What the Buffalo Bills Fans Need to Root For in Week 16

The Buffalo Bills have a short week heading into week 16. They travel to Los Angeles to play the Chargers this Saturday, which will be the day before Christmas Eve.

This game will also be the very first NFL game exclusively on Peacock. Don't worry if you live in the Buffalo TV market though, as the game will still be shown locally in Buffalo and Los Angeles.

The Bills are now the 9th seed in the AFC with a record of 8-6. There are five teams with an 8-6 record in the AFC, and just one game separates the three seed (Kansas City Chiefs) and the ninth seed Buffalo Bills. It's as close as we have ever seen the AFC standings this late into the season.

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Technically, the Bills do not control their own playoff destiny. Even if they win their final three games, there is a way they miss the postseason, however that's not likely to happen, since almost every game would have to fall the wrong way for Buffalo.

Looking ahead to week 16, assuming the Bills win over the Chargers (which they have to do for their good playoff prospects), here are the four games to keep an eye on and who Bills fans should be rooting for.

First let's cover two obvious ones.

The Atlanta Falcons have to beat the Indianapolis Colts.

The Dallas Cowboys have to beat the Miami Dolphins.

Miami has to lose at least one of their next two games, to allow the Bills to play for the division in week 18 (assuming the Bills win the next two). Colts losing would help as well in the overall playoff picture.

The next two games are more tricky, but there is a team to pull for in both.

Cleveland Browns over the Houston Texans

Pittsburgh Steelers over the Cincinnati Bengals

According to the ESPN playoff machine, a Browns win would improve Buffalo's seeding, although would still be bad because they are also in a playoff race.

The Bengals are the number one team the Bills have to have lose, outside of Miami. That's because Cincinnati is 8-6 and holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Bills, with just three weeks left.

The New England Patriots beating the Denver Broncos would also help the Bills, but it's become a little less important in this situation. If the Broncos lose, then they are essentially done in the playoff race.

If all those things happen (again, unlikely), then the Bills jump all the way to the 6th seed in the AFC playoff picture.