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Head coach Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills walks out of the tunnel.
The Bills had a massive win against the Bengals on Sunday, putting Buffalo in position for the No. 5 seed and the first wild-card spot.
There are still four weeks left in the season, and the Bills could very well win the AFC East. However, if they lose to the Patriots in New England this Sunday, their only shot at making the playoffs might be through a wild-card spot.
Chargers Now No. 5 Seed In the AFC
Buffalo has a solid 9-4 record, putting it in a strong position to reach the playoffs. However, the Bills’ playoff chances took a slight hit on Monday.
The Chargers took on the Eagles from Los Angeles on “Monday Night Football,” and things didn’t go Philadelphia’s way. The Chargers beat the Eagles 22-19, a game that was significant for playoff seeding.
Los Angeles entered the contest with an 8-4 record, and had it lost, the Chargers would have dropped to 8-5, putting them behind the Bills in the playoff standings. However, with their victory, Los Angeles has improved its record to 9-4, moving one spot ahead of the Bills in the playoff race.
As of today, if the season were over, the Buffalo would travel to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars, who would emerge as champions of the AFC South.
Jacksonville is enjoying a fantastic season under first-year head coach Liam Coen, with quarterback Trevor Lawrence excelling in his fifth NFL season and making a real impact.
If the Bills were to face the Jaguars in the playoffs, Buffalo would likely come away with a win, as it’s likely still the stronger team even though Jacksonville would be at home.
Even though Buffalo is well-positioned to make the playoffs, its priority should be winning the AFC East. The Bills have won the AFC East five years in a row, but right now sit behind the Patriots, who hold an 11-2 record.
Buffalo Has to Beat New England on Sunday
In Week 5, the Patriots stunned everyone by pulling off an incredible upset against the Bills in Buffalo. At the time, it didn’t seem significant, but in hindsight, it’s turned into a major highlight. New England hasn’t lost a game since September, and if it can keep up its impressive performance, it is on track to win the division.
Buffalo will step into New England on Sunday, and it will need to mimic what the Patriots did to the Bills earlier in October if it hopes to come away with a win.
The key challenge for the Bills is figuring out how they will handle Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who is having an incredible season. He has thrown for 3,412 yards, racking up 23 touchdowns against just six interceptions.
Maye has proved to be an impressive runner, accumulating 319 rushing yards and scoring two touchdowns this season. The Bills have some good fortune, as they also have a quarterback in Josh Allen, who brings a similar dynamic to the game as Maye. This allows the Bills to run effective practice plays against Allen, enhancing their preparation for the upcoming matchup.
Danny Fisher Is a football journalist covering the Buffalo Bills for Heavy.com. He has covered the NFL for Gridiron Heroics, focusing on the AFC and Penn State football for Nittany Central. More about Danny Fisher
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