Buffalo Bills can lock up playoff spot this week

The Buffalo Bills have been to the postseason just once since 1999. They can lock up a spot again this season as early as this coming weekend. Here’s what needs to happen.

It won’t be easy, but there’s a real chance that the Buffalo Bills could lock up their second playoff berth since 1999 in Week 14. Sitting at 9-3, it’s not crazy to think they could already find themselves in the postseason but it’s also rare for a Wild Card spot to get locked up with three games left.

Of course, when it comes to clinching a spot in the NFL, there’s some weird scenarios that need to happen. The only one of those that Buffalo can control is their matchup with Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.

That in itself is going to be a challenge, especially when you consider how well the Ravens have played as of late. That doesn’t mean they can’t do it though — and they do have enough talent on defense to slow Baltimore down.

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A win there would make them 10-3 with seven of those wins coming in the AFC. From there, they need to see a few other things happened and Matt Warren of SB Nation’s Buffalo Rumblings does some great work breaks it down which makes it easy to follow:

"“Here’s the clinching scenario:Buffalo beat Baltimore ANDDenver beats Houston ANDTampa Bay beats Indianapolis ANDTennessee beats Oakland” — Warren, Buffalo Rumblings"

Out of all the scenarios listed here, the Broncos beating the Houston Texans seems the least likely. While the Broncos did win this past weekend, they’re just 4-8 on the season and haven’t looked incredibly sharp.

They’ll also be starting rookie Drew Lock for just the second time in his career — after throwing for just 134 yards in his debut against the Los Angeles Chargers. Still, it’s not impossible that they could pull it off and help the Bills out.

Of course, even if they don’t lock it up this coming weekend, it would take a lot for them to miss out considering the great position they put themselves in with their 9-3 record.

And once they do get in, this is a roster built for winning games in January thanks to their tough defense and impressive ground game.