The AFC was Buffalo's for the taking. Now the Bills have company.

The Buffalo Bills' window to claim the AFC, and advance to its first Super Bowl in 32 seasons, no longer appears as wide-open as it did a month ago.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ hold over half the NFL appeared broken when the season opened in September — and no team was better positioned to take advantage than Buffalo.

Since 2020, the Bills, along with another Kansas City challenger, the Baltimore Ravens, perennially found themselves under Kansas City’s thumb. They were a combined 0-5 in the postseason against the Chiefs as that team went on to win five of the last six AFC championships.

Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City in September.Jamie Squire / Getty ImagesThe Chiefs stumbled to 0-2, however, and Baltimore swooned to a 1-5 start. Buffalo, meanwhile, started 4-0, with quarterback Josh Allen picking up right where his MVP season left off last year.

Yet as the season hits its midway point, Buffalo’s window to claim the AFC and advance to its first Super Bowl in 32 seasons no longer appears as wide open as it did a month ago. Because as soon as the Bills’ fortunes changed, so did those of its rivals.

On Oct. 5, their 14-game home winning streak was snapped even though they were more than a touchdown favorite to beat New England. Eight days later, still as a betting favorite, Buffalo lost again, 24-14, at Atlanta — only its second loss by double digits in a year. And its 4-0 start began to look less impressive after its first four opponents started a combined 3-21.