The AFC needs to sort out playoff teams. The NFC needs to sort out playoff seeds.
The two-time defending AFC champion Chiefs are the only team in their conference to clinch a playoff berth so far because 11 teams are separated by no more than two games.
Meanwhile, five teams with double-digit wins already have clinched and left only two spots available in the NFC, where the Green Bay Packers have little margin for error in the race to get the conference’s top seed and only postseason bye.
Here are The Post’s power rankings for Week 17:
1. Kansas City Chiefs, 11-4 (1)
Make it six straight AFC West titles for the Chiefs, who built a 30-0 lead on the Steelers after three quarters despite playing without Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. The once-stumbling Chiefs won their eighth in a row with big contributions from the likes of Byron Pringle, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Mecole Hardman doing the damage.
2. Green Bay Packers, 12-3 (2)
Matt LaFleur became the first coach in NFL history with at least 12 wins in each of his first three seasons. Such is the luxury of having Aaron Rodgers, who broke Brett Favre’s team record for career touchdown passes (445 and counting) against the Browns. Is there a better in-season pick-up in the NFL than cornerback Rasul Douglas, who has five interceptions in 10 games?
3. Los Angeles Rams, 11-4 (3)
The Rams sit alone atop the NFL’s toughest division after beating the Vikings. Sony Michel — who was acquired in a preseason trade and used as a backup most of the season — rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown. Stud back Cam Akers could be on his way back from a supposedly season-ending injury. Brandon Powell returned a punt for a touchdown.
4. Indianapolis Colts, 9-6 (5)
Carson Wentz made his biggest play in years, firing a strike (as he got drilled) to Dezmon Patmon for a 14-yard touchdown that gave the Colts a late two-score lead in an upset of the Cardinals. The Colts have won three straight and six of seven after holding the explosive Cardinals in check despite playing without stud linebacker Darius Leonard.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 11-4 (7)
Antonio Brown returned from suspension with a splash, making 10 catches for 101 yards and then amateurishly refusing to answer any questions about his allegedly fake COVID-19 vaccination card. The Buccaneers clinched their first NFC South title since 2007, after their Super Bowl championship run came as a 2020 wild card. The defense had seven sacks of Panthers quarterbacks.
6. Dallas Cowboys, 11-4 (8)
The Cowboys scored 21 points in each of the first two quarters to rout Washington. Dak Prescott had 342 yards combined passing and rushing at the half! The Cowboys clinched the NFC East before kickoff but didn’t let down their guard. Demarcus Lawrence is rounding back into pre-injury form but now has enough help so he doesn’t have to carry the defense.
7. Arizona Cardinals, 10-5 (4)
What’s going on here? The Cardinals have lost three straight and are 3-5 since a 7-0 start. The normally automatic Matt Prater missed two field goals and a PAT without his regular holder. The sloppy Cardinals had seven first-half penalties and a bad snap resulting in a safety. Hurry back, DeAndre Hopkins.
8. Tennessee Titans, 10-5 (11)
The Titans seem to be past their injury-fueled midseason lull. Randy Bullock’s game-winning 44-yard field goal with four seconds remaining completed the comeback from a 10-point halftime deficit against the 49ers. A.J. Brown’s 11 catches for 145 yards and a touchdown were the deciding factor. Remember, they swept two meetings with the Colts.
9. Cincinnati Bengals, 8-6 (13)
Joe Burrow threw for 525 yards — the fourth-highest single-game total in NFL history — and four touchdowns to turn a first-place showdown against the Ravens into a laugher. Joe Mixon, JaMarr Chase and Tee Higgins round out one of the NFL’s best young offenses, which never punted on the way to 41 points.
10. Buffalo Bills, 9-6 (12)
Regarded as Super Bowl contenders in the preseason and after a 4-0 start, the Bills were on the brink of falling out of the playoff picture if they lost on the road and allowed the Patriots to sweep the season series. Instead, Josh Allen threw three touchdown passes and Micah Hyde made two interceptions as the Bills tied New England atop the AFC East, with control of the tiebreaker.
11. New England Patriots, 9-6 (6)
12. San Francisco 49ers, 8-7 (10)
13. Miami Dolphins, 8-7 (16)
14. Los Angeles Chargers, 8-7 (9)
15. Philadelphia Eagles, 8-7 (18)
16. Las Vegas Raiders, 8-7 (21)
17. Baltimore Ravens, 8-7 (14)
18. Pittsburgh Steelers, 7-7-1 (15)
19. Cleveland Browns, 7-8 (17)
20. New Orleans Saints, 7-8 (19)
21. Minnesota Vikings, 7-8 (20)
22. Atlanta Falcons, 7-8 (24)
23. Denver Broncos, 7-8 (22)
24. Chicago Bears, 5-10 (28)
25. Washington Football Team, 6-9 (23)
26. Seattle Seahawks, 5-10 (25)
27. Carolina Panthers, 5-10 (27)
28. New York Jets, 4-11 (29)
The Jets played without the 20 players on the COVID-19 reserve list and without head coach Robert Saleh. Zach Wilson ran for a 52-yard touchdown and threw another to an offensive lineman to beat Trevor Lawrence’s Jaguars in the first matchup between the top two picks in the 2021 NFL Draft. The defense made a late goal-line stand.
29. Houston Texans, 4-11 (31)
30. New York Giants, 4-11 (26)
How about Daniel Jones as a dark-horse MVP candidate? It’s a joke. Sort of. Watching Mike Glennon and Jake Fromm lead scoreless drives makes you appreciate whatever little Jones was able to accomplish with this blocking. In the last six games, the Giants have scored six total touchdowns, including three after falling behind by 30 points. All the offensive playmakers are having career-worst (or close to it) seasons.