugly game between two AFC East bottom teams. Green Bay lost to Jordan Love early but still found a way past Jacksonville. The Dolphins somehow blew a double-digit lead in the fourth when Tua dropped back and lost to Arizona, and the Lions destroyed Tennessee, scoring 52 points despite amassing just 225 offensive yards.

The Eagles directly embarrassed the Bengals at home. Buffalo took the lead in the second half against Seattle and never looked back. The Chargers had no problems with the struggling Saints team. Broncos were racing past Carolina when Bo Nix went off. The Chiefs continued in Vegas with another win at Allegiant Stadium. And in classic Steelers fashion, Pittsburgh almost missed a win against the Giants on Monday night.

Houston won, but they're not playing like true Super Bowl contenders yet, while Anthony Richardson is still dealing with growing pains in Indianapolis. The Ravens laid an egg as Jameis Winston brought Cleveland's offense back to life. The Patriots have finally won again, but the Jets are finished at this point. The Jaguars' defense will cost them a playoff trip. The Dolphins' offense looks better with Tua, but their playoff hopes are starting to fade. The Titans might as well start looking for QBs for next year's draft after another stunning loss.

The Bengals have little room for error now that they are also down 4-0 at home. The Bills have emerged as perhaps the AFC's strongest challenger to the Chiefs. The Chargers have established themselves as legitimate Wild Card contenders. The Broncos have built momentum before the most difficult part of their schedule. The Chiefs defense continues to establish itself as the best unit in the NFL. Although the Steelers' record is solid, they haven't quite passed the eye test of being a true Super Bowl contender.

According to the team rankings, the Chiefs remain the favorites for the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a 59.9% chance, down slightly from last week. Behind them are the Bills with 19.6%, followed by the Texans (8.0%), Steelers (7.4%) and Ravens (2.7%).

The Chiefs also remain the AFC leaders in Super Bowl LIX odds with a 17.5% chance of winning, also down slightly from last week, closely followed by the Bills at 13.5%. The Ravens follow at 5.9%, while the Steelers and Texans are right behind at 5.2% and 3.8%, respectively.

Kansas City has built a commanding lead in the AFC and remains undefeated, while every other team has suffered at least two losses. Their schedule includes showdowns with the AFC's only three remaining teams with two losses each: Buffalo, Houston and Pittsburgh. Barring any major stumbling blocks, Kansas City appears destined to secure the AFC's top seed and crucial home-field advantage in their quest for three goals.