The Patriots are one of the very few teams entering Week 18 already locked up their division, which means there are many playoff seeding scenarios to look out for over the weekend. Although New England already knows they're AFC East Champions, it's still unclear who they will face in the playoffs, especially if they remain the No. 2 seed.
Based on the slate of games for the weekend, the assumption has been that the Chargers are their likeliest opponents. Other than having the tall task of needing to beat the Broncos at Mile High Stadium, Jim Harbaugh has already stated that QB Justin Herbert won't be suiting up on Sunday, and it might be fair to assume other starters will sit out, too.
So, that leads many to believe that the Chargers will hold onto the No. 7 seed and face the Patriots in Round 1. But that might be more up for grabs now that the Bills appear to be following the same script.
NFL insider Adam Schefter shared the news on Thursday afternoon, reporting that QB Josh Allen didn't practice due to a foot injury, and it's possible that Buffalo will choose to sit him for their season finale game against the Jets, since they have already clinched a playoff berth.
For a second straight day, Bills QB Josh Allen did not practice today due to his foot injury and it is now setting up for him to rest during Buffalo’s regular-season finale against the Jets. pic.twitter.com/tM6RwPdmAL
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 1, 2026
While it's understandable that they'll want Allen as healthy as possible for the postseason, it is a bit interesting that the Bills are willing to risk moving up in the AFC playoff picture by keeping their best player on the bench, which could mean a loss is on the way.
But maybe that's what they want.
It looks like the Bills might be trying to face the Patriots in the first round of the playoffs
Similar to the Chargers, whose fans are already crossing their fingers to face the Patriots in the wild card round, there's a chance the Bills have their sights set on New England, too.
It would be the third time the divisional rivals meet this year, after splitting their two matchups earlier this season, and given their familiarity, it would be unsurprising if the Bills feel most comfortable going against the Patriots in the first round.
Because they're expected to get a handful of players back from injury, including Will Campbell and Milton Williams, there's not a whole lot of reasoning behind Buffalo's possible preference to face New England. They might hope to take advantage of winning the latest matchup, but a previous win doesn't mean much in the playoffs.
The Patriots, on the other hand, would likely prefer not to play the Bills if they can avoid it because of that familiarity. But at the same time, they were going to absolutely blow them out of the water in Week 15 had they not collapsed in the second half, so they could replicate that and play hard all the way through if they do meet up in the postseason.
We'll have to see how Week 18 shakes out and who their first opponent will be. No matter who it is and when the game is played next weekend, it's impressive that the Patriots have earned a spot in the playoffs this year in Mike Vrabel's first season as the head coach, and that's enough to be excited about.