Buffalo Bills Clinch Playoff Berth, But Seeding Still a Wild Ride
The Buffalo Bills are officially in the dance. After a tense weekend of scoreboard watching and a gritty win over the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo got the help they needed on Monday night when the San Francisco 49ers took down the Indianapolis Colts. That result punched the Bills' ticket to the 2025 NFL Playoffs - mission accomplished, at least for now.
But while the postseason berth is secured, the road ahead is still full of twists. The seeding picture?
Still murky. And for a team with championship aspirations, that matters.
The Playoff Picture: In, But Not Settled
Right now, Buffalo sits as the AFC’s 6-seed heading into Week 17. Next up: a heavyweight clash with the NFC’s current 3-seed, the Philadelphia Eagles. After that, they close the regular season against the struggling New York Jets - a team that's been out of the playoff hunt for weeks with just three wins to their name.
Those two games will go a long way in determining where the Bills land in the AFC bracket. There’s still a shot - albeit a narrow one - at the AFC East crown. But it’s going to take more than just Buffalo taking care of business.
How the Bills Can Win the AFC East
Here’s the scenario: if the Bills win out - beating both the Eagles and Jets - and the Patriots drop at least one of their final two games (against either the Jets or the Dolphins), then Buffalo takes the division. In that case, they’d be in the mix for a top-three seed in the AFC, and potentially even the 1-seed.
Now, that top seed scenario is a long shot. For Buffalo to land the No. 1 spot, they’d need to win out and get losses from the Patriots, Chargers, Jaguars, and Broncos.
That’s a lot of dominoes that need to fall - but hey, it’s December football. Stranger things have happened.
The Wild Card Shuffle
If the Patriots win out, Buffalo can’t win the division and would be locked into a Wild Card spot. But even then, there’s room to climb.
Right now, the Chargers hold the 5-seed thanks to a better conference record. But if L.A. stumbles - either this week against the Texans or in their finale against the Broncos - and the Bills win out, Buffalo would leapfrog into the 5-seed. That would set up a matchup with the AFC North champion, and more importantly, it would mean avoiding a trip to Jacksonville or another top-three seed.
If both Buffalo and the Chargers win out - and the Patriots do too - then the Bills would stay put as the 6-seed and likely face the AFC South winner in the Wild Card round.
What Happens If Buffalo Loses?
A loss, either to the Eagles or the Jets, throws even more variables into the mix. The Bills could fall anywhere from the 5- to the 7-seed, depending on how things shake out with the Chargers, Patriots, Texans, and others.
The good news? The AFC West and South are still up for grabs, and with the Chargers and Texans set to face off, there’s still some built-in chaos that could work in Buffalo’s favor.
Bottom Line: The Bills Are In
No matter how the seeding shakes out, the most important box is checked: the Bills are playoff-bound. That’s the first step toward a bigger goal - making a deep postseason run and chasing a shot at Super Bowl LX.
Now, it’s about momentum, matchups, and maybe a little bit of luck. The Bills have the talent.
They’ve got the quarterback. And now, they’ve got a ticket to the tournament.
The rest? That’s what the next two weeks - and beyond - are all about.