The Buffalo Bills enter Week 18 with an 11–5 record, currently sitting in the No. 7 spot in the AFC. It is a deep position in the standings, but they still have one more opportunity in the regular-season finale against the New York Jets. A win would be exactly what Buffalo needs to improve its unfavorable seed heading into the playoffs.
If the Bills lose to the Jets, any hope of climbing the AFC standings would be over. They would be locked into the No. 7 seed with no path to move up, regardless of how other games around the league play out. That flexibility only exists if Buffalo takes care of business against New York.
A win is the best possible outcome for the Bills. Beating the Jets would open the door to a potential jump to the No. 6 seed, but Buffalo would still need help. Both the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers would have to lose their Week 18 games, but that scenario is now off the table after the Texans defeated the Colts 38–30.
AFC standings and another scenario for the Bills
At the top of the AFC standings sit the Denver Broncos (13–3), New England Patriots (13–3), and Jacksonville Jaguars (13–4), all coming off impressive seasons. Teams like the Texans and Chargers are also fighting to improve their positioning, while Buffalo’s 13–12 loss in Week 17 significantly complicated its standing in the playoff picture.
Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills.
| Seed | Team | Record |
| 1 | Denver Broncos* | 13-3 |
| 2 | New England Patriots* | 13-3 |
| 3 | Jacksonville Jaguars* | 13-4 |
| 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 9-7 |
| 5 | Houston Texans* | 12-5 |
| 6 | Los Angeles Chargers* | 11-5 |
| 7 | Buffalo Bills* | 11-5 |
| 8 | Indianapolis Colts – eliminated | 8-9 |
| 9 | Baltimore Ravens | 8-8 |
| 10 | Miami Dolphins – eliminated | 7-9 |
| 11 | Cincinnati Bengals – eliminated | 6-11 |
| 12 | Kansas City Chiefs – eliminated | 6-10 |
| 13 | Cleveland Browns – eliminated | 5-12 |
| 14 | Tennessee Titans – eliminated | 3-14 |
| 15 | New York Jets – eliminated | 3-13 |
| 16 | Las Vegas Raiders – eliminated | 2-14 |
see also
NFL playoffs: How many teams make the postseason?
There was once a third scenario that could have helped the Bills move up the AFC ladder. That path required the Chargers and Texans to win in Week 18 and the Jaguars to lose to the Titans. However, that option is now off the table after Jacksonville’s dominant 41–7 win over Tennessee earlier in the week.
The Bills have proven to be a strong team this season, but with the Broncos, Patriots, and Jaguars all enjoying standout years, Buffalo’s 11–5 record entering the regular-season finale looks less impressive within a crowded AFC. In previous seasons, that same record might have been good enough for a much higher seed.
