AFC Playoff Race Tightened up Even More in Week 7
They don't technically control their destiny anymore when it comes to securing homefield advantage throughout the AFC playoffs, but the Buffalo Bills' chances actually were increased on a weekend in which they didn't even play.
Thanks to the Cincinnati Bengals' shocking 41-17 thrashing of the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, no team in the conference has fewer losses than the Bills, who are 4-2 after their week off and next play on Oct. 31 at home against the Miami Dolphins.
The Bills, Bengals, Ravens, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers all are tied in the loss column in the race for conference supremacy.
However, the Titans own the tiebreaker over the Bills after defeating them on Oct. 18, then following it up with a 27-3 demolition of two-time defending conference champion Kansas City on Sunday.
Also owning a tiebreaker over the Bills are the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are 3-3 after having this past weekend off along with the Bills.
The Bills remain in control of the AFC East, however, with a de facto two-game lead over the New England Patriots, who improved to 3-4 after blowing out the New York Jets in a division game on Sunday.
Two games remain against each of those opponents.
As for the rest of the top playoff contenders in the AFC, the Cleveland Browns are 4-3 and the Patriots, Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos are 3-4.
As we noted Saturday, the Bills play the easiest schedule in the NFL the rest of the way, facing only two teams (New Orleans and Tampa Bay) who are above .500 after Week 7. And if the Saints (3-2) lose tonight at Seattle, that figure gets cut in half.
The playoffs last season were expanded to include three wild-card entries from each conference, ending first-round playoff byes for the No. 2 seeds.
Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro. Email to Nicky300@aol.com.
