Three weeks are in the books, and things have been pretty straightforward for fans figuring out who to root for. But listen up, because after this weekend, we are going to be a quarter of the way through the regular season, and the game is changing fast. While strength of schedule is always nice, what is even better is clearing the path to that coveted No. 1 seed in the AFC. It’s time to start paying serious attention to the top of the conference standings.
AFC East Chaos and Clarity
First up, the obvious: the New England Patriots come to town. This one needs zero explanation. The Bills absolutely have to win their first AFC East game of the season, especially with New England sitting at 1-2. It has been pretty sweet watching the Patriots come back to earth, and it is time to remind them exactly who the “Beast of the East” truly is. Go Bills!
Then we have the New York Jets heading to Chicago to face the Bears. This is a no-brainer that checks off two boxes. The Jets need to lose, period. And since Chicago is on the Bills’ schedule later this season, a Bears win is a solid boost for that strength of schedule. Easy call.
Finally, the Miami Dolphins are taking on the Minnesota Vikings. Here’s another win-win situation. Miami losing? Excellent. And Minnesota, currently undefeated at 3-0, is safely tucked away in the NFC, so their record does not threaten the Bills’ AFC goals. Plus, the Vikings are a future Bills opponent, so let Minnesota keep that winning streak alive while Miami keeps doing the opposite. It is all about the long game.
The Rest of the AFC Landscape
Now for the wild card: the Pittsburgh Steelers are playing the Cleveland Browns. This is a tough one because the entire AFC North is sitting at 2-1. There is no clear bottom-feeder to give a helpful bump, and there is no dominant team to knock down. So for now, the play is to back Cleveland. If the Browns somehow turn into a legitimate AFC threat later on, we will obviously adjust. But right now, another loss for the Steelers works just fine.
After this weekend, the focus shifts. We will move past the simple rules and dive deep into the AFC standings. Getting that No. 1 seed means everything, and Week 4 is the last call for some of these early season strategies before the real grind begins.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Buffalo Rumblings.
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