Buffalo Bills clinch their third straight playoff berth in Week 17

The Buffalo Bills are heading back to the playoffs for the third straight year, and fourth time in the last five years.

After going through one of the longest droughts in sports history, the Buffalo Bills have become an annual playoff team. On Sunday, the Bills have found their way back into the playoffs for the third straight year. It is also the fourth time in five years under Sean McDermott the Bills will be in a playoff game.

Entering Week 17, the playoff scenario to clinch a spot in the playoffs was the Bills needed a win over the Falcons combined with a Ravens loss. They were able to get both with Buffalo winning 29-15 over Atlanta and the Rams outscoring Baltimore 13-3 in the fourth quarter to win 23-20.

This is now the first time that the Buffalo Bills have made the playoffs in three straight years since the early 1990s when Buffalo went to four straight Super Bowls. The Bills also have won 10 or more games in three straight seasons, which their Super Bowl runs was the last time they accomplished that.

Buffalo Bills still have work to do to win AFC East

While the Buffalo Bills know they are heading back to the playoffs, they still have some work to do if they hope to win the division. The Bills and Patriots still have the same record, 10-6, after the Patriots blew out the Jaguars 50-10.

However, the Bills hold the division record tiebreaker with a 4-1 record while the Patriots are 3-2. Both teams have division matchups in the final week of the regular season with Buffalo playing the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium while the Patriots go on the road to face the Miami Dolphins.

If the Buffalo Bills win, they will win the division and guarantee at least one home playoff game. However, if they fall short against the Jets and the Patriots were to win, they would move ahead of them in the division.

While the pressure is off the Bills in terms of securing a playoff spot, there will be plenty to play for on Sunday against the Jets.