The AFC playoff scenario is dramatically different than it has been in recent years. While a pair of traditional AFC powers in the Baltimore Ravens (9-3) and Kansas City Chiefs (8-3) are at the top of the playoff standings, neither team is a powerhouse this season.

The Chiefs are the defending Super Bowl champions, but they have rarely shown the kind of explosive offense that they have been noted for ever since Patrick Mahomes took over as the team’s starting quarterback in the 2018 season.

Could Andy Reid and Mahomes get the offense functioning at a high level once again? It all may depend on wide receiver Rashee Rice. If he can provide a consistent threat to complement All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce, the Chiefs could have an offense that teams with their much-improved defense to get back to the Super Bowl.

John Harbaugh has the Ravens playing better than any other AFC team to this point in the season, and Lamar Jackson is once again driving the offense. He is completing more than 68 percent of his passes with a 13-5 TD-interception ration while running for 574 yards – a 5.1 yards per carry average – and 5 touchdowns.

Roquan Smith and Jadeveon Clowney are the leaders on defense, as Smith has a team-high 126 tackles and 6 passes defensed, while Clowney has 7.5 sacks and 7 tackles for loss.

The Dolphins (8-3) and Jaguars (8-3) are right behind those teams. Miami has the best offensive team in the league when it is operating at peak efficiency because Tua Tagovailoa combines accuracy, arm strength and instincts with the most dangerous receiver in the game in Tyreek Hill.

When Hill gets off the line of scrimmage, no defensive back in the league can keep up with him. He has to be double-teamed, but that is not a guarantee that he will be stopped. Hill has caught 88-1,324-10, and if Jaylen Waddle can step up just a bit, the Dolphins could come out on top in the AFC.

The Jaguars are the best team in the AFC South and will make the playoffs as the division winner. They would have the No. 3 seed ahead of the Dolphins because they own the strength of victory tiebreaker edge over their Florida rivals.

Trevor Lawrence has not had a brilliant season – 12-7 TD-interception ratio – but Josh Allen is a game-changing pass rusher with 12.0 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. Linebacker Foye Oluokun may be the most unsung player in the league. He has a team-high 118 tackles along with 2.5 sacks.

The Steelers (7-4), Browns (7-4) and Colts (6-5) are the current Wild Card teams, and head coach Mike Tomlin’s team appears to have the best chance of not only making the playoffs but having an impact once they get there.

Pittsburgh has been devoid of offense throughout the majority of the season, but the dismissal of offensive coordinator Matt Canada has given quarterback Kenny Pickett a huge lift. The Steelers had more than 400 yards of offense against the Bengals in Week 12, and that should be a good jumping off point. Since they have T.J. Watt on defense – 13.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 41 tackles – along with Elandon Roberts and Minkah Fitzpatrick (returning from hamstring injury), the Steelers can play shut down defense.

So can the Browns, but quarterback injuries have devastated this team. Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco may be forced into the starting lineup, and he is well past his expiration date.

The Colts are an aggressive and overachieving team under rookie head coach Shane Steichen, but the loss of running back Jonathan Taylor (thumb) will increase the pressure on backup quarterback Gardner Minshew. If the Colts make the playoffs, it’s difficult to see them getting past the Wild Card round.

The Texans (6-5) are currently on the outside looking in, but they have been a remarkable story with rookie of the year C.J. Stroud under center. He has already thrown for 3,266 yards with a 19-5 TD-interception ratio. He has a pair of productive wideouts in Nico Collins and Tank Dell, and they will likely continue to improve down the home stretch.

Sean Payton has done a brilliant job of turning the Broncos (6-5) season around. They have completely recovered from a disastrous start that included giving up 70 points to the Dolphins, as the defense has been resurgent. Denver has a 5-game winning streak as they prepare to face the Texans in Week 13, and the winner of this game has an excellent chance to make the playoffs.

The Bills (6-6) are the last of the AFC teams that have a realistic chance to make the playoffs. At the start of the season, it seemed they would compete with the Chiefs and Bengals (5-6) for AFC superiority, but they often find a way to lose winnable games.

They may have played their best game in Week 12 when they dropped a 37-34 overtime decision to the Eagles, but it was another heart-stomping loss. With games coming up against the Chiefs and Cowboys (8-3), they could fall a couple of games under the .500 mark.

No team in the NFL has done less with more than the Bills. They are likely to be on the outside looking in when the AFC playoffs start.