2026 AFC Week Eight Political Rankings

Well, let's see what we can come up with.  With NFC games both Sunday and Monday, the AFC is done and we can look at it.

Kayfabe:

1) Buffalo

2) Denver (Conference Record over)

3) Pittsburgh They are the Black Friday game this year.  

4) Jacksonville

5) Kansas City (Conference Record over)

6) Cincinnati And they play December 13.  

7) New England

Political Rankings:

1) Buffalo

Well, it's clear now even if the game in Denver hadn't happened.  But this solidifies it, and probably now by a distance.  Lamar is probably out for the season, and the Chiefs probably just fucked it with the Justin Tucker signing.  If not, today was a warning.  But Buffalo now has the inside track, with the pimped man for MVP of the league...  Looking pretty good if you're Bills Nation.

2) Denver, by a hair over

3) Pittsburgh

Yes, the Steeler Bullshit is Real.  Especially as they bitch-slapped the Browns today.  (Which see Dud of the Week for the AFC below)

That said, I'm still more convinced right now, politically, on Denver.

THAT said, Aaron Rodgers' final year is awfully tempting to Donald Trump, et. al., so we'll have to see as the year goes on.

4) New England

As long as New England is within spitting distance, "Patriots are Champions" is always a possibility.  But why 13-3 against the Miami Tanks before turning it on in the second half?

5) Jacksonville

Even if the AFC South is a "by default" operation at this point, you at least have to mention them.

6) Kansas City

That's if today was simply a warning shot, if not something more.

DUD OF THE WEEK NOMINEES:  (Awards will be in the NFC post after the Monday nighter, and some of these will probably be in there.)

Kansas City Chiefs:  Read.  The Room.

You've seen what happens to Green Bay, and what's probably going to happen to them next week with the new Josh Jacobs allegations.

And you sign...  Justin Tucker??  I get that MAGA Boy isn't cutting it at the kicker position, but there are other options with far better optics if the league is still pushing you!

(And see next post:  That WAS a false start.)

The Cleveland Browns in general...:  I mean, I get it with the inconsistency, but the DeShaun Watson Redemption Tour has to do better than a complete egg-laying against the Steelers today.

... and Jared Verse in particular.:  You shoot your mouth off, you better back it up.  Otherwise, you eat turf, and a 27-6 loss!  I do believe the play was flagged AND the player will get fined for it.  A fine he will gladly pay.   

The Los Angeles Chargers, the frontrunners in Tank Bowl:  0-7, the last winless team in the league after Miami somehow got one.  Ran into a Chargers fan this morning in the store, him buying a bunch of Michelada.  All I could tell him is that he probably was going to have to drink quite a lot today.  He had no objections.

Indianapolis:  If there's a team now second-worst in the AFC, it's probably these guys.  How many more pieces get sold off at the deadline?