Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills extended their hot stretch to four straight wins Sunday after defeating the Cleveland Browns 23-20 at Huntington Bank Field. Running back James Cook rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns, leading the ground attack and helping Buffalo pull away in the first half.
Allen, playing through a foot injury he suffered earlier in the first half, completed 12-of-19 passes for 130 yards and added 17 rushing yards on seven carries. The win improved the Bills to 11-4 on the season, keeping them at second place in the AFC East with two games remaining and firmly in the hunt for both a playoff spot and, potentially, a division title.
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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17).© Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Buffalo entered the new week needing help to officially clinch a playoff berth, and that help arrived on “Monday Night Football.” The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Indianapolis Colts 48-27, a loss that mathematically secured a playoff spot for the Bills.
The Colts fall to 8-7, ensuring they cannot catch Buffalo in the standings, while the Bills now hold the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoffs.
Despite clinching a berth, the Bills remain very much in the AFC East race following their Week 15 comeback win over the New England Patriots, a 35-31 victory that snapped New England’s 10-game winning streak and kept Buffalo within one game of the division lead.
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If both the Bills and Patriots finish the regular season with the same record, the division tiebreakers would be applied in this order: head-to-head (tied 1-1), division record (Patriots 3-1, Bills 3-2), record in common games (Patriots 9-1, Bills 9-2) and record in AFC games (Patriots 7-3, Bills 8-3). Under those criteria, New England currently holds the edge in the tiebreaker series, but Buffalo controls its destiny by winning out.
Both teams face divisional matchups against the New York Jets (3-12) down the stretch. The Patriots travel to face the Jets in Week 17 before closing the regular season against the Miami Dolphins (6-9). The Bills, meanwhile, will first take on the Philadelphia Eagles (10-5) in Week 17 before welcoming the Jets in Week 18.
Buffalo’s Week 17 matchup against Philadelphia is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET, with live coverage on Fox.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 23, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.