update: Buffalo’s 35-31 victory ensures the Patriots will not secure the AFC East today, keeping the Bills in contention.
The old rivals in the AFC East, the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills, are set to face off on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
For one of these teams, this is a “hat and t-shirt” game, because a win for the Patriots would clinch the AFC East title against the Bills.
However, the stakes for both teams in the postseason are significant. So, let’s dive into what’s at risk during this game on Sunday.
buffalo bills playoff implications
First, let’s focus on the Bills. Entering Week 15, they hold a 9-4 record, trailing the Patriots by two games in the AFC East. Given their recent loss, a defeat here could eliminate them from contention for the division title.
Yet, even if they lose, they still have a good shot at a playoff berth. Currently, they’re in the 6th seed, but a loss would drop them to 7th place only if the Texans, Colts, and Chargers all win this weekend as they vie for wild-card positions.
If that happens, the Bills would still have games left against the Browns, Eagles, and Jets, keeping them within striking distance of the Patriots. New England’s remaining schedule features games against the Ravens, Jets, and Dolphins.
And there’s the possibility that, depending on future outcomes, the tie-breaker scenarios could end up favoring Buffalo…
new england patriots playoff implications
For the Patriots, this weekend’s situation is pretty straightforward. They are one of three teams that have already qualified for the playoffs, alongside the Broncos and Rams.
A win against the Bills would secure them the AFC East title and a playoff spot. New England kicks off Week 15 with an impressive 11-2 record, leading the division and standing second in the AFC, right behind Denver.
If New England wins, they’d move to a solid 12-2, whereas the Bills would drop to 9-5. It’s theoretically possible for New England to lose their last three games and finish at 12-5, while Buffalo could win theirs and tie up. However, since New England has a win over Buffalo from earlier this season, a victory this Sunday would give them a critical tie-breaker advantage.
Essentially, winning on Sunday would mean total domination over the Bills this season for the Patriots, clinching the AFC East.
Conversely, if Buffalo wins, it would even up the season series. That would complicate the tie-breaker scenarios, as the next metric is their division records. At present, New England is 3-0 within the AFC East, while Buffalo is 2-2. A win by Buffalo would bring their division record to 3-2, whereas the Patriots would improve to 3-1.
This means they could both end up with the same division record, moving the next tie-breaker onto results in common games. It’s, uh, a bit complicated, but there’s a pathway to finish tied at 10 wins and 2 losses.
In that scenario, we would then look at conference records. Currently, the Patriots stand at 6-2 in the AFC, with the Bills at 6-3.
If Buffalo wins, they’d bump up to 7-3 in conference play, and the Patriots would drop to 6-3, giving Buffalo a significant advantage in the tie-breaking chain.
The AFC standings going into Week 15 are:
- Denver Broncos (11-2)
- New England Patriots (11-2)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
- Los Angeles Chargers (9-4)
- Buffalo Bills (9-4)
- Houston Texans (8-5)
- Indianapolis Colts (8-5)
- Baltimore Ravens (6-7)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-7)
- Miami Dolphins (6-7)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)
- New York Jets (3-10)
- Cleveland Browns (3-10)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)
- Tennessee Titans (2-11)
The complete AFC East standings ahead of Week 15 are as follows:
1. New England Patriots (11-2)
2. Buffalo Bills (9-4)
3. Miami Dolphins (6-7)
4. New York Jets (3-10)
