Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are in pole position in the A.F.C.
Charlie Riedel/Associated Press
The N.F.L. regular season concluded Sunday night, a 17-week march that whittled a 32-team league to a 12-team playoff field with an impressive geographic reach. From Seattle to New England, with representatives from multiple regions around the country — including two teams each from Texas and Los Angeles — the dozen teams left standing for the monthlong postseason are a diverse lot.
But that does not mean they are all equal. Not by a long shot.
Recent history suggests the playoffs are stacked in favor of just a few teams.