Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - For a seventh-consecutive season, the Buffalo Bills will play for a Vince Lombardi Trophy in the NFL Playoffs.
Heading into Week 16 of the NFL season, all the Bills needed to punch their ticket back to the playoffs was a win over the Cleveland Browns, plus some help with either a loss from the Houston Texans or Indianapolis Colts.
After the Bills earned a 23-20 victory in Cleveland, Buffalo got the final element to clinch a playoff berth with a Colts loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night.
Over the last six years, the Bills have gone 7-6 in the playoffs, which includes a pair of appearances in the AFC Championship Game in 2020 and last season. Buffalo has only lost once in the AFC Wild Card Round during this stretch, which came in quarterback Josh Allen's second season in the league in 2019 against the Houston Texans.
Where this playoff appearance for the Bills may be different this time around is they may be forced to make a run as a Wild Card team. The Bills still have a 15% chance at winning the AFC East, according to the New York Times Playoff Machine, but still need, at least, one more loss from the New England Patriots and need to keep pace in order to win the division in a tiebreaker.
Another element that will differ this year compared to years past is the Bills will not have to face the Kansas City Chiefs this postseason. In four of the last six playoff appearances (2020, 2021, 2023, 2024), the Bills have been eliminated from the playoffs by Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
Kansas City was eliminated a couple weeks ago from playoff contention after a 6-8 start to their 2025 season.
Buffalo's pursuit of the AFC East continues on Sunday when they host the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. Meanwhile, the Patriots are in New Jersey this coming Sunday to take on the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
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