The Buffalo Bills have five games left in their push for the playoffs. Four of the five are against teams with winning records, and three of those four are against division leaders. As of this moment, the Bills have the third toughest schedule remaining in the NFL. With a record of 8-3, Buffalo is currently in a good place and controls their own playoff destiny. However, with a lack of quality wins under their belt, doubt surrounds the Bills. These final five games will ultimately determine who the Buffalo Bills really are this season. And what kind of noise they can make in the playoffs.
Five Regular Season Games Remaining in Buffalo Bills Playoffs Push
10 wins should be good enough to lock up a playoff spot this year in the AFC. That means only two more wins needed to get the Buffalo Bills into the playoffs. With the remaining schedule they have, this is easier said than done. For example, playing in Dallas on Thanksgiving, going to New England, and a home matchup with a juggernaut Ravens squad doesn’t even tell the whole story. The Bills also face a tough road game in Pittsburgh and finish the year with a never-easy home game against the Jets. The good news here? The Buffalo Bills get the chance to prove themselves and go into the playoffs posing a real threat. The bad news here? These final five games are tough and could expose weaknesses or open the team up to further criticism.
Week 13: Dallas Cowboys
This game appears to be the most intriguing. The Dallas Cowboys are coming off of a rough loss in week 12 that has owner/GM Jerry Jones alienating his coaching staff. The Cowboys could be vulnerable because of this. Plus, Dallas has failed to beat any team with a winning record this season.
But despite all of that, the Thanksgiving game in Dallas is a huge deal and is a game the Cowboys get up for. This game could easily be a game that galvanizes the team. Or it could be another wedge that drives the team further part. Tough to call due to their mental makeup.
Buffalo has been better against the run in recent weeks. Allowing only 108 rushing yards combined in their last two games. Ezekiel Elliott has averaged 59.3 yards rushing in the last three games. Not very Zeke like. Expect the Cowboys to feed Zeke early and often in attempts to get right on offense. Then, passing only when needed against the Bills vaunted pass defense. Josh Allen and the Bills offense will need to continue to limit turnovers and take advantage of a talented, but mistake-prone Cowboys defense. This game is a great test for the Buffalo Bills to start the final stretch of their season towards the playoffs.
Week 14: Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are very good. Lamar Jackson is now a front-runner for MVP. Their defense is healthy and has talent at all three levels. They’re a scary team. However, the Bills may pose somewhat of a difficult matchup for the Ravens.
To begin with, this game is in Buffalo. Potential weather issues, combined with a raucous crowd and a team that feeds off of that crowd, won’t make things easy for Baltimore. Also, the Ravens defense is susceptible to big plays and giving up yards in chunks. That could bode well for a Bills offense that can be explosive offensively. Lastly, losing starting center Matt Skura to injury is a big loss.
The story of this game will be the Bills defense vs the Ravens offense. Lamar and the Ravens running game have been unstoppable and their passing game is electric. But, the Bills defense has the kind of athleticism and speed to hinder that Ravens attack. Linebackers Matt Milano and Tremaine Edmunds are both top end three-down linebackers with speed and sideline to sideline ability. Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer are the best safety tandem in the NFL and can both play deep or around the line or scrimmage. TreDavious White is a lock down cornerback. This game, like the Dallas game, will be a big test for the Bills as a whole. But especially for the defense. And if the cards fall right, the Baltimore Ravens could be a team the Buffalo Bills see again in the playoffs.
Week 15: Pittsburgh Steelers
On paper, this is very winnable game for the Bills. And with how the rest of their schedule shapes up, this game is a must-win for the Bills. The Pittsburgh Steelers are not a team that gets beaten easily, especially at home. But their offense is not one that strikes fear into their opponents.
James Conner is fighting through injury right now, as is JuJu Smith-Schuster. Maybe they both play vs Buffalo. Maybe they don’t. Either way, the quarterback play is the determining factor that swings things in Buffalo’s favor.
If the Buffalo Bills cannot go into Pittsburgh and beat Devlin Hodges or Mason Rudolph then they don’t deserve to make the playoffs. It doesn’t matter how good the Steelers defense might be, or if Conner and/or JuJu play. The Bills cannot afford to lose this game. And they shouldn’t given the quarterback situation.
Week 16: New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are the New England Patriots. No matter how unimpressive their wins might be, or how beatable they might look, they’re a problem. The Week 4 matchup in Buffalo was a fight between these two teams and we can expect to see that again here.
The Pats are the measuring stick in the NFL. And with them having played the Bills already this year, this second matchup will be more difficult than the first. They will have had plenty of time to sharpen what worked in week four and fix what didn’t. Furthermore, they may be playing for home field advantage in the playoffs so don’t expect to see players sitting or anything less than their best.
The best way for the Buffalo Bills to quiet all the doubters and solidify their claim to the playoffs is to win in New England. Show up, beat the Pats, go home. This game is winnable for the Bills. Very very very tough, but winnable.
Week 17: New York Jets
Who knows what the New York Jets will look like come Week 17. They might be without several starters. They might want to tank. Or they could be fighting for a playoff spot (it’s still possible right now). Who knows. What is known, is that division games are never easy and the Buffalo Bills cannot take anything for granted in their push for the playoffs.
Like the week 15 matchup against the Steelers, this is a very winnable game for the Bills and is also considered a must-win. The Jets aren’t as bad as their record indicates. But they’re also not a good football team. So much of this game will be determined by what type of Jets team shows up. And no matter what team shows up, the Bills have to win. The Jets are one of two teams to lose to the Miami Dolphins this year. Enough said.
What It All Means for the Buffalo Bills Playoffs Push
It’s never easy to make the playoffs or win in the NFL. But the Buffalo Bills are poised to continue to do both of those things as this season winds down. Although their final five games are each tough in their own way, they’re all winnable (some more than others). Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells once said “you are what your record says you are.” Well the Bills are 8-3, but the world doesn’t have faith in that 8-3. Winning in these tough times will make people believe. And it’ll get the Buffalo Bills into the playoffs. Where they can keep having people doubt them some more.
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