Though it wasn't always pretty on Sunday, the Patriots held on for a road win over the Cincinnati Bengals. It was New England's ninth straight victory, and has the team in great position in the AFC playoff picture following Week 12 of the NFL season.

The Patriots fell behind early on Sunday, but erased a 10-point deficit and withstood a late Bengals comeback attempt to hold on for a 26-20 win. With the victory, the Patriots became the first team in the league to reach 10 wins.

As of Monday, the Patriots are currently the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a record of 10-2. They moved up in the standings thanks to the Colts, who lost in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Denver Broncos, who were on their bye this week, are now sitting at No. 2 in the AFC playoffs with a 9-2 mark.

Following their loss, the Colts dropped to No. 3 with a record of 8-3. Baltimore has now slid into first place in the AFC North, grabbing the No. 4 seed in the conference with a record of 6-5.

With records of 7-4 on the year, the Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Buffalo Bills now hold the fifth, sixth, and seventh seeds.

Of the teams on the outside looking in, three have a realistic chance at making a playoff push. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans and Chiefs all currently sit tied with 6-5 records.

New England has a few tough challenges down the stretch as they hope to remain at the top of the playoff picture. The Patriots play the Giants on Monday Night Football, then head into the bye week. After the week off, the Patriots take on the Bills and Ravens before closing out the season on the road against the Jets and at home against the Dolphins.