It all comes down to this for the chances of the Buffalo Bills (8-7) making the playoffs for the first time since the 1999 season: Buffalo needs to win at Miami at 4:25 p.m. Sunday and hope that either the Baltimore Ravens fall to the Cincinnati Bengals, or that both the Los Angeles Chargers and Tennessee Titans suffer defeats against the Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars, respectively.
First things first: Buffalo needs to knock off the Miami Dolphins (6-9) in the regular-season finale for both teams. This will be the second time in three weeks these teams have squared off, with the Bills holding on for a 24-16 Week 15 win at New Era Field.
The Dolphins and Bills have a ton of history in this rivalry, as Sunday’s meeting represents the 108th all-time between these AFC East rivals.
Miami leads the series 60-46-1, with Buffalo winning three of the four playoff games, including a 44-34 win in the 1990 AFC Divisional round (en route to the first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history), and a 29-10 triumph in Miami in the 1992 AFC Championship game.
The Bills are shooting for their first season sweep of the Fish since 2015, when Buffalo routed the Dolphins 41-14 in South Beach and 33-17 in Orchard Park.
Last year, the Bills were swept in the season series by the Dolphins (28-25 in South Beach and 34-31 in overtime in Western New York) for the first time since the 2011 season.
Here’s how to watch Sunday’s win-and-hope-for-help game from home:
Miami Dolphins (6-9) at Buffalo Bills (8-7)
- Game Date/Time: Sunday, December 31, 4:25 p.m. Eastern.
- Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, Fla..
- TV: CBS WIVB 4 in Buffalo, WROC 8 in Rochester, WTVH 5 in Syracuse, WBNG 12 in Binghamton, WENY 36 in Elmira (full broadcast map)
- Announcers: Play-by-play Andrew Catalon, color analyst James Lofton.
- Radio: WGR 550AM (Buffalo), WCMF 96.5 FM and WROC 950 AM (Rochester), Fan 590 AM (Toronto), WKTW 99.5 FM/WKTV 105.5 FM (Syracuse) and the rest of the Buffalo Bills Radio Network.
- Radio Play-by-Play: John Murphy and Mark Kelso in the booth with sideline reporter Sal Capaccio.
- Online: NFL Game Pass, NFL.com Game Center
Friday Injury Report: Full participants: Buffalo: E.J. Gaines (knee). Limited: Kelvin Benjamin (knee), Charles Clay (knee), Ryan Groy (illness), Deonte Thompson (shoulder). Did not practice: Dion Dawkins (personal reasons), LeSean McCoy (rest). Ruled out: Shareece Wright (concussion). Miami: Full participants: MarQueis Gray (hip), Charles Harris (thigh), Neville Hewitt (hamstring), DeVante Parker (ankle), Mike Pouncey (hip), Alterraun Verner (hamstring). Limited: T.J. McDonald (shoulder), Matt Moore (foot), Damien Williams (shoulder). Did not practice: Ndamukong Suh (knee), Michael Thomas (not injury related), Laremy Tunsil (ankle), Cameron Wake (illness).