2022 Week 7 AFC Political and Kayfabe Rankings

(Updated after the Suspension Blotter to eliminate Kansas City with three off-field suspensions for the year.)

Did the NFC earlier.  Chicago's win means they join the other 3-4s, but no change in the Politicals or the playoff seedings.

AFC Politicals:

1) Buffalo

Free win over the Packers coming next week.  Bills are a home 11-point favorite (and, if it holds, it will be the first time in Aaron Rodgers' NFL career that he will go into a game a double-digit underdog!)  and I think that's easy money.  This is easily the worst Packer team in a decade in kayfabe, and maybe this is finally the breaking point.

As for Politicals, Buffalo has such a margin on the rest of the AFC, I do have very real question as to how it could go sideways.  It would probably take a second major (or covered-up) criminal action to change this.

2) Kansas City

Probably for lack of another feasible choice.

2) Miami

Don't forget:  They're 4-0 with Tua.  And especially with what they risk every time he takes the field...  I mean, for Tom Brady, there is a certain degree of unimportance -- it's a marriage, not getting the guy killed with another major head injury...

3) New York Jets

Can't discount a deep-in-the-pocket Jets-Giants scenario...  Miami is only over the Jets at this point because of the obvious nature of the Tua situation.

4) Tennessee

Don't look now -- they've won four in a row...

AFC DUD OF THE WEEK:

Nominees:

The Patriots:  Oof.  The Bears Still Suck -- You Suck Worse.  When is Belichick gonna break the record?

WINNER:

RUSSELL WILSON AND A MOVE HE MIGHT WELL REGRET.  Wilson is now seen as the most disappointing player in the NFL (I can think of two worse at his position!), and the move to Denver, especially only getting nine points against the Jets, is not looking positive nor good.

Kayfabe:

AFC East:  Buffalo (5-1), half up on the Jets (5-2) and one more to the Dolphins (4-3).

AFC North:  Baltimore tiebreaker (HTH Wk 5) on the Bengals (4-3)

AFC South:  Tennessee (4-2), next is Indianapolis at 3-3-1

AFC West:  Kansas City (5-2), then LA Chargers (4-3)

Wildcards:  Jets at 5-2, and then the Dolphins, Bengals, and Chargers for two spots at 4-3.

No head-to-head sweep from the three teams.

Conference tiebreak:  MIA 4-2, CIN 2-2, LAC 4-2  CIN is out.

MIA vs. LAC:  Play December 11th.  Conference record is even, not enough common games.

So we have to invoke the computers for Strength of Victory:  MIA .519 - LAC .288

Seeds:

1. BUF (5-1)
2. KC (5-2)
3. TEN (4-2)
4. BAL (4-3, divisional HTH Wk 5 tiebreak over CIN)
5. NYJ (5-2)
6. MIA (4-3, conference record tiebreaker eliminates CIN, Strength of Victory tiebreak beats LAC)
7. LAC (4-3, conference record tiebreaker eliminates CIN, loses Strength of Victory tiebreak to MIA)

We have a 3-4 (TB) and a 3-3 (LAR) team in the playoffs in the NFC, but a 4-3 team in the AFC (CIN) is out.

And Tampa plays Baltimore and Atlanta plays Carolina.  Non-zero chance 3-5 might lead the NFC South too...