Perhaps the NFL’s marquee matchup in Week 18 will come on Sunday evening when the Buffalo Bills travel south to visit the Miami Dolphins.
This game, pardon the old cliche, will have serious playoff implications for both teams. The winner of this game will win the AFC East and be the second seed in the conference, which will set them up for a wild-card round playoff contest versus the AFC’s seventh seed.
If the Bills lose on Sunday, they could still make the playoffs as a wild-card team, but if the Jacksonville Jaguars also defeat the Tennessee Titans that morning, Buffalo would be out of the postseason.
Offensive tackle Dion Dawkins professed an air of confidence this week, saying that his team plays “for these moments.”
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As recently as late November, the Bills’ playoff hopes looked very bleak. They were hovering at or slightly above .500, and they seemed incapable of stringing together any real momentum.
There was plenty of attention focused upon star wide receiver Stefon Diggs and a supposed rift between him and the rest of the team. There was also talk that perhaps Seam McDermott wasn’t the right coach and that the organization may move on from him at the conclusion of the season.
But Buffalo is now on a four-game winning streak, and there is a growing feeling that it is arguably the most dangerous team in football. While quarterback Josh Allen is second with 16 interceptions, he’s also among the league leaders with 3,947 passing yards, 27 touchdown passes and 15 rushing touchdowns.
The team has improved to sixth in points, fifth in total yards and fourth in points allowed. Given their recent success in the playoffs, they could be poised to make a deep playoff run if they defeat Miami on Sunday.
Doing so, however, won’t be easy, as Tua Tagovailoa and crew are first in points, total yards and rushing touchdowns and have a 7-1 home record this season.