The whole AFC has been a bit topsy-turvy in 2025, not just the AFC West. The Denver Broncos, entering the month of December, have a massive four-game lead over the Kansas City Chiefs and a two-game lead over the Los Angeles Chargers. But it's not just the Chiefs that are giving way to a new potential division champion this year.
The Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens have also struggled in 2025. The Houston Texans are currently trying to climb out of an early 0-3 hole, but they're also in third place at the moment.
What that means is that the Denver Broncos would be poised to face a team that's typically known as one of the AFC's elite in the first round of the playoffs if the season ended today. That is, unless they can find a way to get the #1 overall seed.
Broncos would face the Bills if the season ended today; #1 seed still within reach
The #Broncos now hold the No. 2 seed in the AFC after the Patriots win tonight.
— Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) December 2, 2025
As it stands, Denver would host Buffalo in the Wild Card round. pic.twitter.com/3Ku84kFmVk
As you can see here, if the playoffs started today, the Denver Broncos would get a rematch against the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round. You're not going to complain about hosting any playoff games, but that is a tough draw for anybody, even though the Bills have looked "human" this season.
A byproduct of winning a lot of games is supposed to be more favorable early matchups in the postseason, but that would easily be the worst draw for any wild card team in the AFC.
The Broncos don't have the luxury of choosing their first playoff opponent, but they do have the opportunity to control their own destiny. With the New England Patriots being the first team to reach 11 wins this year, the Broncos have to do everything in their power to keep pace in Week 14 by beating the Las Vegas Raiders.
Getting the top seed in the AFC wouldn't necessarily prevent the Broncos from playing the Bills in their first playoff game, either. In fact, the way the AFC is shaping up at this point, it's looking like it'll be a tough draw no matter what. But the Broncos would probably way rather play the Chargers, Jaguars, Colts, or even the Texans again than have to play against a team like the Bills.
Nobody promised "easy" on the road to a fourth Super Bowl. If the Broncos are going to win in January and February, they're not going to get any "easy" matchups at all. But getting that #1 seed is clearly important when you look at the current luck of the draw in the AFC playoff picture.