NFL Standings 2016: Week 14 Records, Playoff Scenarios, Wild-Card Review

The AFC is generally conceded to be ruled by the New England Patriots, but the AFC West has not gotten that memo.

The Oakland Raiders are in first place in the division with a 10-2 record, and that matches the Patriots' record in the AFC East. However, going into Week 14, the Raiders have the edge on New England because they have the better record against common opponents. The only two teams that both have played to this point are the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans.

The Raiders are 2-0 against those teams, while the Pats are 2-1, having split the season series with the Bills. 

The Raiders are about to go into the most challenging portion of their schedule, as they will play the Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos to close their season.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

If the Raiders lose their Thursday night game this week at Kansas City, they will fall out of first place in their division because they will be tied with the Chiefs and Kansas City would sweep the season series.

The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are both 7-5 in the AFC North, but the Ravens have the hold on first place because they beat the Steelers earlier this season. The two teams meet again in Pittsburgh in Week 16.

The Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts are all 6-6 in the unimpressive AFC South, and the Texans have the lead in the division because they have a 4-4 record against conference opponents, while the Titans and Colts are both 4-5.

The Chiefs and Broncos are both in the wild-card spots, while the Miami Dolphins are a game behind the Broncos.

In the NFC, the Dallas Cowboys have reeled off 11 straight wins since their Week 1 loss to the New York Giants, and they have already clinched a playoff spot. If they beat or tie the Giants this week, they will clinch the NFC East.

The Lions have a two-game lead in the NFC North over the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings, and they appear to have a winnable game this week against the 3-9 Chicago Bears. However, the schedule gets tough for them after that game as they close the year against the Giants, Cowboys and Packers.

The Atlanta Falcons and surging Tampa Bay Buccaneers are both 7-5 in the NFC South, and the Falcons hold the lead in the division because they have a 3-1 divisional record, while the Bucs are 2-1 against divisional opponents at this point in the season.

The Seahawks are playing well and have built a three-game lead in the NFC West with four games to go. They should be able to win the division and have a half-game lead on the Lions for the No. 2 seed in the NFC.

The Giants and the Bucs are holding on to the two wild-card spots in the NFC, but the Redskins, Packers, Vikings and Cardinals are all lurking and could snare one or both of the spots.

The Giants saw their six-game winning streak come to an end in Week 13 at Pittsburgh, and they have back-to-back games with Dallas and Detroit before closing the season against the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington.

The Bucs have two games left with the New Orleans Saints and will also face Dallas and the Carolina Panthers.