The AFC Is Wide Open Heading Into Week 15

Jeff Reynolds|published: Mon 8th December, 14:14 2025

Dec 7, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws downfield against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While Green Bay took two steps forward as the NFC's superior team and tracks toward the top seed in the conference, the playoff picture on the other side is startlingly open.

As the Packers and Broncos prepare for what will be teased as a Super Bowl preview this week, the pairing of current top seeds in their respective conferences might do more to prove what Denver is not: the AFC's best.

It's not that Denver (11-2) can't beat the Packers (9-3-1) in Colorado this Sunday.

Or that the Broncos aren't rightfully billed as one of the best in the AFC.

The larger point is the AFC feels more like the playoffs will equate to sounding a purge siren, where Houston — back in the conversation for an immeasurably awful start to the regular season — can win at Denver or New England, Buffalo or Jacksonville are capable of rolling up two wins and nobody wants to play the Chargers.

The Broncos haven't lost since September and head coach Sean Payton knows a title contender when he sees one. Payton, the Bill Parcells discipline who got his own Lombardi with the Saints, labeled this Denver team as one of the handful of teams he's known in training camp would be capable of being the last team standing.

Not to say Payton is wrong.

Denver's dynamic pass rush and ball-hawking secondary makes life difficult on opposing quarterbacks. In many ways, the construct mirrors what Green Bay has built if only the name recognition of the personnel is not quite on par.

Did that same stick-of-dynamite defense come within a poorly placed Caleb Williams toss to the end zone of being behind the Bears in the NFC pecking order? Indeed.

Has Green Bay lost to ... Cleveland. Yessir.

But if you are ready to bet your grandpa's keys on the Bears' user-friendly but takeaway-happy defense celebrating a Super Bowl win in Santa Clara in February, we're prepared to take that wager. The bottom of the NFC is a stack of nine-win teams that look better on paper than reality, flaws fatal and numerous.

On the flipside, we're also seeing a handful of teams on the AFC fully capable of rattling off multiple wins in mid-January and making a mess of the NFL bracket.

Don't answer the door if Josh Allen and James Cook come knocking wild-card weekend.

Bo Nix gets another chance in a spotlight game to erase doubt that Denver is that team this week.

Latest