Both the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs have their playoff seeding already locked up but Josh Allen will start for the Bills while Patrick Mahomes will not play.

If the Bengals get through that gauntlet, which would give them a seven-game winning streak, they could potentially face Lamar Jackson and the Ravens for the AFC Championship. Meaning Cincinnati’s playoff path would include the reigning MVP, the likely favorite for this year’s MVP and Patrick Mahomes.

That's because as many as 10 of their 17 games next season could come against 2024 playoff teams. That includes road games against the top two teams in the AFC in the Kansas City Chiefs (15-1), which would be a Super Bowl 57 rematch,