Buffalo Bills vs. Philadelphia Eagles Playoff Implications
Today, the Buffalo Bills are set to face the Philadelphia Eagles in a matchup featuring two teams that have already made the playoffs.
However, both squads have lofty ambitions as they head into Week 17.
It’s worth considering what this game means for each regarding the NFL playoffs.
Philadelphia Eagles Playoff Picture
The Eagles have secured a playoff spot along with the NFC East title.
Currently, they hold the third position in the NFC standings with a record of 10-5, sitting one game behind the Chicago Bears. Interestingly, if the Eagles win their last two games and the Bears lose both, Philadelphia could climb into second place.
But there’s also a possibility they could drop to fourth. Should the Eagles lose their upcoming games and the Carolina Panthers win theirs, both teams would end up at 10-7. Given that they share a record of 8-4 in NFC games and haven’t met this season, the tiebreaker would come down to common opponents.
This year, the Eagles and Panthers both squared off against teams like the Cowboys, Buccaneers, Packers, and Rams. In this scenario, if the Panthers beat the Buccaneers in Week 18, they’ll actually end up 5-0 in that matchup.
But, due to an earlier defeat to the Cowboys, the Eagles would likely finish with a record of 4-1 in those common games—potentially sending them to fourth place.
Buffalo Bills Playoff Picture
The Buffalo Bills have also locked in their playoff berth and are expected to be the sixth seed in the AFC.
Yet, they are still vying for the AFC East title against the New England Patriots. If the Bills win their next two games and New England loses one (either to the New York Jets or Miami Dolphins), they could be crowned champions of the AFC East.
Buffalo’s chance to take the division hinges on the Patriots losing their final two matchups, or at the very least, falling short against the Eagles this week or the Jets in Week 18.
If the Bills were to lose against the Eagles and the Patriots manage to beat or tie the Jets, Buffalo would be out of the AFC East title running. In fact, if Buffalo ties with the Eagles and the Patriots win, they’d also be eliminated from contention.
Additionally, the Bills are striving to be the No. 1 seed in the AFC, but that could slip away this weekend. A loss or tie against the Eagles would mean they’re not in the running for that top spot.
It’s important to note that there’s no direct tie-breaking scenario between the Bills and Eagles in this game, just the tiebreakers already discussed.
