What the Buffalo Bills require to make the NFL playoffs in 2023

The Buffalo Bills have had a turbulent season, with ousted coaches, injuries, off-field incidents, and some terrible losses.

The Bills, on the other hand, are still standing. They are still alive despite all of the drama. After beating the Dallas Cowboys 31-10 in Week 15, the Bills now have a 63% probability of making the playoffs.

Buffalo has found form just in time, but their early-season difficulties have hampered them. The Bills are ninth in the AFC with an 8-6 record. Buffalo has also suffered defeats to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, and Denver Broncos. These teams have the advantage in head-to-head tiebreakers over Buffalo.

To make the playoffs, Buffalo will need the assistance of others. Fortunately for the Bills, assistance may be on the way. They trail the Miami Dolphins by only two games. The Dolphins have the toughest remaining schedule, according to Tankathon, with games against the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens in the next two weeks.

The Bills’ strength of schedule ranking is 24th. Buffalo will visit the Dolphins in Week 18. If the Bills win their next two games and Miami lose one, that Week 18 matchup will decide the AFC East winner.

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 Things are spiraling for the Jaguars, who have dropped three in a row, have their top receiver on IR and will likely now have to play their cross-state rivals without Trevor Lawrence (concussion protocol). Minus Lawrence, C.J. Beathard will be making his first since 2021 as he tries to outduel Baker Mayfield, who is coming off a sensational game against the Packers in which he threw for 381 yards and four TDs … Both teams are among the bottom four when it comes to defending the pass, so the QB matchup gives the Bucs a big edge, especially with Chris Godwin coming off a 155-yard game in which he re-established himself as a complementary threat to Mike Evans … Previously maligned Bucs RB Rachaad White has rushed for more than 80 yards in four straight games … The Jags are 6-2 ATS but it’s difficult to imagine them covering here without Lawrence against a team coming off its best game of the season.