No matter how great a team or a quarterback is, there is always one team in the NFL that they don’t match well up against. For the longest time, the Buffalo Bills could never find a way to beat Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Brady and the Patriots always seemed to struggle against the Miami Dolphins whenever they traveled to South Beach.
Heck, for as great as Patrick Mahomes is, there are times where he struggles against the Denver Broncos. The great quarterbacks and teams that are in the NFL don’t always play like it against specific opponents.
Up until this season, the Bills don’t always play their best against the New York Jets. That’s because Robert Saleh put together a great defense that would always find a way to rattle Josh Allen. There is another team that is on the verge of clinching the final playoff spot in the AFC that the Bills have not proven to play well against; the Cincinnati Bengals.
Buffalo Bills must hope that the Cincinnati Bengals miss the playoffs
Along with the Bengals, the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins are the two other teams that could clinch the last spot. The Bengals have the toughest path to clinching the last AFC spot. The only way the Bengals can make the playoffs is if they beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, and both the Broncos and Dolphins lose.
The Steelers are already in the playoffs and they have a shot to win the AFC North if the Ravens lose to the Cleveland Browns in the 4PM game on Satuday. Long story short, if the Steelers beat the Bengals, the Bills will avoid having to play Cincinnati.
Why should the Bills be hoping the Bengals miss out on the playoffs?
If the Bengals didn't heavily struggle this year, Joe Burrow would be the front runner for the MVP award. He leads the NFL in passing yards (4,641 yards) and passing touchdowns (42). Burrow also ranks third in passer rating (109.8), just behind Lamar Jackson (121.6) and Jared Goff (113.6).
Superstar wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase leads all receivers in receiving yards (1,612 yards), receptions (117), targets (161), yards after catch (761 yards), first downs (71), and touchdowns (16). Chase is the best non-QB player this year by a mile.
Cincinnati’s passing offense leads the league with 274 yards per game. Despite having the 4th lowest rushing attack in the NFL (94 yards per game), the Bengals have the 6th highest amount of total points (453).
Up until last week, the Bills’ defense has been unwatchable because of how many yards and points they have given up. They have up back-to-back 40+ points to the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions (despite scoring 40+ themselves). Buffalo and Cincinnati faced off the divisional round in 2023 where the Bengals completely overtook the Bills in a 27-10 beatdown.
The Bengals’ offense led by Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase is a lot for the Bills to handle. Buffalo needs to hope that either Denver or Miami get the last spot in the playoff picture.