How can the Chiefs clinch the top seed in Week 16?
The Chiefs are the top team in football and have the Texans up next. We break down how they can clinch the No. 1 seed for the 2025 NFL Playoffs in Week 16.
Chiefs result: The Chiefs beat the Texans 27-19 to improve to 14-1. If the Bills lose to the Patriots on Sunday, the Chiefs will clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC. If Buffalo wins, Kansas City will be able to clinch the No. 1 seed in Week 17 with a win against Pittsburgh or a Bills home loss to the Jets.
The Kansas City Chiefs are the team to beat, as they have been all season, as they kick off a Saturday slate of games in Week 16. Beating the Chiefs is the only way to keep them from securing the top seed in the AFC at this point, though whether or not they’ll get it won’t be decided until other games are played on Sunday.
Kansas City has already clinched a playoff berth and the AFC West division. They’ll be taking on the Houston Texans, who themselves have clinched the AFC South and are fighting for seeding (though not the top seed). This is what’s at stake when they face off
Chiefs playoff seeding clinching scenarios
The Chiefs have the best record in football at 13-1, but the top seed isn’t quite locked down yet. Both the Buffalo Bills, winners of the AFC North, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, have a chance at the top seed, though a whole bunch of stuff has to go right for the latter. It’s the Bills that the Chiefs need to be concerned with primarily, sitting at 11-3 and currently with the second seed in the conference.
That said, the Chiefs do control the top seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, so if they continue to win, they’ve got it locked down. Still, they’ll need to wait for the Bills to wrap up their game against the New England Patriots on Sunday afternoon before they know if they’ve made it. To break it down:
Kansas City clinches a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the postseason with:
- Kansas City win and a Buffalo loss or tie OR
- Kansas City tie and a Buffalo loss
The Chiefs, with an ailing Patrick Mahomes thanks to a high ankle sprain, are only 3.5-point favorites at home, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
AFC standings heading into Saturday of Week 16
1. y-Kansas City Chiefs (13-1)
2. y-Buffalo Bills (11-3)
3. x-Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4)
4. y-Houston Texans (9-5)
5. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
6. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6, wins over DEN)*
7. Denver Broncos (9-6, loss to LAC)*
8. Indianapolis Colts (6-8, 5-5 AFC, win over MIA)*
9. Miami Dolphins (6-8, 5-5 AFC, loss to IND)*
10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8, 3-6 AFC)*
11. New York Jets (4-10) — eliminated
12. Cleveland Browns (3-11, win over JAX) — eliminated
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11, win over TEN, loss to CLE, win over NE) — eliminated
14. Tennessee Titans (3-11, loss to JAX, win over NE) — eliminated
15. New England Patriots (3-11, losses to JAX & TEN) — eliminated
16. Las Vegas Raiders (2-12) — eliminated
Teams with an asterisk (*) have been eliminated from divisional contention
Teams with an (x) have clinched a playoff spot
Teams with a (y) have clinched their division