Another Battle Between Chiefs and Bills Sets the Stage for NFL Playoff Picture

The Chiefs and Bills have had many epic battles over the past five years, and this weekend's game could be another edition with clear playoff implications.

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce makes the game-winning touchdown reception against Bills linebacker Matt Milano. The Chiefs beat the Bills 42-36 in overtime to move on to the AFC Championship game against the Bengals. / JAMIE GERMANO/ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs will continue their rivalry with the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in Orchard Park, New York, where playoff seeding will be hanging in the balance.

As things currently stand, the Chiefs sit atop the AFC standings with a 9-0 record, while the Bills have the second-best record in the AFC at 8-2. If the Chiefs win, they would hold the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over the Bills and Baltimore Ravens, another team expected to compete for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. This week, the Ravens travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers, another team hoping to make a push for the AFC's lone first-round playoff bye and home field advantage.

The Steelers are 7-2 while the Ravens are 7-3. The Chiefs will play the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Christmas Day. There are still a lot of games to play, but a Chiefs win would set them up nicely for the No. 1 seed. Meanwhile, a loss to the Bills would still leave the Chiefs at the top of the conference, but losing the tiebreaker to Buffalo could be costly.

Despite both teams boasting conference-leading records, the Chiefs and Bills have taken different paths to get there to this point in the season. The Bills have only beaten one team with a winning record, thanks to a 31-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks when they were 4-3. The Seahawks are now 4-5 and at the bottom of the NFC West. On the other hand, the Chiefs have defeated four teams who are currently in playoff position with wins over the Ravens, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers and Atlanta Falcons, in addition to the San Francisco 49ers, who have a winning record. The Chiefs are the more battle-tested team and should be able to use that to their advantage as they try and get an upper hand on the Bills not only this weekend, but for the long haul. 

Both teams have been battling injuries and will not be at full strength this weekend. The Chiefs continue to be without wide receivers Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, Rashee Rice and Skyy Moore. Tight ends Jared Wiley and Jody Fortson are out for the season. Cornerback Jaylen Watson is out for the year. New this week, kicker Harrison Butker will miss at least four games due to a knee injury.

The Bills will be missing rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman and tight end Dalton Kincaid on Sunday. Linebacker Matt Milano is making his way back from IR but won’t be ready for the game this weekend. Wide receiver Amari Cooper and offensive tackle Spencer Brown are both questionable. It's rough for both squads. 

How about some good news for the Chiefs? Running back Isaiah Pacheco and defensive end Charles Omenihu are back to practice but still working their way back from IR. Even though they won’t be available against the Bills, it is a positive development in Kansas City. Giving the Chiefs the energy of Pacheco on offense to pair with Kareem Hunt and what he’s brought to the table over the past month is going to be exciting to watch. Adding Omenihu to the pass rush rotation is going to energize the defensive side of the ball, already a strength of this team. 

More good news: JuJu Smith-Schuster is expected to make his return this week, carrying no game day injury designation for Sunday. This will be the first time recently acquired wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and Smith-Schuster will play together. By the time the playoffs roll around, having those two options along with Brown and Xavier Worthy will be quite the grouping for Mahomes. That doesn’t even include future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce, who will also remain in the mix.

No matter what happens in the game this weekend, it may not be the last meeting between these two teams this season. The Bills have a tough schedule down the stretch, but with the way their division is shaping up, they should be able to win the AFC East comfortably. The Chiefs' schedule never lets up, but they should be able to win their division as well. When it’s all said and done, there’s a good chance one of these teams is the one-seed in the AFC and the other could be the two-seed. If it all goes according to plan, it could set these two teams on a collision course for another epic postseason battle as the Chiefs go for their third consecutive Super Bowl championship.

Read More: Chiefs vs. Bills Preview: Who Has the Edge When KC Arrives in Buffalo?