ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — This week the Buffalo Bills will have their third and final prime-time game on Channel 2. Maybe.
It was certainly the final previously announced prime-time game for Channel 2, but as the Bills have climbed back into the AFC postseason race, every game that follows becomes far more magnified.
In fact, the final game of the NFL's regular season, game No. 272 on Sunday Night Football, could feature the Bills (8-6) and Miami Dolphins (10-4) with a ton at stake.
Imagine a game where the winner of that game wins the AFC East and the loser is relegated to wild-card status. Or that the winner claims the division title and the loser fails to qualify for the postseason.
That could happen with the Bills-Dolphins game in Week 18, making it an attractive option for the NFL's final regular-season game, which would be on Sunday Night Football.
The schedule for the next two weeks, and the quarterbacks each team plays, makes it a reasonable possibility given that the Bills need to be only a game back in the standings to remain in contention for the AFC East title.
Miami hosts the Dallas Cowboys (Dak Prescott) this week, then visits Baltimore to play the AFC-leading Ravens (Lamar Jackson) in Week 17. Both teams have won at least 10 games this season and are considered contenders to reach the Super Bowl.
Buffalo visits Los Angeles to play the Chargers (Easton Stick) on Saturday, then hosts the New England Patriots (Bailey Zappe) in Week 17. Both teams are starting backup quarterbacks and are out of postseason contention.
