Playoff Picture: Bills get help after their big Thanksgiving win

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Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images

The Bills are sitting pretty entering December

The Buffalo Bills won on Thursday, giving them nine wins on the year and a chance of clinching a playoff spot sooner rather than later in a down year in the AFC. With several games on Sunday featuring contenders for the Wild Card and divisional races in the conference, there was bound to be some movement.

At the top of the conference, the New England Patriots (10-2) were toppled by the Houston Texans (8-4), giving us a new leader in the AFC. Speaking of Baltimore, the Ravens just keep winning. They are 10-2 and head to Buffalo to take on the 9-3 Bills next week. Should generate lots of talk on the TV.

In the Wild Card race, the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5) beat the Cleveland Browns (5-7), all but ending Cleveland’s playoff hopes. Buffalo plays the Steelers in a few weeks in a game that was flexed to a Sunday night contest.

The Tennessee Titans knocked off the Indianapolis Colts, with Tennessee (7-5) moving ahead of Indianapolis (6-6) in the AFC South race but both are behind Houston.

The Oakland Raiders fell to 6-6, as well, after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs. That clears up the race in the AFC West and makes Oakland’s best possible record just 10-6.

On the bottom of the conference, the Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins both won, so that’s cool.

Full AFC Standings

1. Baltimore Ravens (10-2, head-to-head win over NE)
2. New England Patriots (10-2, head-to-head loss to BAL)
3. Buffalo Bills (9-3)
4. Houston Texans (8-4, head-to-head win over KC)
5. Kansas City Chiefs (8-4, head-to-head loss to HOU)
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5, 6-3 AFC)
7. Tennessee Titans (7-5, 5-4 AFC)
8. Oakland Raiders (6-6, head-to-head win over IND)
9. Indianapolis Colts (6-6, head-to-head loss to OAK)
10. Cleveland Browns (5-7, 5-4 AFC)
11. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8, 4-5 AFC)
12. Los Angeles Chargers (4-8, 2-7 AFC)
13. New York Jets (4-8, 1-7 AFC)
14. Denver Broncos (4-8, 4-5 AFC)
15. Miami Dolphins (3-9)
16. Cincinnati Bengals (1-11)*

Full AFC Playoff Standings

1. Baltimore Ravens (10-2, head-to-head win over NE)
2. New England Patriots (10-2, head-to-head loss to BAL)
3. Houston Texans (8-4, head-to-head win over KC)
4. Kansas City Chiefs (8-4, head-to-head loss to HOU)
5. Buffalo Bills (9-3)
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5, 6-3 AFC)
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7. Tennessee Titans (7-5, 5-4 AFC)
8. Oakland Raiders (6-6, head-to-head win over IND)
9. Indianapolis Colts (6-6, head-to-head loss to OAK)
10. Cleveland Browns (5-7, 5-4 AFC)
11. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8, 4-5 AFC)
12. Los Angeles Chargers (4-8, 2-7 AFC)
13. New York Jets (4-8, 1-7 AFC)
14. Denver Broncos (4-8, 4-5 AFC)
15. Miami Dolphins (3-9)

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