Heading into Week 13, no NFL team had yet secured a playoff berth, but that changed on Friday night.
The Kansas City Chiefs (11-1) became the first team to clinch a postseason spot this year with a thrilling 19-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The Chiefs' path to clinching was straightforward:
- The Dolphins needed to lose to the Packers.
- The Chiefs needed to defeat the Raiders.
When Miami fell to Green Bay on Thanksgiving, Kansas City had a clear shot to lock in their playoff ticket.
By securing their berth this early, the Chiefs accomplished a rare feat: they are the first NFL team in 26 years to clinch a non-division title playoff spot with five games left in the season. According to NFL playoff analyst Joe Ferreira, the last teams to do so were the 1998 Broncos and Falcons, who clinched in Week 12 when the season was only 17 weeks long.
Meanwhile, the loss officially eliminated the Raiders from playoff contention, making them the first AFC team and the second NFL team overall (after the Giants) to be knocked out this year.
Although the Chiefs haven’t yet clinched the AFC West title, that milestone could come in the following weeks.
This weekend, another division title is on the line: The Buffalo Bills can clinch the AFC East with a win over the 49ers on Sunday night. If they succeed, they’ll be the first team since the 2009 Colts to secure a division championship with five weeks remaining.
The Lions also have a chance to clinch a playoff spot this weekend, though their path involves more complex scenarios. We’ve covered those and additional ways the Chiefs could clinch earlier, which you can explore here.