Sports

AFC playoff picture, AFC North standings: Browns fall out after Week 8 due to tiebreaker

Nairavoice · Nov 2, 2026 · 2 min read

In the span of one day, the Cleveland Browns went from atop the AFC North and the third seed in the AFC playoff race to third place in the division and out of the AFC playoff picture. A fast fall in a tight division and conference due to a devastating loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 8.

The AFC North has all four teams with .500 or better records, with the Baltimore Ravens, expected to be without QB Lamar Jackson for most of the rest of the season, sitting in the basement at 4-4:

AFC North Standings

Pittsburgh Steelers: 6-2
Cincinnati Bengals: 5-2
Cleveland Browns: 5-3
Baltimore Ravens: 4-4

The AFC as a whole is also quite interesting, with three teams having six wins and five having five victories. Three of the five teams with five victories have already had their bye week, pushing them ahead of the Browns and New England Patriots.

New England (5-1) has the conference record tiebreaker over Cleveland (3-3) at this point, taking the final playoff spot currently after Week 8:

AFC Playoff Standings

Buffalo Bills (6-1)
Denver Broncos (6-2, 3-1 AFC)
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2, 3-2 AFC)
Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2)
Kansas City Chiefs (5-2, 5-1 AFC)
Cincinnati Bengals (5-2, 4-2 AFC)
New England Patriots (5-3, 5-1 AFC)
Cleveland Browns (5-3, 3-3 AFC)
Las Vegas Raiders (4-4, 3-3 AFC)
Baltimore Ravens (4-4, 2-3 AFC)
Houston Texans (2-5)
New York Jets (2-6, 2-3 AFC)
Indianapolis Colts (2-6, 1-5 AFC)
Miami Dolphins (1-6)
Tennessee Titans (1-7)
Los Angeles Chargers (0-7)

How are you feeling about the Browns AFC North and AFC playoff chances after Week 8? They sit just a game back in the division and a tiebreaker away from a playoff spot at this moment