Surprise first-place clubs like the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts may be set to duke it out for the conference's top playoff seed. Meanwhile, preseason Super Bowl picks like the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs could be left to scrape and claw their way into the dance by way of a wild card berth.

The Steelers own a one-game lead in the AFC North in mid-November, and Ravens coach John Harbaugh says his 5-5 team is “just above water.” That scenario might’ve felt dire in late August, but sportsbooks disagree with Harbaugh’s assessment.

The Steelers' playoff chances may rely on holding off the Ravens in the AFC North. Can Pittsburgh hold off Baltimore and win the division?

The Indianapolis Colts must reset after two rough performances before a bulk of divisional matchups hit their doorstep.

What to know: The Chiefs have won the AFC West nine straight times. Is this the year that streak ends? Denver is 9-2 and the Chargers are 7-4, and both teams have one win over K.C. already, meaning the 5-5 Chiefs are well behind two teams in their own division.

With just seven games remaining in the NFL, the No. 4 Steelers would host the No. 5 Bills in the playoffs if the season ended today.

This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox. Good morning! Try out Alpine skiing today. Three AFC teams entered this season as titans. Well,

The Miami Dolphins struck gold when they signed linebacker Jordyn Brooks to a free agent contract in March of 2024. Brooks, who was excellent at the heart of Miami's defense in 2024, has been even better thus far in 2025.