The Buffalo Bills are heading to the postseason for the seventh straight year - the longest active playoff streak in the NFL now that the Kansas City Chiefs have been knocked out of contention. But don’t mistake that playoff berth for a chance to coast. With two games left on the schedule, Buffalo still has plenty on the line, both in the standings and in the stat sheets.
Let’s start with the big picture: the AFC East is still very much up for grabs. The Bills are chasing the New England Patriots for the division crown, and winning the East would guarantee at least one home playoff game - a major advantage in Orchard Park, where the winter weather and Bills Mafia make life miserable for visiting teams. Right now, Buffalo sits as the No. 6 seed in the AFC, but the next two weeks could shuffle that positioning significantly.
Saturday’s matchup between the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers could help set the stage. If the Texans win that game and the Bills take care of business against the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo would leap into the No. 5 spot.
But there’s an even bigger opportunity on the table: if the Bills win and the Patriots fall to the Jets, Buffalo would take over first place in the AFC East. That would bump them up to at least the No. 3 seed, with a shot at climbing even higher depending on how things shake out elsewhere.
So yes, the Bills are in - but they’re not done. Far from it.
And then there’s the personal side of the playoff push. Several Bills players are chasing individual milestones that come with serious financial incentives. One of the most notable is tight end Dawson Knox, who’s heading into Week 17 with a chance to cash in big.
According to Spotrac, Knox is sitting just one catch shy of a $100,000 bonus - he hits 30 receptions on the season with his next grab. He’s also just 37 receiving yards away from 400, which would trigger another $100,000.
And if he finds the end zone for a fourth time this season? That’s another $100,000 payday.
Do the math, and Knox could theoretically earn $300,000 on a single play - a 37-yard touchdown catch would hit all three marks.
For a team that thrives on energy and momentum, these individual goals can be powerful motivators. The Bills are already one of the league’s most emotionally charged squads, and with playoff seeding and personal bonuses on the line, don’t expect them to take their foot off the gas.
The postseason ticket is punched - but the Bills are still playing for much more than just a spot in the dance. They’re playing for home-field advantage, for better matchups, for momentum - and in some cases, for a whole lot of money.