After Sunday’s road loss to the New England Patriots, the Buffalo Bills have virtually solidified their spot as third in the AFC East. If Buffalo wins next week against the Miami Dolphins or the New England Patriots beat the New York Jets, Buffalo will stay at third.
The Denver Broncos are also locked in the third spot in the AFC West and the Bills will host them at New Era Field in 2019 if Buffalo finished third.
Next week, the Indianapolis Colts and the Tennessee Titans will battle it out for a playoff spot as the second team in the AFC South—which means the Bills will travel to the loser of that game next season if they finish in third. Along with the AFC West and AFC South opponent, the Bills will play the NFC East and the AFC North divisions for the 2019 season.
Since the 2000 season, this is the 15th (!) time that the Bills finished third or fourth in the AFC East.
Editor’s note: an earlier version of this article said the Bills had clinched the third spot.