Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550/WBEN) - The stage is set for the Buffalo Bills this Sunday night to put a bow on a fifth-straight AFC East title when they take on the San Francisco 49ers at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park.
Following a 30-17 loss for the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers, all the Bills will need on Sunday night is a victory in prime-time to capture another division title, and a spot in the AFC Playoff picture in Week 13 of the 2024 season.
With the loss, the Dolphins fall to 5-7 on the season with five games remaining on their schedule. The best Miami could finish, at this point, in the standings is 10-7 if the Dolphins manage to win the remaining games on their schedule.
With a Buffalo win on Sunday, the Bills would be guaranteed no worse than 10-7 in the standings, if they were to lose the remaining five games of the regular season. Where the Bills have the upper-hand on the Dolphins is the head-to-head tiebreaker, having won both matchups earlier this season in Week 2 and Week 9 of the season.
If the Bills manage to beat the 49ers on Sunday night, it would be the earliest Buffalo captures a division title since 1988 when the Bills clinched the AFC East in Week 12 of the season. It would also mark the 15th time in franchise history where the Bills ended the season as division champions.
A division title in 2024 would also secure Buffalo a fifth-straight AFC East crown, which has never been done in franchise history. It would also mark the fourth time a team in the AFC East has put up a stretch of five-or-more consecutive division titles.
Even if the Bills are unable to defeat the 49ers in Orchard Park this Sunday, all Buffalo would need, at this point, is either one more win on the schedule or another loss by the Dolphins.
If the Bills were to lose this week and the Dolphins end up falling to the New York Jets next Sunday in Miami, that would gift wrap the division for Buffalo ahead of their matchup with the Los Angeles Rams.
Heading into Sunday's game, the Bills have yet to lose a game coming out of their bye week since Sean McDermott took over as head coach in 2017.
Kickoff on Sunday is slated for 8:20 p.m. EST, and can be heard on the official voice of the Bills - WGR Sports Radio 550 - with Chris Brown, Eric Wood and Sal Capaccio on the call.
