NFL Playoff Picture: Dolphins getting closer to AFC positioning

The Miami Dolphins extended their win streak to five games on Sunday, beating the Los Angeles Rams in a fourth-quarter come-from-behind victory. The move keeps Miami solidly in the hunt for the Playoffs, especially with the Kansas City Chiefs losing and the Denver Broncos on a bye this week. The Dolphins are now just one game out of the Wildcard, as well as still sitting just two games behind the New England Patriots in the AFC East.

Every Monday, we update the AFC Playoff picture with the results from the previous Sunday’s games. This week, there are still two AFC teams to play, with the AFC West leading Oakland Raiders and the AFC South leading Houston Texans facing off on Monday Night Football. The results of the game do not impact Miami, other than possibly who they have to chase for the Wildcard as currently the AFC West is slotted to get three of their four teams into the postseason tournament.

The Dolphins next face the 1-9 San Francisco 49ers, who lost to the Patriots on Sunday. The game will be the third game in a row in which Miami will face a California team, but the first of the three games to be played in Miami and not on the west coast.

Here are the current division standings and the AFC conference playoff picture through Sunday of Week 11:

AFC East Standings

1. New England Patriots (8-2)
2. Miami Dolphins (6-4)
3. Buffalo Bills (5-5)
4. New York Jets (3-7)

AFC Playoff Picture

1. New England Patriots (8-2) - AFC East leader

2. Oakland Raiders (7-2) - AFC West leader*

3. Houston Texans (6-3) - AFC South leader*

4. Baltimore Ravens (5-5) - AFC North leader

5. Kansas City Chiefs (7-3) - Wildcard 1

6. Denver Broncos (7-3) - Wildcard 2

*Pending Monday Night Football.

In the hunt

Miami Dolphins (6-4)

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-5)

Indianapolis Colts (5-5)

Buffalo Bills (5-5)

Tennessee Titans (5-6)

Falling behind

San Diego Chargers (4-6)

Cincinnati Bengals (3-6-1)

New York Jets (3-7)

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-8)

Cleveland Browns (0-11)

Tie breakers explained

AFC North - Baltimore is ahead of Pittsburgh based on head-to-head results.

AFC West - Kansas City is ahead of Denver based on division record (2-0 to 1-2)

Wildcard - Pittsburgh is ahead of Indianapolis and Buffalo based on conference record (4-3, 3-4, 2-4). Indianapolis is ahead of Buffalo based on conference record.