The road to the Super Bowl is rarely smooth-especially when it’s all pavement and no home turf. But that’s exactly the path the Buffalo Bills are navigating after their 27-24 wild-card win in Jacksonville. As the AFC’s No. 6 seed, Buffalo is now chasing history, attempting one of the NFL’s rarest postseason feats: winning three straight road playoff games en route to the Super Bowl.
Since the wild-card round was introduced in 1978, only five teams have managed to pull it off. And here’s the kicker-four of those five didn’t just make it to the big game, they won it all.
The Bills are one step into that gauntlet. The next challenge?
A trip to the AFC’s top seed, the Denver Broncos, in the Divisional Round on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Let’s take a closer look at the exclusive company Buffalo is trying to join-and what history tells us about teams that take the long road and still end up hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
1985 New England Patriots: The Original Road Warriors
The Patriots were the first to blaze this trail, entering the playoffs as a wild card out of the AFC East. They didn’t just win-they dominated defensively, forcing six turnovers across wins against the Jets, Raiders, and Dolphins.
That run earned them a trip to Super Bowl 20, where they ran into the buzzsaw that was the ’85 Bears. Chicago handled New England easily, making the Patriots the only team in this group to complete the road trifecta and fall short in the Super Bowl.
2005 Pittsburgh Steelers: The First to Finish the Job
Two decades later, the Steelers took the No. 6 seed and turned it into a championship. Pittsburgh started by beating division rival Cincinnati, then stunned top-seeded Indianapolis in a game remembered for Jerome Bettis’ late fumble and Ben Roethlisberger’s game-saving tackle.
After that, they rolled over Denver in the AFC title game and capped the run with a 21-10 win over Seattle in Super Bowl 40. It was a defining moment for Bill Cowher and a young Big Ben.
2007 New York Giants: The Ultimate Underdog Story
The Giants' 2007 run is the stuff of NFL legend. As a No. 5 seed, they took down the Bucs, Cowboys, and Packers-all on the road.
That NFC Championship Game in Green Bay? Freezing temps, overtime drama, and a 47-yard game-winner from Lawrence Tynes.
But it was Super Bowl 42 where they etched their names into history-taking down the undefeated Patriots thanks to Eli Manning’s late-game heroics and David Tyree’s unforgettable "Helmet Catch." New York scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to win 17-14, pulling off one of the greatest upsets in Super Bowl history.
2010 Green Bay Packers: Rodgers’ Rise to the Top
The 2010 Packers were a dangerous No. 6 seed with a red-hot Aaron Rodgers leading the way. Green Bay opened the playoffs by edging the Eagles, then steamrolled the No. 1 seed Falcons 48-21.
The NFC Championship Game was a slugfest against the rival Bears, but the Packers emerged with a win and a ticket to Super Bowl 45. Rodgers delivered on the sport’s biggest stage, throwing three touchdowns to beat the Steelers 31-25.
It was the franchise’s fourth Super Bowl title-and Rodgers’ first.
2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Brady’s Road to a Homecoming
In his first season in Tampa, Tom Brady took the Bucs on a historic ride. As a wild card with an 11-5 record, the Buccaneers beat Washington, then exorcised some demons by knocking off the Saints, who had swept them in the regular season.
The NFC Championship Game in Green Bay was vintage Brady-three touchdown passes and just enough magic to get the job done. The kicker?
Tampa Bay became the first team to play (and win) a Super Bowl in its own stadium, dominating the Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl 55.
What It Means for Buffalo
Now it’s Buffalo’s turn to try and join that elite club. The Bills have already cleared the first hurdle with a gritty win in Jacksonville.
But the path only gets steeper from here. Next up is a date with the No. 1 seed Broncos-a team that’s been rock-solid at home and boasts one of the league’s most balanced rosters.
If the Bills can pull off another road win, they’ll be one game away from the Super Bowl, with either Houston or New England standing in the way. It’s a daunting task, but as history shows, the teams that embrace the underdog role and thrive in hostile environments often find themselves lifting the Lombardi when it’s all said and done.
Buffalo’s got the talent. They’ve got the momentum. Now they just need two more wins on the road to make history.