Bills Mafia has a clear rooting interest in other crucial AFC matchup before their game against the Chiefs
The eyes of Bills Mafia will be tuned to the Bills vs Chiefs matchup taking place at 4:25 PM ET at Orchard Park on Sunday afternoon, but there's very good reason to be paying close attention to another AFC matchup in the earlier slate.Obviously the Bills matchup will have big ramifications on the potential for […]
The eyes of Bills Mafia will be tuned to the Bills vs Chiefs matchup taking place at 4:25 PM ET at Orchard Park on Sunday afternoon, but there's very good reason to be paying close attention to another AFC matchup in the earlier slate.
Obviously the Bills matchup will have big ramifications on the potential for Buffalo to track down the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Without beating the Chiefs, it's nearly impossible for them to do so. Already with their division well in-hand and with an 8-2 record, Buffalo has the opportunity to hunt down that elusive first round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
With the cold weather and the fans in Buffalo, playing at home throughout the playoffs would be an incredible vibe.
Buffalo fans can't just have their eyes looking up the standings, though. They need to be keenly in-tune with what's happening just below them, as an AFC North matchup could threaten Buffalo's standing as the No. 2 seed on Sunday.
Let's break down the potential outcomes.
Baltimore Ravens vs Steelers: Root for a Steelers win
The Ravens and the Steelers play at 1:00 PM ET in Pittsburgh on Sunday, meaning Bills fans will know the outcome of the game before the matchup with the Chiefs kick off. Bills Mafia should be cheering in full volume for Pittsburgh in this one.
Firstly, let's look at the AFC Standings by record, not by division, entering Sunday:
- Kansas City Chiefs Chiefs (9-0)
- Buffalo Bills (8-2)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2)
- Baltimore Ravens (7-3)
- Los Angeles Chargers (6-3)
- Houston Texans (6-4)
We can cut it off there for now.
Before the Bills game kicks off on Sunday afternoon, one of the Steelers and the Ravens will have picked up their eighth win. If Baltimore wins, they'll be sitting on 8-3, and have already beat the Bills.
Meaning, if the Bills lose to the Chiefs, the 8-3 Buffalo Bills would lose their hold on the No. 2 seed to the Baltimore Ravens.
If the Steelers win, they'll be 8-2. An 8-3 Bills team would by default drop to the No. 3 seed with half a game back of the Steelers as Buffalo would be heading into their bye week.
Either way, if the Bills lose their game to the Chiefs, they'll lose their grip on the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoff picture, but Bills fans would certainly want to root for the team that does not already have a tiebreaker over them like the Ravens do.
If Buffalo wins, both these teams would stay nipping at their heels in the standings, and the 9-2 Bills would be right behind the 10-1 Chiefs, holding the tiebreaker, with seven games to go.
Buckle up. The race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC is going to be fascinating.
Follow along all season for all the latest Buffalo Bills news. You can also find me on X @JonHelmkamp.
