Buffalo Bills won a playoff spot after beating AFC East for the first time since 1995 and could be number 2 or 3 in the league.
To claim both seeds, Buffalo simply needs to beat the Miami Dolphins on Sunday or make the Pittsburgh Steelers lose to the Cleveland Browns. Pittsburgh is resting Ben Roethlisberger in Week 17, so the team doesn’t seem too concerned about overtaking Buffalo for the second division. That said, the twists and turns happen almost every week in the NFL and some can take place over the weekend of the regular season.
Going to Week 17, the question in the minds of the Bills Mafia is who will Buffalo face next weekend at the Wild Card weekend? Will it be a third confrontation with the Dolphins, a rematch against the Titans or a game against names like Browns, Ravens or Colts? Deniz Selman shared a playoff scenario chart on Twitter detailing all possible matches.
Technically, there are 32 total results that can occur on Sunday among possible AFC playoff teams – not including draws – but some game results would have no bearing on Buffalo’s Wild Card opponent in certain scenarios.
With that in mind, here’s a look at each team that the Bills could face over the Wild Card weekend and how the games in Week 17 would have to play out.
Indianapolis Colts (3 scenarios)
Scene 1: Bills defeat dolphins, Ravens defeat Bengals, Browns defeat Steelers, Titans defeat Texans, Colts defeat Jaguars
Scenario 2: Dolphins defeat Bill, Bengals defeat Ravens, Browns defeat Steelers, Titans defeat Texans, Colts defeat Jaguars
Scenario 3: Dolphins defeat Bill, Bengals defeat Ravens, Steelers defeat Browns, Titans defeat Texans, Colts defeat Jaguars
Quick thoughts: In the first two scenarios, Buffalo is AFC’s No. 2 seed. While there are only three scenarios in which the Bills would meet the Colts on the Wild Card Weekend, the first scenario seems plausible if Buffalo can beat Miami.
Tennessee Titans (3 scenarios)
Scene 1: Bills defeat dolphins, Ravens defeat Bengals, Browns defeat Steelers, Texans defeat Titans, Colts defeat Jaguars
Scenario 2: Dolphins defeat Bill, Bengals defeat Ravens, Browns defeat Steelers, Texans defeat Titans, Colts defeat Jaguars
Scenario 3: Dolphins defeat Bill, Bengals defeat Ravens, Steelers defeat Browns, Texans defeat Titans, Colts defeat Jaguars
Quick thoughts: The Titans are one of three teams that defeated Buffalo this season. Tennessee defeated Buffalo decisively in his first encounter, but there was a lot of uncertainty surrounding the game due to the problems of Tennessee’s COVID-19. Josh Allen was also playing with a non-pitcher shoulder injury in this confrontation.
The Titans must fall into the hands of the Texans for this match to take place over the Wild Card weekend.
In the first two scenarios, Buffalo is AFC’s No. 2 seed.
Miami Dolphins (5 scenarios)
Scene 1: Bills defeat Dolphins, Ravens defeat Bengals, Browns defeat Steelers, Jaguars defeat Colts
Scenario 2: Bills defeat dolphins, Ravens defeat Bengals, Steelers defeat Browns, Titans defeat Texans, Colts defeat Jaguars
Scenario 3: Bills defeat dolphins, Ravens defeat Bengals, Steelers defeat Browns, Texans defeat Titans, Colts defeat Jaguars
Scenario 4: Bills defeat dolphins, Bengals defeat Ravens, Browns defeat Steelers, Titans defeat Texans, Colts defeat Jaguars
Scenario 5: Bills defeat dolphins, Bengals defeat Ravens, Browns defeat Steelers, Texans defeat Titans, Colts defeat Jaguars
Quick thoughts: If fans are waiting for Buffalo to win the Dolphins on the Wild Card Weekend, the Bills need to beat Miami in Week 17.
Cleveland Browns (5 scenarios)
Scene 1: Bills defeat dolphins, Ravens defeat Bengals, Steelers defeat Browns, Jaguars defeat Colts
Scenario 2: Bills defeat dolphins, Bengals defeat Ravens, Steelers defeat Browns, Jaguars defeat Colts
Scenario 3: Dolphins defeat Bill, Ravens defeat Bengals, Browns defeat Steelers, Titans defeat Texans
Scenario 4: Dolphins defeat Bill, Ravens defeat Bengals, Browns defeat Steelers, Texans defeat Titans, Colts defeat Jaguars
Scenario 5: Dolphins defeat Bill, Ravens defeat Bengals, Browns defeat Steelers, Jaguars defeat Colts
Quick thoughts: Buffalo can only play against the Browns if they are the second seed of the AFC. Among the scenarios, number three may be the one to watch on Sunday. If Buffalo falls in Miami, the other results listed in that scenario will not be considered a nuisance.
Baltimore Ravens (7 scenarios)
Scene 1: Bills defeat dolphins, Bengals defeat Ravens, Browns defeat Steelers, Jaguars defeat Colts
Scenario 2: Bills defeat dolphins, Bengals defeat Ravens, Steelers defeat Browns, Titans defeat Texans, Colts defeat Jaguars
Scenario 3: Bills defeat dolphins, Bengals defeat Ravens, Steelers defeat Browns, Texans defeat Titans, Colts defeat Jaguars
Scenario 4: Dolphins defeat Bill, Bengals defeat Ravens, Browns defeat Steelers, Jaguars defeat Colts
Scenario 5: Dolphins defeat Bills, Ravens defeat Bengals, Steelers defeat Browns, Titans defeat Texans, Colts defeat Jaguars
Scenario 6: Dolphins defeat Bills, Ravens defeat Bengals, Steelers defeat Browns, Texans defeat Titans, Colts defeat Jaguars
Scenario 7: Dolphins defeat Bill, Steelers defeat Browns, Jaguars defeat Colts
Quick thoughts: Buffalo could play against the Ravens if he wins or loses in Week 17, but his chances are greater after a loss to the Dolphins. Baltimore enters Week 17 with a four-game winning streak and has a lot to play for against Bengals. Considering that four of these scenarios involve Cincinnati defeating Baltimore and a few have the Jaguars taking the Colts down, there is a reasonable chance that the Bills will not see the Ravens on the Wild Card Weekend. Scenarios five and six would be the most likely paths to a Bills-Ravens confrontation.
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