The race to the playoffs comes down to this.
The NFL is entering the final week of the regular season and nine teams have already clinched their spot in the postseason. With just one game left on the schedule and five spots remaining, fans can expect to see some of the most exciting football of the year.
Among the scenarios heading into the weekend, the Buffalo Bills have one of the more interesting breakdowns.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
A win against the Miami Dolphins would guarantee the Bills the division title and the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Without a win, Buffalo could also advance with a loss or tie by the Pittsburgh Steelers, a loss or tie by the Jacksonville Jaguars, or a tie between the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts.
Interestingly, there is a scenario (a complicated one) that could see Buffalo go in the opposite direction.
If Pittsburgh were to pull off a victory over the top-seed Baltimore Ravens, and the Jaguars defeated the Titans, and the Texans-Colts game ended in anything but a tie, and the Bills fell short on Sunday, Buffalo’s season would come to an end.
All four things would need to happen for this outcome, but nothing is guaranteed.
LIONS' DAN CAMPBELL ADMITS TRYING TO CONFUSE COWBOYS DEFENSE BEFORE CONTROVERSIAL PENALTY
The Bills have had an up-and-down season. Entering the bye week, the Bills held a 6-6 record and their hopes of reaching the playoffs were in question. But after returning to the field, Buffalo pulled ahead, winning four straight.
"I really think it’s just about our players continuing to grow every week," head coach Sean McDermott told reporters Monday after a win over the New England Patriots on Sunday.
"Our coaches have done a phenomenal job of working on things with them, developing players at the individual level and then at the unit level as well. I really believe that the players have taken on that challenge head-on, and they’ve come together and formed an identity as a football team. I’ve just been very impressed by that over the last few weeks in particular."
Several other teams face similar situations with just one game left. Read below to see which teams are sitting comfortably, which will be waiting on the final whistle, and which teams will have to watch the playoffs from home, per the NFL.
Record: 13-3, AFC North division title
Record: 11-5, 1st in AFC East
Record: 10-6, AFC West division title
Record: 11-5, 2nd in AFC North
Record: 12-4, NFC West division title
Record: 11-5, 1st in NFC East
Record: 11-5, NFC North division title
Record: 11-5, 2nd in NFC East
Record: 9-7, 2nd in NFC West
Houston Texans clinch AFC South division title with:
1. HOU win + JAX loss or tie
Houston clinches playoff berth with:
1. HOU win OR
2. HOU tie + JAX loss + PIT loss or tie
–
Indianapolis Colts clinch AFC South division title with:
1. IND win + JAX loss or tie OR
2. IND tie + JAX loss
Indianapolis clinches playoff berth with:
1. IND win OR
2. IND tie + PIT loss or tie
–
Jacksonville Jaguars clinch AFC South division title with:
1. JAX win OR
2. JAX tie + HOU-IND tie
Jacksonville clinches playoff berth with:
1. JAX tie + PIT loss or tie OR
2. PIT loss + DEN loss or tie + HOU-IND doesn't end in tie
–
Pittsburgh Steelers clinch playoff berth with:
1. PIT win + BUF loss OR
2. PIT win + JAX loss or tie OR
3. PIT win + HOU-IND tie OR
4. PIT tie + JAX loss + HOU-IND doesn't end in tie OR
5. JAX loss + DEN win + HOU-IND doesn't end in tie
Atlanta Falcons clinch NFC South division title with:
1. ATL win + TB loss
–
Green Bay Packers clinch playoff berth with:
1. GB win OR
2. GB tie + SEA loss or tie + NO loss or tie OR
3. GB tie + SEA loss + TB loss OR
4. GB tie + SEA tie + TB loss or tie OR
5. MIN loss or tie + SEA loss + TB loss OR
6. MIN loss or tie + SEA loss + NO loss
–
Minnesota Vikings clinch playoff berth with:
1. MIN win + GB loss + SEA loss + TB loss OR
2. MIN win + GB loss + SEA loss + NO loss
–
New Orleans Saints clinch NFC South division title with:
1. NO win + TB loss or tie OR
2. NO tie + TB loss
New Orleans clinches playoff berth with:
1. NO win + SEA loss or tie + GB loss or tie OR
2. NO tie + SEA loss + GB loss
–
Seattle Seahawks clinch playoff berth with:
1. SEA win + GB loss or tie OR
2. SEA tie + GB loss + TB loss or tie OR
3. SEA tie + GB loss + NO loss or tie
–
Tampa Bay Buccaneers clinch NFC South division title with:
1. TB win OR
2. TB tie + NO loss or tie
Tampa Bay clinches playoff berth with:
1. TB tie + SEA loss + GB loss or tie
Week 18 kicks off with the Ravens hosting the Steelers on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET and closes out with the Bills in Miami on Sunday at 8:20 p.m. ET.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
