AFC Playoff Picture: Buffalo Bills’ Standing Post-Week 13 Bye
Having enjoyed a Week 13 bye, the Buffalo Bills find themselves trailing by just one game for an AFC playoff spot.
While other NFL teams battled it out on Sunday, potentially shaping the postseason landscape, the Bills, with a 6-6 start that fell short of their ideal expectations, remain determined to secure a playoff berth in the highly competitive field.
Following the Miami Dolphins’ ninth win of the season, the Bills now face a three-game gap in the AFC East with five games left. Although winning the division seems challenging, the Bills are setting their sights on one of the three Wild Card slots in the conference.
Recent losses by the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns, both now 7-5, against NFC West opponents have placed them at the forefront of the Wild Card race.
The Indianapolis Colts, with a fourth consecutive victory over the Tennessee Titans, are also in the playoff mix with a 7-5 record.
Despite the Houston Texans’ last-minute victory against the Denver Broncos, putting them at 7-5, they currently occupy the 8th position. The Broncos, now at 6-6, sit in 9th place, narrowly ahead of the Bills due to a head-to-head tiebreaker.
As the Bills hold the 10th spot, their position could drop to 11th if the Cincinnati Bengals reach a 6-6 record with a win against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
To gain an edge over other Wild Card contenders, the Bills likely need to secure at least three, if not four, wins in their final five games.
The upcoming schedule, featuring formidable teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Chargers, New England Patriots, and the Dolphins, leaves the Bills with minimal room for error, turning every remaining game into a crucial “must-win” scenario.
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