Matchup Index

AFL Rivalries With the Most Lead Changes

The series where the all-time lead has changed hands the most times. Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos have traded the lead 3 times.

 

# SeriesLead changesRecordGames
1 Oakland Raiders vs Denver Broncos15-4-1 in 20 games 315-4-120
2 San Diego Chargers vs Boston Patriots11-7-2 in 20 games 311-7-220
3 Kansas City Chiefs vs Boston Patriots9-5-3 in 17 games 39-5-317
4 San Diego Chargers vs Buffalo Bills10-7-2 in 19 games 210-7-219
5 Buffalo Bills vs Oakland Raiders9-9 in 18 games 29-918
6 Kansas City Chiefs vs Oakland Raiders11-11 in 22 games 111-1122
7 Boston Patriots vs Buffalo Bills12-8-1 in 21 games 112-8-121
8 Kansas City Chiefs vs San Diego Chargers10-9-1 in 20 games 110-9-120
9 Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets11-9 in 20 games 111-920
10 Houston Oilers vs Buffalo Bills13-7 in 20 games 113-720
11 New York Jets vs Boston Patriots12-7-1 in 20 games 112-7-120
12 Boston Patriots vs Houston Oilers10-9-1 in 20 games 110-9-120
13 Kansas City Chiefs vs Buffalo Bills9-9-1 in 19 games 19-9-119
14 Kansas City Chiefs vs Houston Oilers13-6 in 19 games 113-619
15 New York Jets vs Oakland Raiders9-8-2 in 19 games 19-8-219
16 Oakland Raiders vs Houston Oilers12-7 in 19 games 112-719
17 San Diego Chargers vs Houston Oilers12-7 in 19 games 112-719
18 Kansas City Chiefs vs New York Jets11-7 in 18 games 111-718
19 Boston Patriots vs Denver Broncos10-8 in 18 games 110-818
20 Buffalo Bills vs Denver Broncos11-5-1 in 17 games 111-5-117
21 Boston Patriots vs Oakland Raiders8-8-1 in 17 games 18-8-117
22 Houston Oilers vs Miami Dolphins5-3 in 8 games 15-38
23 Miami Dolphins vs Boston Patriots4-3 in 7 games 14-37
24 Denver Broncos vs Cincinnati Bengals3-1 in 4 games 13-14
25 Cincinnati Bengals vs Miami Dolphins2-1 in 3 games 12-13

How this list works

A lead change is the other team moving ahead in the all-time series, counted game by game from the first meeting. Drawing level and then going back ahead does not count, and series whose lead never changed sides are left out.

Each row links to the full matchup page, opened on the AFL numbers. Think you know who leads a series? Try the rivalry quiz.

More AFL records

Records include games through Oct 27, 2026.

Sources

Records are computed from every final game result in the Matchup Index database. About the data.