Latest NFL news has Bills a little nervous heading into Week 18
The Buffalo Bills have completely turned the 2023 season around and its reward is a battle for the AFC East crown in the final game of the year.If the Bills beat the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, it'll mark the fourth-straight time the team has won an AFC East title under head coach Sean McDermott. And, […]
The Buffalo Bills have completely turned the 2023 season around and its reward is a battle for the AFC East crown in the final game of the year.
If the Bills beat the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, it'll mark the fourth-straight time the team has won an AFC East title under head coach Sean McDermott. And, obviously, it's a guaranteed playoff spot that also includes at least one home game.
But, if the Bills lose, they're going to need some help to get into the big dance. The Baltimore Ravens' latest decision to sit star quarterback Lamar Jackson, isn't going to help things, either. Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Tyler Huntley will start in Jackson's stead and veteran journeyman, Josh Johnson, will back up Huntley.
That's because the Bills need the Pittsburgh Steelers or Jacksonville Jaguars to lose, if they lose to the Dolphins, in order to make the playoffs. The Jags and Houston Texans own head-to-head tiebreakers over the Bills and the Steelers and Indianapolis Colts would hold conference record tiebreakers if they were to win their respective matchups.
So, let's say the Jags win, Steelers win, Colts or Texans win, and Bills lose. The Jags would hold onto the No. 4 seed since they're AFC South champs. The Texans/Colts would then take the No. 6 seed with a 10-7 record and the Steelers would take the No. 7 seed with their 10-7 record. Buffalo, along with the loser of the Texans/Colts game, would be on the outside looking in.
But if the Steelers lose and fall to 9-8 along with the loser of the Texans/Colts, then all is well because Buffalo would have the better record, at 10-7.
No Lamar Jackson obviously increases the chances of a Steelers win by a lot, obviously and it's not what the Bills want to see heading into a season-defining matchup against a tough rival.
