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Earlier this week, we told you that the Buffalo Bills can move all the way up to sixth place in the AFC with a win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, plus a lot of help from around the league. In the comments section, one of our readers also pointed out that the Bills could be officially eliminated this week with a loss and a lot of bad help. Here's the doomsday scenario:
Buffalo loses to Green Bay, dropping their record to 7-7, and setting up a best-case scenario of 9-7. Also necessary: three or more of the teams below winning their Week 15 matchups.
- San Diego Chargers (8-5) vs. Denver (10-3)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5) at Atlanta (5-8)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-5) vs. Jacksonville (2-11)
- Houston Texans (7-6) at Indianapolis (9-4)
- Kansas City Chiefs (7-6) vs. Oakland (2-11)
With Kansas City and San Diego squaring off in Week 17 and owning tiebreakers over Buffalo, if both of them are at 9-6 or better, it would eliminate the Bills. Similarly, Kansas City and Pittsburgh clash in Week 16, virtually guaranteeing one of them a victory while Buffalo couldn't pass a nine-win Steelers team in tiebreakers. Baltimore and Houston also meet in Week 16, giving one of them a win.
We'll keep you updated all weekend as the scene is unfolding, but we could know as early as 4:00 p.m. ET on Sunday that the Bills were knocked out of the 2014 playoff race for good.