Football

Bills playoff picture: Updated chances for Buffalo to make 2025 NFL postseason after Week 14

The Buffalo Bills significantly improved their playoff outlook by defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in a Week 14 thriller. This crucial victory moves the Bills to a 9-4 record and firmly establishes them as one of the top wild card contenders in the AFC.

While the New England Patriots (11-2) still hold a two-game lead in the AFC East, Buffalo’s win not only gives them breathing room in the playoff race but also sets up a monumental Week 15 matchup against the Patriots with a chance to narrow the gap and potentially keep their division title hopes alive.

The victory likely propels the Bills from the last wild card spot (No. 7 seed) up to at least the No. 6 seed, after the Indianapolis Colts’ loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars put them at 8-5. By improving their record to 9-4, the Bills have significantly increased their probability of making the postseason for a seventh consecutive year.

With four games remaining, their path to the playoffs is now much clearer. However, the team’s focus now immediately shifts to their Week 15 road game against the AFC East-leading Patriots. To win a sixth straight division title, the Bills must win that game to split the season series and keep the division within a single game. Even if they fall short of the division crown, their 9-4 record and remaining schedule positions them to lock up a wild card spot in good hands.

MORE: Where Bills sit in AFC East, playoff picture after Week 14 win vs. Bengals

Bills playoff picture

The Bills (9-4) went into Week 14 as the No. 7 seed, holding the third and final AFC wild-card spot. They were behind the No. 5 Chargers (8-4) and No. 6 Colts (8-4) with the conference-record tiebreaker putting them behind both fellow second-place teams. But, after the Buffalo win combined with the Indianapolis Colts’ loss, the Bills move ahead of the AFC South contenders.

Here’s a look at the bigger AFC playoff picture, the top seven seeds, along with the three teams vying for a spot right behind them.

Rank	Team	Record
1	New England Patriots	11-2
2	Denver Broncos	10-2
3	Jacksonville Jaguars	9-4
4	Pittsburgh Steelers	7-6
5	Buffalo Bills	9-4
6	Los Angeles Chargers	8-4
7	Indianapolis Colts	8-5
8	Houston Texans	7-5
9	Baltimore Ravens	6-7
10	Kansas City Chiefs	6-6
11	Miami Dolphins	6-7
12	Cincinnati Bengals	4-9
13	New York Jets	3-10
14	Cleveland Browns	3-10
15	Las Vegas Raiders	2-10
16	Tennessee Titans	2-11

AFC East standings

The division is a two-team race with the Bills (9-4) now two games and a head-to-head tiebreaker behind the Patriots (11-2) going into Week 14.

Buffalo goes to New England for the critical rematch in Week 15.

Team	Record
New England Patriots	11-2
Buffalo Bills	9-4
Miami Dolphins	6-7
New York Jets	3-10

MORE WEEK 14 NFL:

Bills remaining schedule

The Bills win today has put them in position for a wild card spot, given their manageable schedule featuring the Browns, Eagles and Jets after Week 15. Winning three of these four games should easily secure a 12-win season and a playoff berth.

However, the Week 15 road game against the 11-2 New England Patriots remains the biggest on their slate. A victory is a must if the Bills want to split the season series and keep their slim hopes of winning a sixth consecutive AFC East title alive. While their playoff ticket is nearly punched, the division crown hinges entirely on defeating the Patriots next Sunday.