The Buffalo Bills enter their Week 12 bye week positioned in the thick of the AFC playoff race. They also received some unexpected help after the Cleveland Browns upset the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-19 on Thursday Night Football. Before the game, despite having the same number of losses as Pittsburgh, the Steelers controlled their own destiny for the top spot in the AFC due to their upcoming game against the Kansas City Chiefs, which could have allowed them to finish the season with a better conference record than the Bills. However, with the Steelers’ loss, they now trail the Bills by a full game and no longer control their own fate.
The Bills are still half a game behind the Chiefs for the first-round bye, but with Pittsburgh now behind them, they have some breathing room. If the Chiefs lose to the Carolina Panthers this weekend, the Bills will move into sole possession of the No. 1 seed in the AFC. This would be the first time since 1993 that Buffalo has held that position, provided they can maintain it through the remainder of the season.
Although the Bills still face tough challenges with upcoming games against the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions, they will have a chance to rest and recover during their bye week. This break could help them enter the final stretch of the season in better physical condition.
