Bills at Dolphins: Who will win the AFC East?
Everything is at stake in the East Asian Game. The Democrat and Chronicle’s Sal Maiorana explains how Buffalo is preparing for this game.
The 2023 NFL regular season concludes today, Game 272 – the Buffalo Bills’ visit to the Miami Dolphins on “Sunday Night Football” – to decide the AFC East title while also determining the conference’s playoff seeding. Before that could happen, the AFC South champion was determined while also claiming the conference’s other playoff spots.
On the NFC side, the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles are both in the postseason, although it is not yet known which team will rule the NFC East. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the NFC South, while the New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks are all playing for the conference’s final wild-card spot.
Stay tuned here throughout the day as we update the brackets in real-time with news and analytical updates on how the final 14-team field will ultimately fare.
First playoff set
A lot of things are still in flux, including the ranking of the teams that made it into the playoffs. But we do know that the Houston Texans will host the Cleveland Browns on Super Wild Card Weekend, a rematch of their Week 16 game. The Browns won 36-22, but Houston QB CJ Stroud is out with a concussion.
Gag
Jacksonville’s loss in Nashville has huge consequences. Not only do the Jaguars have a chance to win two straight AFC South titles, but they’re now out of the postseason entirely – with their loss, the Bills and Steelers are in the field, while the division is handed over to the Houston Texans .
The AFC playoff field is now set, if it is not yet fully seeded.
The saints live, the Vikings don’t
New Orleans still has a shot at the final NFC wild card spot, but needs the Packers And Seahawks lose. The Saints’ clear victory over Atlanta officially eliminated Minnesota.
Here’s how things stand at the moment:
Asian qualification photo
Yaz – 1. Baltimore Ravens (13-4), North Asian champions: By beating Miami in Week 17, they clinched the division title, a bye in the first conference round and home-field advantage… which meant the only goal Saturday against Pittsburgh was to avoid serious injuries. It appears mission accomplished for resting QB Lamar Jackson and Co. Remaining schedule: They will face the lowest seeded Asian qualifiers in the divisional qualifying round
S – 2. Miami Dolphins (11-5), leaders in East Asia: Last weekend in Baltimore, they saw their hopes of home-field advantage go up in a giant cloud of smoke. If they lose on Sunday, the Dolphins likely won’t play any more home games in the postseason, as such a loss would hand Buffalo the division title. Remaining schedule: In exchange for bills
P-3. Kansas City Chiefs (10-6), West Asian Champion: It took longer than usual, but they claimed their eighth straight division title while maintaining third place. Their Week 17 win also eliminated the Bengals and Broncos. Remaining schedule: In chargers
P-4. Houston, Texas (10-7), Asian champion South: Rookie QB CJ Stroud and Co. survived. It advanced to Indianapolis on Saturday night, securing a spot for the first time since 2019. Thanks to a loss to the Jaguars, Houston became AFC South champions on Sunday. The Texas win eliminated Indianapolis. Remaining schedule: against Brown in the wildcard round
S – 5. Cleveland Browns (11-6), trump card #1: They have reached the postseason for the third time since their rebirth in 1999 and return to Houston, where they beat the CJ Stroud-less Texans two weeks ago. Remaining schedule: In Texas in the wild card round
S – 6. Buffalo Bills (10-6), trump card #2: They got almost everything they wanted – meaning the regular season will end Sunday night at Miami with a five-game winning streak, and Buffalo will have emerged as AFC East champions… again. But even before that is resolved, the Bills can rest easy knowing that thanks to Jacksonville’s bankruptcy they will be playing next weekend. Remaining schedule: in dolphins
S – 7. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7), Wildcard #3: They took care of business in suboptimal weather conditions in Baltimore on Saturday, beating the top-seeded Ravens. Then the Jags did it on Sunday, and their loss to Pittsburgh also secured them a spot in the playoffs. Remaining schedule: To be determined later
NFC playoff image
Yaz – 1. San Francisco 49ers (12-4), NFC West Champions: They won last weekend, while the Eagles and Lions didn’t – which means the Niners won’t be leaving the Bay Area for another football game…unless they reach Super Bowl 58. Remaining schedule: against Rams
P-2. Detroit Lions (12-5), NFC North Champion: They ended the regular season with a win over Minnesota, which has now moved to second place, a spot that could mean two postseason games at Ford Field. But the Lions have to lose to the Cowboys and Eagles to survive. Remaining schedule: To be determined later
S-3. Dallas Cowboys (11-5), NFC East Leaders: Thanks to a questionable win over Detroit in Week 17, they extended their winning streak at AT&T Stadium to 16 games. But “America’s Team” regained first place in the division thanks to a loss to Philly and a better record (8-3) in conference games. Beat Washington on Sunday and the streak of non-consecutive NFC East champions since 2005 will be extended for another year when the Cowboys take on the Eagles. Remaining schedule: With the leaders
P-4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8), NFC-Südmeister: They persevered in Charlotte and won their third straight division title – and, of course, their first without former quarterback Tom Brady during that time. The win also eliminates the Atlanta Falcons from playoff contention. Remaining schedule: Host a Wild Card game against the Cowboys or Eagles
F-5. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5), Wildcard #1: The shocking loss to Arizona is an exclamation point on the NFC champions’ late-season collapse. They need a win on Sunday and a loss in Dallas to retain the NFC East crown. Remaining schedule: With the giants
F-6. Los Angeles Rams (9-7), Wildcard #2: They narrowly escaped the Giants in Week 17. But after the victory they received a gift, as the Steelers’ victory over the Seahawks put Los Angeles in a difficult position. The Rams will fall to seventh if they finish tied with the PAC at 9-8. Remaining schedule: at the 49ers
7. New Orleans Saints (9-8), Wildcard #3: They will survive if the Packers and Seahawks lose. A loss to the Rams in Week 16 meant the Saints couldn’t get past Los Angeles. Remaining scheduleE: To be determined later
8. Green Bay Packers (8-8), Off the field: Seattle’s loss in Week 17 opened the door to the Wild Card. Beat Chicago on Sunday and the series is tied in the postseason — due in part to a tiebreaker lead from a win over the Seahawks. Remaining schedule: against bears
9. SeatRLou Seahawks (8-8), Off the field: They can get back on the field with a win in Week 18 and a loss to Green Bay. Remaining schedule: At the Cardinals
x – Clinched a spot in the playoffs
y – won the division title
z – Get a bye and home advantage in the first round
The Falcons were eliminated
The Tampa Buccaneers closed out the NFC South on Sunday with a road win over the Panthers and eliminated the Atlanta Falcons – they entered the day 12th in the NFC standings but had a path to the division throne.
The NFC South is still up for grabs
While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue their fight to defeat the weak Carolina Panthers in Charlotte – a win would give the Bucs a third straight championship – the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons remain locked in a virtual elimination game in the Superdome. The Saints or Falcons could clinch the NFC South with a win if Tampa Bay also loses. Conversely, both the Bucs and Saints can play on Wild Card weekend with extensive outside help, but the Falcons have no path other than a division championship.
Jaguar in trouble?
At halftime, Jacksonville trails the Tennessee Titans 21-13. If the Jags, the defending AFC South champions, fail to stage a comeback, the Houston Texans will win the league, while the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers will remain in the AFC.
More playoff revenue
With the Browns, Lions, Rams and Texans all qualifying for the postseason, the NFL has expanded its field by at least four teams from the previous year every season since 1990 – when the bracket expanded to 12 teams (and later to 14). increased in 2020). The number could rise this season as the Steelers, Packers, Saints and others continue to compete for spots.
NFL playoff scenarios for Week 18
Buffalo captures the East AFC League title with:
Miami wins the East Asian League title with:
Dallas clinch the NFC East title with:
Green Bay secures the playoff spot with:
New Orleans qualifies for the playoffs with:
Philadelphia wins the NFC East division title with:
Seattle secures its spot in the playoffs with:
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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.
2024-01-07 21:49:36
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