Every 1986 NFL race charted week by week: AFC Central, AFC East, AFC West, AFC Wild Card, NFC Central, NFC East, NFC West and NFC Wild Card. Final standings, from a season that ran September 7 to December 22, 1986.
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AFC Central standings, 1986
Team
W
L
T
Pct
GB
L10
Streak
Cleveland Browns (CLE)b
12
4
0
.750
-
8-2
W5
Cincinnati Bengals (CIN)
10
6
0
.625
2
6-4
W1
Pittsburgh Steelers (PIT)
6
10
0
.375
6
5-5
L1
Houston Oilers (HOU)
5
11
0
.313
7
4-6
W2
Final standings.
Clinch key
b
clinched a first-round bye
Turning points
The lead changed hands twice.
The Cleveland Browns trailed by as many as 1 game in Week 1.
The Cleveland Browns took first place for good in Week 13.
The Cleveland Browns won 5 games in a row from Week 12 to Week 16, the longest run of the race.
The Houston Oilers led by 1 game as late as Week 1.
The Cleveland Browns went 7-1 from Week 7 to Week 15, turning a deficit of 1 game into a lead of 2 games.
Three teams held first place.
The Cleveland Browns spent 13 of the season's 16 charted weeks in first place.