With Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs missing the playoffs, the Buffalo Bills have emerged as clear AFC contenders for the 2026 NFL postseason. However, their path will require strong performances on the road.
The Bills’ run of five consecutive AFC East titles ended this season, with the New England Patriots taking the division crown. As a result, Buffalo will begin the playoffs away from home and may continue to play on the road if they advance beyond the wild-card round.
Entering Week 18, the Bills’ playoff seeding was uncertain after a Week 17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Still, they finished with a 12-5 record following a commanding victory over the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium.
Currently, Buffalo holds the No. 6 seed in the AFC following their Week 18 win combined with a Chargers loss. Although they share the same record as the Houston Texans (12-5), Houston holds the tiebreaker due to an earlier season win over Buffalo.
The updated AFC playoff seedings are as follows: Denver Broncos (14-3), New England Patriots (14-3), Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4), Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7), Houston Texans (12-5), Buffalo Bills (12-5), and Los Angeles Chargers (11-6). Teams below the seventh seed have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Buffalo will now travel to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars in the wild-card round, setting up a high-stakes matchup between quarterback Josh Allen and Trevor Lawrence.
Despite resting key starters in their final game, the Bills dominated the Jets, improving their seeding. Meanwhile, the Chargers also rested starters but suffered a loss to the Broncos, which helped Buffalo move up in the playoff bracket.
The Bills’ focus will now be on securing a road victory in Jacksonville to keep their Super Bowl aspirations alive.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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