Bills QB Josh Allen has the hopes of a football-mad city on his shoulders. Source: AFP Because the winner of the seventh seed will finish with a record of 10-7, Miami are guaranteed a wildcard spot even if they do lose to Buffalo.
The Bills can finish with a wildcard if they lose to Miami, but will need some other results to go their way.
If the 9-7 Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the 13-3 Baltimore Ravens and the 9-7 Jacksonville Jaguars take care of the less-fancied Tennessee Titans (5-11), the Bills, who play in the final timeslot of the week (12:20pm Monday AEDT), will know that they’ll need to win to progress to the playoffs.
Unfortunately for the Bills, the Ravens will likely rest a lot of their starters as the #1 seed is already guaranteed for Baltimore while the Titans may be without first string QB Will Levis due to injury.
It would truly be an extraordinary set of circumstances if the Bills were faced with either a #2 seed if they won or missing the playoffs completely if they lost.
Read on for the full breakdown of the AFC Playoff Picture.
DIVISION LEADERS
1. Ravens (13-3): Clinched AFC North, No.1 seed.
2. Dolphins (11-5): Clinched playoffs (clinch East, No.2 seed with win over Buffalo in Week 18)
3. Chiefs (10-6): Clinched AFC West, No.3 seed
4. Jaguars (9-7): 77 per cent playoff probability (clinch South with win over Tennessee in Week 18)
WILD CARDS
5. Browns (11-5): Clinched playoffs, No.5 seed
6. Bills (10-6): 95 per cent playoff probability (clinch East with win over Miami in Week 18, can miss playoffs with a loss + Pittsburgh and Jacksonville wins)
7. Colts (9-7): 52 per cent playoff probability (need to beat Texans in Week 18)
IN CONTENTION
8. Texans (9-7): 48 per cent playoff probability (need to beat Colts in Week 18)
9. Steelers (9-7): 28 per cent playoff probability (need to beat Ravens in Week 18 + hoping Bills lose to Dolphins)
ELIMINATED
10. Bengals (8-8): Eliminated
11. Broncos (8-8): Eliminated
12. Raiders (7-9): Eliminated
13. Jets (6-10): Eliminated
14. Chargers (5-11): Eliminated
15. Titans (5-11): Eliminated
16. Patriots (4-12): Eliminated
In the NFC, five of seven teams have clinched postseason berths.
The Buccaneers just have to beat the lowly Panthers to win the NFC South but if they don’t and the New Orleans Saints defeat the Atlanta Falcons, the Saints will be crowned division winners, the fourth seed and a home playoff against either Dallas or Philadelphia.
The seventh and final wildcard spot is also up for grabs, with the Green Bay Packers in the box seat.
The recent form of Packers QB Jordan Love (#10) has helped his team surge back into the playoff hunt. Source: AFP If the Packers beat the Bears in Week 18, they lock up the seventh seed. If the Packers lose though, Seattle can swoop in with a victory over the Cardinals, who are hot off an upset win over last year’s NFC champion Eagles.
The Falcons and Vikings both have slim hopes but will need plenty of help.
Read on for the full breakdown of the NFC Playoff Picture.
DIVISION LEADERS
1. 49ers (12-4): Clinched NFC West, No.1 seed
2. Cowboys (11-5): Clinched playoffs
3. Lions (11-5): Clinched NFC North
4. Buccaneers (8-8): 56 per cent playoff probability (clinch South with win over Panthers in Week 18)
WILD CARDS
5. Eagles (11-5): Clinched playoffs
6. Rams (9-7): Clinched playoffs
7. Packers (8-8): 68 per cent playoff probability (clinch wildcard by beating Bears in Week 18)
IN CONTENTION
8. Seahawks (8-8): 21 per cent playoff probability (need to beat Cardinals in Week 18 plus Bears def Packers)
9. Saints (8-8): 34 per cent playoff probability (clinch South with win over Falcons + Buccaneers loss OR wildcard with win + Packers, Seahawks lose)
10. Vikings (7-9): 3 per cent playoff probability (need to beat Lions + Packers, Seahawks and one of Buccaneers/Saints lose)
12. Falcons (7-9): 17 per cent playoff probability
11. Bears (7-9): less than 1 per cent playoff probability
ELIMINATED
13. Giants (5-11): Eliminated
14. Commanders (4-12): Eliminated
15. Cardinals (4-12): Eliminated
16. Panthers (2-14): Eliminated
