Who will Bills play in playoffs? Breaking down scenarios for Buffalo

The Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC East and playoff berth long ago, but they will soon know their NFL playoff seed.

The Bills are facing the New York Jets in Week 17 with a chance to wrap up the No. 2 seed in the AFC. If Buffalo wins either of its final two games, the Bills will be playing at home at least until the AFC championship game.

Buffalo had originally hoped to catch the Kansas City Chiefs in the race for the No. 1 seed after beating Kansas City head-to-head in Week 11. However, the Chiefs clinched the top seed on Christmas, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers to improve to 15-1.

If the Bills can secure the No. 2 seed in Week 17, they can rest their starters for their Week 18 game against the New England Patriots.

Who will the Bills play in the postseason? Buffalo must wait until Week 18 to determine which team it will face in the wild-card round.

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Who will the Bills play in playoffs?

The Bills need to win just one of their last two games to clinch the No. 2 seed in the AFC. If they do that, they will face the AFC’s No. 7 seed, which can only be one of four possible teams. They are as follows:

• Denver Broncos
• Indianapolis Colts
• Miami Dolphins
• Cincinnati Bengals

The final spot in the AFC playoff picture won’t be clinched until Week 18, so the Bills must wait to see who they will officially play.

On the off-chance that the Bills lose each of their final two games and the Baltimore Ravens win in Week 18 against the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo would end up as the No. 3 seed in the AFC. The Bills would then face one of the following teams:

• Pittsburgh Steelers
• Los Angeles Chargers

Bills playoff scenarios

Below is a look at the Bills’ chances of playing each potential first-round opponent.

Denver Broncos

The Bills will face the Broncos if either of the following outcomes occur:

• The Bills win one of their final two games;
• The Broncos win or tie against the Chiefs in Week 18;
• The Dolphins lose one of their final two games AND the Bengals lose to the Steelers in Week 18

Indianapolis Colts

The Bills will face the Colts if the following scenario unfolds:

• The Bills win one of their final two games;
• The Colts win their final two games;
• The Dolphins to win their final two games (at Browns, at Jets) OR the Bengals to win in Week 18 (at Steelers);
• The Broncos lose to the Chiefs in Week 18.

Miami Dolphins

The Bills will play against the Dolphins if the following happens:

• The Bills win one of their final two games;
• The Dolphins win their final two games;
• The Colts lose or tie one of their final two games;
• The Broncos lose to the Chiefs in Week 18.

Cincinnati Bengals

Here’s a look at what needs to happen for the Bills to play the Bengals in the No. 2 vs. No. 7 matchup:

• The Bills win one of their final two games;
• The Bengals must beat the Steelers in Week 18;
• The Colts must lose or tie one of their final two games;
• The Dolphins must lose or tie one of their final two games;
• The Broncos must lose to the Chiefs in Week 18.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Bills would only face the Steelers if they were the No. 3 seed. Here is what would need to happen for Buffalo to face Pittsburgh:

• The Bills lose each of the final two games;
• The Ravens beat the Browns in Week 18;
• The Steelers lose to Bengals in Week 18 AND the Chargers win or tie against Las Vegas Raiders in Week 18.

Los Angeles Chargers

And here’s a look at how the Bills could face the Chargers in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs:

• The Bills lose each of the final two games;
• The Ravens beat the Browns in Week 18;
• Steelers win or tie against Bengals in Week 18 OR Chargers lose or tie against Raiders in Week 18.

NFL playoff schedule

The NFL playoffs kick off on Jan. 11 with the league’s Super Wild Card Weekend before concluding on Feb. 9 with Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans.

Super Wild Card weekend

All times Eastern

Saturday, Jan. 11

• AFC/NFC wild card game: 1 p.m.
• AFC/NFC wild card game: 4:30 p.m.
• AFC/NFC wild card game: 8 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 12

• AFC/NFC wild card game: 4:30 p.m.
• AFC/NFC wild card game: 8:15 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 13

• AFC/NFC wild card game: 8:15 p.m.

Divisional round

Saturday, Jan. 18

• AFC/NFC divisional game: 4:30 p.m.
• AFC/NFC division game: 8:15 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 19

• AFC/NFC divisional game: 3 p.m.
• AFC/NFC divisional game: 6:30 p.m.

NFL conference championship round

Sunday, Jan. 26

• NFC championship game: 3 p.m.
• AFC championship game: 6:30 p.m.

Super Bowl 59

• Date: Feb. 9, 2025
• Location: Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
• Time: 6:30 p.m.
• TV: FOX

NFL playoff picture

Below is a look at the NFL playoff picture with most of Week 17 in the books:

AFC

1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1, AFC West winners, No. 1 seed)*
2. Buffalo Bills (12-3, AFC East winners)*
3. Baltimore Ravens (11-5, AFC North leaders)*
4. Houston Texans (9-7, AFC South winners)*
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6, wild card No. 1)*
6. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6, wild card No. 2)*
7. Denver Broncos (9-7, wild card No. 3)

In the hunt: Cincinnati Bengals (8-8), Indianapolis Colts (7-8), Miami Dolphins (7-8).

NFC

1. Detroit Lions (13-2, NFC North leaders)*
2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3, NFC East leaders)*
3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6, NFC West leaders)
4. Atlanta Falcons (8-7, NFC South leaders)
5. Minnesota Vikings (13-2, wild card No. 1)*
6. Green Bay Packers (11-4, wild card No. 2)
7. Washington Commanders (10-5, wild card No. 3)

In the hunt: Seattle Seahawks (8-7), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)

An asterisk (*) denotes teams that have clinched a playoff spot. Teams that have clinched division titles are noted accordingly.