Buffalo Bills Week 14 AFC playoff race rooting interests

Well, that’s better. The Buffalo Bills looked like they were a winning football team last Sunday as they took care of business in Pittsburgh. The patchwork offensive line did their job and kept quarterback

Josh Allen clean. They did more than that as they created lanes for Buffalo’s rushing game, which just kept running the same play over and over at the Steelers.

But it’s well past time to stop reliving Sunday evening and move on, because there’s still plenty of work to do if the Bills are going to play football in January.

Here’s a look at how things stand before Week 14 kicks off with Thursday Night Football.

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AFC East Week 14 standings

1. New England Patriots (11-2) 
2. Buffalo Bills (8-4) 
3. Miami Dolphins (5-7)
4. New York Jets (3-9)  

AFC Playoff Picture heading into Week 14

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

The entire AFC East won in Week 13. That’s not great news as the Bills still sit two games behind the Patriots who get a bye this weekend. But it’s also not bad news as the Jets climbed out of the AFC basement giving five teams picks ahead of them in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Not a whole lot changed in the conference standings from last week to this. The Patriots are still at the top of the chart, the Bills are still clinging to the final wild card spot, while the Chiefs and Texans are on the outside looking in. One thing that did change, however, is the AFC South. The Jacksonville Jaguars have now taken over the division and the Indianapolis Colts, once holders of the one seed, are now the six seed.

There’s a lot of football to be played this first weekend in December, with a lot of key matchups — because, as we know, the NFL likes to keep things interesting. So, here’s a look at how we’d like to see things go this weekend. Get ready Bills Mafia, it’s going to be another wild weekend!

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AFC East Week 14 Bills rooting interests

Buffalo Bills (8-4) over Cincinnati Bengals (4-8), Sunday 1 p.m. EST (FOX) 

This is the no-brainer game, right? We’re always rooting for the Bills, and we’re at a point in the season where every game has become a must-win. Buffalo’s sitting on a precarious edge — a loss and they’re on the outside looking in as a member of the “In the Hunt” club. A win, and they could (with a little help) find themselves up a couple of spots. While the Bills can’t steal the AFC East crown, they can get a half-step closer to ripping it out of Drake Maye’s hands as the New England Patriots will be watching from home this week.

Go Bills!

New York Jets (3-9) over Miami Dolphins (5-7), Sunday 1 p.m. EST (CBS)

It’s funny what a couple of good days can do for you, isn’t it? The Dolphins are sitting on a couple of wins, including one of the Bills back in Week 10, and Miami thinks they have a playoff-caliber organization in South Florida. With the Dolphins having a better record than the Jets, let’s root for a New York win and then sit back and watch the two battle it out for draft position during the last month of the season.

Week 14 games that impact Bills’ playoff hopes

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6) over Baltimore Ravens (6-6), Sunday 1 p.m. EST (CBS)

With Buffalo having beat both of these teams once already, this is more about where would they rather go for a playoff game: Baltimore or Pittsburgh. With a Steelers win they would switch places with the Ravens, taking over the AFC North, while Baltimore drops out of the Playoff Picture.

Should Buffalo get some help in the games listed below, they would slide up to the five seed with a trip to Pittsburgh, the four seed, in the plans. Yes, I know, the last month of the season can change everything, but let’s take this one week at a time. A second date with Aaron Rodgers sounds more appealing than one with Lamar Jackson right now.

Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4) over Indianapolis Colts (8-4), Sunday 1 p.m. EST (CBS) 

The Colts and the Bills have the same record. Technically so do the Jaguars, but as the AFC South’s top team they aren’t the ones keeping Buffalo at number seven in the AFC. An Indianapolis loss will drop them below Buffalo while a Jacksonville win doesn’t hurt anything. Breaking that tie between teams in the five-through-seven seeds is what this one is about.

Las Vegas Raiders (2-10) over Denver Broncos (10-2), Sunday 4:05 p.m. EST (CBS) 

While it will take a lot of help for the Bills to win the AFC East and have to worry about Top Four seeding, we can hope. So adding another tally this week in the loss column for the Broncos could be significant a few weeks from now. It’s the NFL, and anything can happen.

Kansas City Chiefs (6-6) over Houston Texans (7-5), Sunday 8:20 p.m. EST (NBC)

Josh Allen beat Patrick Mahomes. He did not beat anyone on the Texans’ roster. So, a Kansas City win helps Buffalo’s Strength of Victory score. A Houston loss widens the gap between the Texans and the Bills —- something that’s important as Buffalo will be the odd team out should the two end up in a tie at the end of the regular season.

Remainder of Bills’ NFL Week 14 rooting interests  

Here, it’s all about a few things: Rooting for outcomes that improve Buffalo’s overall SOS or SOV, NFC vs. AFC, or taking the team that will better-position the Bills in the playoff race.

Cleveland Browns (3-9) over Tennessee Titans (1-11) – SOV
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5) over New Orleans Saints (2-10) – SOV
Philadelphia Eagles (8-4) over Los Angeles Chargers (8-4) – SOS

Games that do not impact the Bills this week

Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1) at Detroit Lions (7-5)
Seattle Seahawks (9-3) at Atlanta Falcons (4-8)
Washington Commanders (3-9) at Minnesota Vikings (8-4)
Chicago Bears (9-3) at Green Bay Packers (8-3-1)
Los Angeles Rams (9-3) at Arizona Cardinals (3-9)

Teams on Bye
Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, New York Giants, San Fransisco 49ers

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Optimistic AFC standings after Week 14

So, if all the bounces go the Bills’ way and all the right teams win, this is what the standings in the AFC would look like on Tuesday morning:

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

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Now we know who to root for and, more importantly, who to root against, as it relates to the Buffalo Bills in Week 14. Go Bills!