We’re entering Week 10 of the NFL season, and every team is at least half-way through their games. The division races are finally starting to heat up, and even though certain teams are leading their respective division, they’re in no way contenders to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. As the rest of the season plays out, we’ll see who’s ready to take on the challenge.
AFC East
The Patriots are currently leading the East at 7-2 and will most likely finish the season in first. They’re always one of the scariest teams in the AFC, and this year is no exception. Tom Brady and co. are making it work with limited personnel once again, and the improved defense has allowed the Pats to get off to a much better start than last season. I see Brady leading this team deep into the playoffs once again and having Josh Gordon as another weapon will certainly aid late in playoff matchups.
AFC North
With a 5-2-1 record, the Steelers sit atop the North. Since losing to the Ravens in Week 4, they haven’t skipped a beat and have won four straight games. From a defense that improves weekly to the NFL’s biggest surprise in James Conner, this team is all around better than most teams that they’ll play.
With that being said, the Steelers are in no way a Super Bowl contender. Mike Tomlin is the direct source of their demise. Along with being a terrible football coach, he also has no control over his locker room which allows weekly distractions to leak out through extra media exposure.
AFC South
The Texans have a record of 6-3, and they lead the South at the moment. No one expected this team to be heading the division at this point in the year. However, with the Jaguars severely under-performing, the Texans have taken full advantage.
Although Deshaun Watson hasn’t played up to the caliber he was at before his ACL injury, he’s led the team to six-straight wins and has looked better each week. They’re an improved team from years past, but I don’t see them getting past the Wild Card round. Other more experienced and talented teams will beat them out in the early rounds of the playoffs.
AFC West 
The Chiefs are leading the West at 8-1 and are showing no signs of slowing down. Patrick Mahomes is the real deal. His combination of arm strength and accuracy is something that is extremely hard to find, and his ability to perform in the big games in his first real season is unmatched.
Tyreek Hill and Kareem Hunt are also two of the best offensive playmakers in the game and each contribute to the extremely high-octane offense. Mahomes may begin to feel added pressure as the season goes on and the games become more important. His performance down the stretch will determine whether the Chiefs are real Super Bowl contenders or not.
Though these divisions are nowhere near decided, certain teams have separated themselves from the rest of the pack. With all of this in mind, the real AFC Super Bowl contenders are the Chiefs and the Patriots. No other team compares to the way that these two are able to bring it week in and week out. Expect to see these two battle it out for the AFC crown and get their shot at the NFC’s finest.