Buffalo Bills Week 17 AFC playoff race rooting interests

The Buffalo Bills ground out a tough win against the Cleveland Browns to keep everything on the table for themselves in Week 17. The win wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t even fun, but it was a win and, at this

time of year, that’s all that matters. With the win, and an Indianapolis Colts loss the next day, Buffalo was guaranteed a date in this season’s playoffs.

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AFC East Week 17 standings

1. New England Patriots (12-3) 
2. Buffalo Bills (11-4) 
3. Miami Dolphins (6-9)
4. New York Jets (3-12)  

AFC Playoff Picture heading into Week 17

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

No one changed positions in the AFC after the close of Week 16, however several more teams — including the Buffalo Bills — guaranteed themselves a playoff appearance. Now there are four teams left fighting for two available postseason spots.

While we already know five of the AFC playoff teams, none of them have their seed locked in. That’s right — not only is every division crown still up for grabs, so is the conference’s one seed. The Bills can grab both if they keep winning and get help from some teams that have nothing left to play for other than pride. If the Patriots lose either of their next two games and the Bills win both of their remaining games, they will be crowned AFC East champs for the sixth-straight year.

At the same time, the Bills winning with the Patriots, Broncos, and Chargers losing could result in the playoffs running through Highmark — something that seems perfectly fitting if you believe the NFL runs on a script. Regardless, there is plenty to play for over the last two weeks of the 2025 NFL season.

So, here’s a look at who Bills Mafia needs to root for in Week 17.

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AFC East Week 17 Bills rooting interests

Buffalo Bills (11-4) over Philadelphia Eagles (3-11), Sunday 4:25 p.m. EST (FOX) 

This one goes without saying. We always root for the Bills, but this week we’re rooting for a win that will keep the AFC East title in play. Regardless of what happens with New England this weekend, if the Bills win the crown won’t be given out until the final day of the regular season. And, if it can’t be Buffalo’s, ruining the Patriots’ holiday weekend seems like fun.

Go Bills!

New York Jets (3-12) over New England Patriots (12-3), Sunday 1 p.m. EST (FOX)

The Bills just need New England to lose one of their last two games in order to bump them out of the front seat in the AFC East. No reason to make it come down to the wire. The Jets could do Buffalo a favor and win this weekend.

Miami Dolphins (6-9) over Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8), Sunday 1 p.m. EST (FOX)

This one doesn’t really have anything to do with the playoffs, but it seemed wrong not to include the Dolphins in this section. Buffalo beat both of these teams (yes, they also lost to the Dolphins hence why they have to play lights out right now… but that’s irrelevant for this game), so strength of victory is a wash in this one. This is more about pushing back Miami’s first draft pick in April.

Week 17 games that impact Bills’ playoff hopes

Kansas City Chiefs (6-9) over Denver Broncos (12-3), Thursday 8:15 p.m. EST (Prime Video)

This one didn’t go Buffalo’s way.

Houston Texans (10-5) over Los Angeles Chargers (11-4), Saturday 4:30 p.m. EST (NFL Network)

While heading to Houston in January is definitely not ideal for Josh Allen who has yet to claim a win there, the Chargers are currently one slot ahead of Buffalo in the wild card numbers. If New England wins, moving up to fifth is a nice consolation prize for the Bills in Week 17.

Baltimore Ravens (7-8) at Green Bay Packers (9-5-1), Saturday 8 p.m. EST (Peacock)

The Ravens aren’t going to move past the Bills even if they do make it into the playoffs. That means they would have to return to Buffalo in January. But Baltimore doesn’t even have a place in the postseason dance yet anyway and the AFC is quickly running out of tickets to hand out. The goal here is to keep the Ravens from getting a top-third draft pick and, at the same time, ensuring the Texans play for their postseason lives next week by keeping the pressure on Houston.

Indianapolis Colts (8-7) over Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4), Sunday 1 p.m. EST (FOX)

While the Colts were “the team to beat” in the AFC back in early October, December is a whole different story. The Colts, like the Ravens, may not even make it past next weekend. Instead, it’s the Jaguars that have taken over the AFC South lead. If the Bills leap-frog over the Patriots, they could also jump over the Jaguars — as long as Jacksonville gets that intra-division loss. Maybe Philip Rivers can make some magic happen on Sunday.

Cleveland Browns (3-12) over Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6), Sunday 1 p.m. EST (CBS)

Pittsburgh has the AFC North title in sight, but the Ravens are keeping things tight. Aaron Rodgers can get another playoff appearance as long as he wins one of the last two games or the Ravens lose one. Let the Browns win this one and not be one of the first four teams to get a draft pick in April.

Remainder of Bills’ NFL Week 17 rooting interests  

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

Cincinnati Bengals over Arizona Cardinals – SOV
Tennessee Titans over New Orleans Saints – Draft Seeding
Carolina Panthers over Seattle Seahawks – SOV
Las Vegas Raiders over New York Giants – Draft Seeding

Games that do not impact the Bills in Week 17

Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders
Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings
Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers
Los Angeles Rams at Atlanta Falcons

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Optimistic AFC standings after Week 17

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 after the weekend.

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

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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 17. Go Bills!