How the Bills can win another AFC East title without playing another game

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – The Buffalo Bills are well on their way to winning a fifth-straight division title, a streak never reached before in franchise history.

The Bills are 9-2 at the bye week, owning one fewer win than the Dolphins, Jets and Patriots combined.

How soon could the Bills officially clinch another AFC East crown? If other results fall the right way, the Bills could have it wrapped up before their next game against the San Francisco 49ers kicks off on Dec. 1. Here's how.

What the Bills need to clinch the AFC East

The simplest way to explain the Bills' AFC East clinching scenario is this:

• Both the Jets and Patriots will be eliminated from the division with their next loss, or the Bills' next win.
• The Dolphins will be eliminated from the division with any combination of two losses and/or Bills wins.

The rationale is that the worst the Bills can finish is 9-8. If Jets or Patriots lose again, they won't be able to get to nine wins. If the Dolphins lose twice, they'd be 4-8 and could still match the Bills at 9-8, but the Bills have the tiebreaker from sweeping the season series.

Getting the Dolphins to lose twice and the Patriots and Jets to lose once could happen in the following scenario:

• Week 12: Patriots beat Dolphins (Bills and Jets on bye week)
• Week 13: Dolphins lose at Packers, Jets lose to Seahawks, Patriots lose to Colts

Since the Bills have the Sunday night game in Week 13, it's possible for all four of those results to fall into place even before their next game begins.

If not, clinching the division title should still come in short order. That would make it five in a row for the Bills under Josh Allen, surpassing the streaks set under Jim Kelly (four in a row from 1988-91) and Jack Kemp (four in a row from 1963-66).

If Bills fans want to set their sights on even longer streaks, the Chiefs are working on their ninth straight division title under Patrick Mahomes and Alex Smith. Tom Brady's Patriots own the all-time record with 11 division titles in a row.