The Bills chances for the postseason are bordering on infinitesimal, but here’s who you want to be rooting for this weekend for all the help Buffalo needs.
Buffalo Bills Insider Chris Brown gives his perspective on the games. Here is his report:
The Bills have a 1 pm kickoff on Sunday, but there is a Saturday game that impacts their extremely remote playoff chances. Below are the games that could keep Buffalo alive for another week in a very jumbled AFC playoff race.
For reference, here are the NFL Tiebreaking Procedures and an updated look at the conference standings.
Saturday 8:15 pm games that impact Buffalo
Matchup: Miami Dolphins (8-5) vs. New York Jets (4-9)
The Dolphins are one of Buffalo’s chief roadblocks for a Wild Card berth. Currently ahead of them in the division, the Bills need the Jets to hand Miami their sixth loss before they get the Dolphins at New Era Field the following week. Root for the Jets.
Sunday 1 pm games that impact Buffalo
Matchup: Philadelphia Eagles (5-8) vs. Baltimore Ravens (7-6)
The Ravens are now in the Wild Card pool after losing the AFC North lead to the Steelers last week. Buffalo needs the Eagles to hand their fellow birds a seventh loss this season. Root for the Eagles.
Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (5-7-1)
The Bengals got a mercy win over the Browns last week. And they face a revenge-minded Steelers team who are still ticked about Vontaze Burfict’s hit on Antonio Brown last season. Buffalo needs a big performance from the Bengals to complicate the AFC North title race. Root for the Bengals.
Matchup: Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11) vs. Houston Texans (7-6)
The Texans have taken over the AFC South lead, but they’re ahead of Tennessee on tiebreaker only. They’ll be looking to keep their perfect record in the division intact (4-0). This won’t be an easy one for the Jags knowing they’re playing in Houston. Root for the Jaguars.
Matchup: Tennessee Titans (7-6) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (10-3)
Buffalo can’t catch the Chiefs at this point, so the best outcome for them in this matchup is for the Chiefs to hand the Titans their seventh loss, which will also be a valuable conference defeat as well. Root for the Chiefs.
Matchup: Indianapolis Colts (6-7) vs. Minnesota Vikings (7-6)
The Colts look like a team in trouble and it’ll benefit the Bills if the Vikings can keep it that way. An eighth loss for Indianapolis would likely take the Colts out of playoff contention. Root for the Vikings.
Sunday 4 pm games that impact Buffalo
Matchup: New England Patriots (11-2) vs. Denver Broncos (8-5)
The Patriots will be motivated to maintain the top spot in the AFC to earn a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Denver has slipped of late and faces a tough test even though they’re at home. A loss would begin to send the city of Denver into a panic. Root for the Patriots.
Matchup: Oakland Raiders (10-3) vs. San Diego Chargers (5-8)
The Raiders are another team Buffalo can’t catch, so pulling them down to the rest of the Wild Card pack doesn’t do much good. But just to make a mess of the Wild Card even more we’ll push for Philip Rivers and company. Root for the Chargers.