The Bills enter their Week 14 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a 75-percent chance to make the playoffs, according to the New York Times playoff machine.
Whether those odds increase or decrease will depend largely on the outcome of that game – they can soar as high as 95 percent or drop as low as 56 percent – but the Bills can get some help from matchups between AFC wild card contenders and NFC foes on Sunday.
Here is your rooting guide for Week 14.
Jacksonville (2-10) at Tennessee (8-4) – 1 p.m. on CBS
The situation: Tennessee returns from its bye week looking to stop the bleeding after losing two straight games without star running back Derrick Henry. The Titans previously beat the Jaguars 37-19 in Week 5.
What to root for: An upset win for the Jaguars. While the Bills' chances at the No. 1 seed dipped significantly with their loss to the Patriots, it's still on the table if they manage to win out. The Titans are one of the teams they would need to jump.
Las Vegas (6-6) at Kansas City (8-4) – 1 p.m. on CBS
The situation: The Chiefs have another chance to further their hold on the AFC West following a win over the Broncos last Sunday night. The Raiders are part of the crowded wild card race but have lost three of their last four games.
What to root for: While a Raiders win could help the Bills if they manage to factor back into the conversation for the No. 1 seed, the more likely path to the playoffs is now the wild card. A win for the Chiefs would put some padding between the Bills and the Raiders, who sit one game back.
Baltimore (8-4) at Cleveland (6-6) – 1 p.m. on CBS
The situation: The Ravens remain the favorites in the AFC North after losing to Pittsburgh last Sunday, but their remaining schedule is tough. After this division game, they play the Packers, Bengals, Rams, and Steelers to close out the season.
What to root for: This one is similar to the previous game. A Ravens loss could pay dividends if the Bills go on a special run for the top seed. But it's a Browns loss that would help most in the wild card picture.
Detroit (1-10-1) at Denver (6-6) - 4:05 p.m. on FOX
The situation: The Lions are coming off their first win of the season as they travel to face the Broncos, who remain in the crowded AFC wild card picture after losing to the Chiefs.
What to root for: A two-game winning streak for the Lions.
New York Giants (4-8) at Los Angeles Chargers (7-5) – 4:05 p.m. on FOX
The situation: The Chargers are tied with the Bills but possess the tiebreaker based on conference winning percentage. The Chargers are 5-3 in AFC play; the Bills are 5-5.
What to root for: A Giants win, which would give the Bills a chance to jump ahead of the Chargers and into the fifth seed.
San Francisco (6-6) at Cincinnati (7-5) – 4:25 p.m. on CBS
The situation: The Bengals, like the Chargers, are tied with the Bills but hold the edge by virtue of conference record. They also sit one game behind the Ravens for the AFC North lead.
What to root for: This is the game that - on its own - has the most bearing on the Bills' playoff chances, according to The Times. Root for a 49ers win.
Best-case scenarios
To make the playoffs: Wins by the Ravens, Chiefs, Lions, Giants, 49ers, and Bills would give Buffalo a 95-percent chance to make the playoffs.
To earn the top seed: Wins by the Browns, Raiders, Jaguars, Giants, 49ers, and Bills would increase Buffalo's odds to 17 percent.
Worst-case scenario
To make the playoffs: Wins by the Browns, Raiders, Broncos, Chargers, Bengals, and Buccaneers would drop the Bills' chances to 56 percent.
