Buffalo Bills playoff seeding, Wild Card opponent decided after Week 18 win over Jets

The Bills improved their postseason positioning with the victory over the Jets on Sunday.

Sep 23, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) signals for a first down against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills completed the regular season with a throttling of the New York Jets in what may have been the final game held at Highmark Stadium.

Next stop, playoffs.

But where will the Bills be seeded? Let’s take a look.

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Jan 4, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis (13) celebrates with wide receiver Joshua Palmer (5) after scoring a touchdown against the New York Jets during the third quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Where Buffalo sits

With the win over the Jets and a Los Angeles Chargers’ loss to the Denver Broncos, the Bills (12-5) will enter the playoffs as the AFC’s No. 6 seed, improving their positioning from the No. 7 spot in which they entered Week 18.

That sets the Bills up with a road matchup against the No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card round of the postseason after Jacksonville won its regular-season finale earlier Sunday afternoon. With a victory over the Tennessee Titans, the Jaguars claimed the AFC South title with a 13-4 record.

The date and time of the first-round matchup will be announced later.

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Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen exits the field after the game at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Titans 41-7. | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Previous meeting

The Bills last played Jacksonville during the 2024 campaign, earning a 47-10 blowout win. However, since then, the Jaguars have hired a new head coach, Liam Coen, who has helped them turn things around in a hurry.

Jacksonville is quarterbacked by Trevor Lawrence, who has recorded a resurgent season under the leadership of the first-year Jags head coach. Lawrence has completed 60% of his passes this season for 3,752 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

In three career matchups against the Bills, Lawrence is 2-1. In those games, he has finished with an average of 203 yards passing per game, along with a combined two touchdown passes and one interception.

RELATED: James Cook beats out Colts' RB for NFL rushing title, dark horse remains in pursuit

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) proudly wears his AFC South Division Champions hat during the fourth quarter in an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Titans 41-7. | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A look around

Elsewhere in the AFC, the Denver Broncos earned the top seed in the conference, while the New England Patriots are the No. 2 seed, and the No. 4 seed will belong to the winner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens Sunday night matchup. The Chargers finished as the No. 7 seed, and the Houston Texans are locked in as the No. 5 seed entering the playoffs.

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